Heavy Duty "Smog Check" Proposed Amendments

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) released amendments to the proposed Heavy Duty Inspection and Maintenance regulation that will require truck owners and operators to perform periodic smog checks. The Board approved and passed the regulation December 9, 2021, but last week released an updated proposal with additional changes from CARB staff and stakeholder recommendations.

CARB incorporated CTA’s recommendations from our written comments submitted in November last year to provide multiple compliance extensions, and allow all fleets to apply for the extension. Staff are continuing to review the changes and will submit comments to CARB. Some of the changes include:

Increase periodic inspections frequency from 2 to 4 times per year after 3 years the program start date
Expands parts unavailability compliance extension from ten or fewer vehicles to fleets of all sizes
Expand parts unavailability compliance extension from one time to multiple vehicles
Vehicles who receive the extension will receive a provisional HD I/M compliance certificate
Allow owners and operators to bring vehicles into compliance beyond deadlines
Vehicle owners will only have to submit information from one repair facility instead of 3 to qualify for the parts unavailability compliance extension

We encourage members to review the amended regulation and submit any comments to Nick Chiappe by email at Nchiappe@caltrux.org.