If you missed the August 31 deadline for ordering new replacement engines for model year 2006 transport refrigeration units (reefers) or new replacement TRUs, the California Air Resources Board is recommending you take immediate action to order Level 3 verified diesel particulate filters forretrofitting your engines by the end of 2013.

Model year 2006 TRU and TRU generator set engines must comply with the TRU Regulations, in-use performance standards by December 31. At this point in time, it may be too late to place orders for replacement engines or replacement units for delivery and installation by the December 31 compliance deadline. 

In accordance with the TRU Regulation, orders for replacement engines and units placed after August 31will not be eligible for compliance extensions if delivery or installation will be completed after December 31. However, if model year 2006 owners order verified diesel emissions control strategies such as Level 3 diesel particulate filters, by the end of October, installation by the end of 2013 is most likely possible. Also if you order a Level 3 VDECS before October 31 and delivery or installation is delayed so that you can’t comply by the end of 2013, you may qualify for a compliance deadline extension. 

To qualify for this extension, the following conditions must be met:

1. Purchase orders for Level 3 VDECS must be placed by October 31.

2. The TRU must be registered in ARB‚s Equipment Registration system.

3. An application for extension must be submitted to ARB with the required documentation by December 31^.

Owners that place orders for Level 3 VDECS after October 31 will not qualify for this compliance extension if they discover they cannot comply by December 31 due to delays in delivery or installation.

Also, California law now requires freight brokers, forwarders, shippers, and receivers to only hire and dispatch TRU-equipped trucks, trailers, shipping containers, and railcars that are compliant with the in-use performance standards if the perishable load will travel on California highways or railways. All model year 2005 and older TRUs and TRU generator sets must now be in compliance with the in-use performance standards to be legally hired to transport perishable goods on California highways or railways. Motor carriers need to be able to show the business entity that hires the carrier that they have compliant equipment.

More information about CARB’s" Guidance for Brokers, Forwarders, Shippers, Receivers, Carriers and Drivers: Hiring and Contracting TRU-Carrier Transport of Perishable Goods on California Highways and Railways" is at http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/guidance_broker-shipper-receiver.pdf

TRU generator set owners and operators can review CARB’s “Q&A for TRU Gensets” at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/q&a_tru_gensets.pdf

For general information about the TRU Regulation and VDECS information, the TRU Website is: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/tru.htm