Truck and Bus Regulation

Background

In December 2008, the California Air Resources Board approved the Truck and Bus regulation to substantially reduce particulate matter, or PM, and oxides of nitrogen emissions from existing diesel vehicles operating in California. The following information describes the time extensions for agricultural vehicles consistent with amendments considered by the Board in December 2010.

What are the provisions for agricultural vehicles?
The agricultural vehicle provisions:

• Delay compliance for vehicles that operate less than specified mileage thresholds and for a limited number of specialized trucks.
• Apply to diesel trucks and buses with a manufacturer gross vehicle weight rating greater than 14,000 pounds, thus excluding pickups.
• Include agricultural vehicles such as trucks and buses owned by log harvest operations or farming businesses and certain trucks that are not farmer owned but are dedicated to supporting agricultural operations.
• Do not apply to truck tractors that enter ports or intermodal rail yards or transport marine cargo. These vehicles must comply with the Drayage Truck regulation.

I have a farming business. What types of vehicles can qualify for the limited mileage extensions?
A farming business is one that operates or manages a farm for profit but does not include farm support businesses such as farm labor companies, or businesses that provide other agricultural services such as farm management on a contract basis. Farming businesses include horticultural, viticultural, aquacultural, forestry, dairy, livestock or bee products and include the cutting or removing of timber, solid wood products and biomass from forestlands for commercial purposes.

Most trucks and buses owned by farming businesses or log harvest operations can qualify if they are used exclusively for growing or harvesting crops for the primary purpose of making a profit or to deliver the harvested crop. Examples include farm trucks used to pick up supplies, mend fences, move cattle, and handle other farming operations, but do not include vehicles that are part of a transportation business or vehicles leased to others for non-agricultural uses.

I am not a farmer. Can my trucks qualify for the mileage based extensions?
Trucks owned by non-farming businesses can qualify if used exclusively in one or more of the following ways:

• Deliver fertilizers or pesticides that require the display of a placard, between a distribution center and the farm.
• Perform work on a farm or forest and are specially designed for specific tasks. Examples include manure spreaders, feed mixers, silage harvest trucks, and bale processors, but do not include support vehicles used to service equipment or to transport workers, equipment or supplies.
• Serve as water trucks used solely on a farm or forest.
• Transport harvested agricultural products between the farm and the first point of processing. Examples include trucks transporting crops from the farm to a packing shed, cotton to a cotton gin, or logs from the forest to the saw mill.

What are the mileage thresholds that apply?
Starting in 2011, all eligible vehicles, except for trucks approved for the specialty agricultural vehicle designation, must stay below the annual mileage limits to qualify for the extension.

Compliance is extended until 2023 if the vehicle travels less than 10,000 annually. If more mileage is needed, vehicles can be driven as shown in the chart below based on their engine model year until January 1, 2017. By January 1, 2017, these vehicles must comply with any applicable PM filter and replacement requirements like non agricultural vehicles. Starting January 1, 2017, only vehicles that operated less than 10,000 miles every year since January 1, 2011, can continue to have the extension until January 1, 2023, if they continue to operate less than 10,000 miles per year. Vehicles that exceed the mileage limits in any year must comply with the general requirements like other trucks.

Can my truck qualify for the specialty agricultural vehicle extension?
A limited number of trucks can be approved for the specialty agricultural vehicle extension that delays compliance with the general requirements until January 1, 2023, without a mileage restriction. In addition, no more than 1,100 trucks that operate in the San Joaquin Valley and no more than 2,200 trucks statewide can be approved. All specialty vehicles reported by March 31, 2010, were approved for the exemption and additional vehicles can be approved after the April 29, 2011, reporting period. The following list of eligible truck types was expanded to include feed trucks used at dairies and lettuce harvest trucks:

• trucks used to transport cotton modules
• farmer owned water trucks
• feed or mixer trucks specifically designed for dispensing feed to livestock
• trucks used exclusively to resupply airplanes or helicopters
• lettuce harvest trucks with self-loading beds

Will I lose the exemption if I need to replace a vehicle?
No, fleets can retain the same number of qualifying vehicles if the engine in the replacement vehicle is at least one model year newer than the one being replaced and the annual mileage limits continue to be met after the replacement vehicle is placed in service.

What do I need to do to take advantage of the agricultural vehicle provision?
By April 29, 2011, fleets must report information about qualifying vehicles including odometer readings from January 1, 2011. If an odometer is broken, the fleet may report readings from a hubodometer that cannot be reset, has a serial number, and has a lock-out feature that permanently prevents tampering. The number of qualifying vehicles that were in the fleet on January 1, 2009, cannot be increased in subsequent years, therefore the fleet needs to report and document information about the vehicles that were in the fleet in 2009 even if they are no longer part of the fleet. Fleets can apply and update their information annually at www.arb.ca.gov/dieseltruck.

What are the labeling requirements?
Qualifying vehicles must be labeled with the letters "AG" on the left and right door. By June 1, 2011, fleet owners must permanently affix or paint the letters "AG" in white block lettering that is three inches high on a five inch by eight inch black background. The label must be located on the left and right door of the vehicle and be in clear view at all times. ARB will not issue the label. Contact your local County Farm Bureau as many of them are providing stickers for their members.

For More Information

Additional Fact sheets and information are available at www.arb.ca.gov/dieseltruck by calling (866) 6DIESEL (866-634-3735) or email 8666diesel@arb.ca.gov. A two page summary of the agricultural provisions as shown here can be downloaded and printed (PDF).