Smoke Opacity Testing
The Periodic
Smoke Inspection Program requires that diesel truck and bus
fleet owners conduct annual inspections of their vehicles and repair
those with excessive smoke emissions. To ensure compliance, the ARB
randomly audits fleets, maintenance and inspection records and tests
a representative sample of vehicles. All vehicles that do not pass
the test must be repaired and retested. A fleet owner that neglects
to perform the annual smoke opacity inspection on applicable
vehicles is subject to a penalty (http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/casesett/casesett.htm)
of $500.00 per vehicle, per year.
Who must comply?
All California-based fleets of two or more heavy-duty vehicles gross
vehicle rating over 6,000 pounds) are required to perform annual
smoke and tamper inspections of their fleet. Fleet owners are not
required to inspect vehicles that are powered by diesel engines
until their fourth model year (example: 2000 year engines would be
tested in 2004).
Who is Exempt?
Fleet owners are not required to inspect vehicles that are powered
by engines in their first four years. Heavy-duty diesel-powered
vehicles that are not part of a fleet or are exclusively for
personal use are exempt.
What are CARB standards?
Opacity is the absence of light and is read through the exhaust's
emissions. A truck that is 1991 or newer can measure up to %40
opacity.
A truck 1990 or older can measure up to 55% opacity.
What are the inspection requirements?
All testing must conform to the Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE)
J1667 snap-acceleration test procedure. All vehicles that do not
pass the test must be repaired and retested. All testing records
must be maintained for a period of two years.
Past Notifications:
This mailout was distributed on October 11 2006 to California-based
heavy-duty fleets, regarding the enforcement of the fleet Periodic
Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP). PDF-156K
The mailout # MSO 99-06 was distributed on June 8, 1999 to
California-based heavy-duty fleets, regarding the enforcement of the
fleet Periodic Smoke Inspection Program.
The penalties for non compliance:
The ARB conducts random audits at California fleet owner's sites
or road side set-ups. An audit will require 2 past years of smoke
test records. The penalty for non compliance is $500 per truck per
year the records are missing. For example, if you have 10 trucks and
are audited in 2009, you would be required to show 2007 and 2008
smoke test records. If you have neither the fine would be $10,000.
If you had only one set the fine would be $5000. CARB case
settlements can be seen at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/casesett/casesett.htm
Mobile testing gives you the convenience of having your trucks
tested and certified on your site at your specified time. Our
professional certified testers are available 24 Hrs a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year, so your fleet can be tested while it is idle.
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Upon completion of your smoke
test, you will receive a California Diesel Compliance binder
containing your test results and a data log with your fleet
information.
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Each terminal receives their
own binder and a master binder is delivered to your headquarters.
The binders remain with you and are readily attainable in the case
of an audit.
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The information is also
electronically backed up for the convenience of annual service as
well as security back up.
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Each truck will receive a
windshield sticker that will show compliance and can easily be seen
at roadside set-ups and weigh stations.
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Each truck is checked for the
Emissions Control Label. We'll let you know which ones are missing
or illegible so that you can replace it without receiving a
citation.
