CARB: Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas Reduction program

Scope

This regulation applies to 53-foot box type trailers and the tractors pulling them when operating on California highways.

Regulatory citations

• Title 17, California Code of Regulations, Sections 95300 to 95312

Key definitions

• Box-type trailer: A box-type trailer is a dry-van trailer or a refrigerated-van trailer. The regulation does not apply other types of trailers, such as box-type trailers of lengths shorter than 53 feet, flatbeds, logging trailers, drop frame trailers, curtain-side trailers, and chassis trailers hauling shipping containers.
• California Air Resources Board (CARB): The state agency in California charged with controlling air pollution.
• Smartway: A program run by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency that validates the fuel savings created by vehicle components.
• Trailer aerodynamics: Trailer rear fairings, trailer front gap fairings, trailer side skirts, and other SmartWay-approved aerodynamic devices for trailers.

Summary of requirements

The intention of CARB’s Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas Reduction regulation is to reduce overall emissions, including greenhouse gases, by improving fuel mileage (less fuel burned means less emissions generated). The regulation applies to any tractor-trailer combination that includes a box-type trailer (dry van or van-type refrigerated trailer) that is 53 feet or more in length. Specific regulatory requirements include the following:

• Trailers covered by this regulation must be equipped with aerodynamic equipment that improves the fuel mileage and low-rolling resistance tires,
• Sleeper berth equipped tractors that pull covered trailers on a California highway must be equipped with full aerodynamics meeting the U. S EPA Smartway standards and low-rolling resistance tires, and
• Day-cab tractor tractors that pull covered trailers on a California highway must be equipped with low-rolling resistance tires.

Exemptions are available for short-haul, local-haul, and storage trailers. To qualify as short-haul or local-haul trailers, the trailer must operate entirely within 100 miles of its normal base of operations. To use any of the exemptions, the carrier must register the trailer in CARB’s Tractor-Trailer GHG Portal (Trailer Reporting) system.