The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has banned vehicles weighing over 14,000 pounds and built before 2010 from operating on California roads from 1 January 2023. The law, which was implemented by CARB in 2008 and signed into law as Senate Bill 1, aims to reduce particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen emissions by requiring vehicles to have 2010 or newer model year engines.
The SF Gate reports that around 200,000 vehicles, including 70,000 big rig trucks, do not comply with the rule and will be prohibited from operating in the state. However, exceptions will be made for vehicles that have replaced their engine with a post-2010 model or travel less than 1,000 miles per year.
The DMV will enforce the law denying registrations to non-compliant trucks and buses, and CARB’s enforcement unit will conduct audits of commercial fleets that may result in citations. CARB has said that most bus and truck fleet owners in the state have upgraded their engines to post-2010 models. In a statement, the board claimed, “As heavy-duty on-road vehicles are such a significant source of pollutants, the Truck and Bus Regulation is one of the most far-reaching and important tools to reduce smog-forming and toxic emissions and protect public health in disadvantaged communities.”
Additionally, the board proposed a plan to remove all gas and diesel truck fleets from the state’s roads by 2045 and replace them with zero-emission vehicles.
