Off-Road Diesel Vehicle Regulation Overview

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Emergency operations vehicles, dedicated snow removal vehicles, part-time agriculture, and low-use vehicles (under 100 hours per year, with an hour meter) must be reported to ARB and labeled, but are exempt from the turnover and retrofit requirements.

Summary: The regulation imposed limits on idling, buying older off-road diesel vehicles and selling vehicles beginning in 2008; requires all vehicles to be reported to ARB and labeled in 2009; and then in 2010 begins gradual requirements for fleets to clean up their fleet by getting rid of older engines, using newer engines and installing exhaust retrofits.

The overall purpose of the regulation is to reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) from off-road diesel vehicles.

The following requirements are in effect and being enforced:

1. BUYING Tier 0 Vehicles Prohibited – No fleet subject to the regulation may purchase a Tier 0 off-road diesel vehicle; Tier 0 vehicles were vehicles produced without an emission standard, generally before 1996. The advisory below lists the years in which Tier 0s were made. More information – www.arb.ca.gov/enf/advs/advs390.pdf

2. IDLING Limited to 5 Minutes – Exceptions for vehicles that need to idle to perform work (such as a crane providing hydraulic power to the boom), or vehicles being serviced, or in a queue waiting for work. More information – www.arb.ca.gov/enf/advs/advs377.pdf

3. WRITTEN Idling Policy – Medium and large fleets (those with over 2,500 horsepower of off-road diesel vehicles) must have a written idling policy. More information – www.arb.ca.gov/enf/advs/advs391.pdf
Suggested language – www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/ordiesel/guidance/writtenidlingguide.pdf

4. SELLING Any Off-road Diesel Vehicle – The seller (whether a dealer or a contractor with just one vehicle) must provide disclosure of the regulation on the bill of sale or invoice, with the exact language provided in the regulation, and keep records for three years. More information and necessary language - http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/advs/advs378.pdf

The homepage of the regulation, with updates and more information is www.arb.ca.gov/ordiesel. You can also find this information on CARB page in the "Members Only" section of CRA's website.