The California Air Resources Board has announced a public hearing to consider approving a proposed rule change that would extend maintenance support for faulty emissions control systems in heavy-duty trucks.

The proposed amendment would lengthen both the existing emissions control system warranty periods and minimum maintenance intervals to better reflect the longevity and usage of modern vehicles, according to CARB.

By extending the maintenance coverage for faulty emissions equipment, CARB hopes to get fleets to adopt newer, cleaner vehicles and engines and progress toward lower emissions by increasing the amount of clean trucks operating in the state.

Lengthening the warranty period would reduce emissions by incentivizing the repair of malfunctioning emissions-related parts and potentially encouraging manufacturers to make parts more durable.  Lengthening the regulatory-specified minimum maintenance intervals would help limit manufacturers’ ability to transfer the liability for part replacements to vehicle owners for emissions-related parts during the lengthened warranty periods, further strengthening warranty coverage.

The public hearing is scheduled for June 28, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. PDT at the CARB Coastal Hearing Room in Sacramento.

Interested members can comment in person or writing at the hearing and may provide comments by postal mail or by electronic submittal before the hearing.

The public comment period for this regulatory action will begin on May 11, 2018.  Written comments not physically submitted at the hearing must be submitted on or after May 11, 2018, and received no later than 5:00 p.m. PDT on June 25, 2018, and addressed to the following:

Clerk of the Board, California Air Resources Board

1001 I Street, Sacramento, California 95814

Related: CARB Fines Fleets for Hiring Trucks Not Meeting California Emissions Standards