The California Air Resources Board is reminding brokers, forwarders, shippers and receivers that hire motor carriers to transport perishable goods on California highways to re-establish due diligence in their hiring practices with the start of 2014.

That’s because Dec. 31 was the deadline for model year 2006 transport refrigeration unit and TRU generator set engines to meet state in-use performance standards. As a result, there may be some noncompliant TRU and TRU generator set engines that cannot legally operate in California.

“Any business entity that hires motor carriers to transport perishable goods on California highways and railways must require the carriers they hire or contract with to only dispatch TRUs or TRU generator sets that comply with the TRU‚s in-use performance standards,” said CARB in an advistory.

CARB’s TRU Advisory 13-25 explains what this means for the hiring business entities, such as freight brokers, forwarders, shippers and receivers that hire refrigerated motor carriers. It lists some strategies that a hiring business entity may use to make sure they only hire motor carriers with compliant TRUs.

Also in 2014 CARB plans to check refrigerated carrier drivers for the documentation they are now required to carry. The TRU regulation requires:

• The hiring business entity must provide contact information to the carrier for their driver about the hiring business entity, shipper, and receiver.

• Motor carriers are responsible for providing the driver with contact information for the shipper, receiver, and business entity that hired the carrier.

• Drivers must, upon request by authorized personnel, provide their driver’s license, vehicle registration, bill of lading or freight bill (if loaded) with the origin and destination of the freight being transported, and contact information for the carrier, shipper, receiver, and business entity that hired the carrier.

The TRU Advisory is available online.  

Guidance for brokers, forwarders, shippers, receivers, carriers and drivers for hiring and contracting TRU-carrier transport of perishable goods on California highways and railways is also available online.

For general information about the TRU Regulation, you can visit the TRU website.

If you have questions about compliance or registration you can call the TRU help line at 1-888-878-2826 or 916-327-8737.