CARB SmartWay Regulation

California Air Resources Board Requires SmartWay Compliance For Motor Carriers, Brokers

The California Air Resources Board developed its Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas Regulation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by heavy-duty tractors by making them more fuel efficient. Fuel efficiency will be improved by requiring the use of aerodynamic tractors and trailers that are also equipped with low rolling resistance tires.

The tractors and trailers subject to this regulation must either use United States Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay certified tractors and trailers, or retrofit their existing fleet with SmartWay verified technologies. The SmartWay certification process is part of their broader voluntary program called the SmartWay Transport Partnership Program.

The regulation applies primarily to owners of 53-foot or longer box-type trailers, including both dry-van and refrigerated-van trailers, and owners of the heavy-duty tractors that pull them on California highways. These owners are responsible for replacing or retrofitting their affected vehicles with compliant aerodynamic technologies and low rolling resistance tires. All owners regardless of where their vehicle is registered must comply with the regulation when they operate their affected vehicles on California highways.

Besides the owners of these vehicles, drivers, motor carriers, California-based brokers and California-based shippers that operate or use them also share in the responsibility for compliance with the regulation. One or all of these parties may be held accountable for operating or using non-compliant vehicles on California highways.

The full regulation including compliance dates may be found here.