The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently held a major “enforcement truck event” at the Port of Los Angeles.

CARB announced on Monday that more than 1200 trucks were recently screened at the Port of Los Angeles “to help make owners and operators aware of the new ‘smog check’ requirements for heavy-duty vehicles and the phase-in timeline.“

During the event at the port, CARB debuted new roadside smog check technology. Carb unveiled the Portable Emissions Acquisition System (PEAQS) – a roadside monitoring system that measures truck emissions as part of the enforcement event.

CARB called the emission enforcement event a “preview” of the state’s “Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Program” (HD I/M), which is due to begin phasing in on January 1, 2023.

All heavy-duty trucks, buses, agricultural equipment and personal motorhomes with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 14,000 pounds will be subject to the HD I/M program in starting in 2023 when traveling in California, regardless of whether they are registered in California.

“The Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Program will ensure that the emissions control equipment in heavy-duty trucks does its job capturing and removing harmful emissions for the life of the vehicle. And, if we discover it’s not working properly, it will be repaired quickly,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “This will save owners and operators in fuel costs and deliver significant improvements in air quality and public health especially in communities adjacent to highways, ports and warehouses that suffer from persistent air pollution as a result of heavy traffic.”

As phase one of the new program, starting in January 2023,  the PEAQS unveiled on Monday will be deployed in various areas to screen for potential high-emitting vehicles operating on California roads. 

In mid 2023, as phase two of the HD I/M program begins, all heavy-duty trucks will be required toIn 2024, in the last phase of the program, heavy-duty truck registration in California will require proof of emissions compliance with the HD I/M Program. Emissions inspections will need to be performed twice a year for vehicles with onboard diagnostic (OBD) systems, increasing to four times per year testing in 2027. register with CARB and obtain a certificate of compliance to operate in the state.

According to CARB, “Emissions inspections are designed to minimize downtime and the inconvenience to owners/ operators. Unlike passenger car smog checks, heavy-duty vehicle owners will be able to complete the required test and deliver emissions systems inspection information remotely without having to travel to designated testing locations. The test can be conducted anywhere using the truck’s OBD system or stand-alone scan tool provided it’s performed by a CARB-credentialed tester using a CARB-certified readout device. It is projected that 75 to 80% of all heavy-duty trucks will have OBD equipment that can utilize telematics technology – that is, sending the data automatically – when the program begins.”