CARB to Reinstate Roadside Inspections

 The California Air Resources Board is on track to resume snap-idle
 testing either in the spring or summer of 1998.  According to Robert
 Ianni of CARB’s Northern Heavy Duty Diesel Section, “We still have to
 present our proposed amendments to CARB’s 9-member board for vote in
 December, but if everything goes as planned, the HDVIP should be up and
 running again in less than a year.”

 CARB’s Heavy Duty Vehicle Inspection Program (HDVIP) originally became
 operative on November 21, 1991, and was enforced until October 15,
 1993.  CARB temporarily suspended enforcement of the roadside inspection
 program in order to focus on reformulated fuels issues and to determine
 how to comply with subsequent state legislation regarding smog test
 procedures (AB 584).

 CARB held a workshop in Sacramento on September 11 to discuss regulatory
 amendments their staff has proposed in order to address the statutory
 requirements of AB 584.  The State Legislature enacted AB 584 in 1993 to
 require that test procedures for determining smoke opacity used in the
 HDVIP “produce consistent and repeatable results.”  AB 584 states that
 this testing requirement is satisfied by the Society of Automotive
 Engineers (SAE) J1667 test procedure.  AB 584 further requires that the
 program must produce “no false failures,” or ensure that any false
 failures be remedied without penalty to the vehicle owner.

 CARB staff participated in a broad-based SAE task group with
 representatives of industry, government, and academia to develop the SAE
 J1667 test procedure.  SAE J1667 is designed to alleviate past industry
 concerns over the technical appropriateness of the HDVIP’s smoke test
 procedure.  The SAE task group addressed the technical issues
 surrounding the smoke test procedures, equipment performance
 specifications, and test corrections for the effects of altitude and
 weather.  The final SAE J1667 test procedure was issued in February,
 1996.  CARB then conducted the Truck Repair Study to evaluate the
 effectiveness of the SAE J1667 and its impact on the HDVIP.

 Having worked with such a broad-based task group to develop the SAE
 J1667 test procedure and having conducted the Truck Repair Study, CARB
 determined that four regulatory amendments must become effective before
 enforcement of the HDVIP resumes.  The four amendments proposed by
 CARB’s staff are:

 (1)  Designate SAE J1667 as the official test procedure
 (2)  Maintain the existing snap-acceleration opacity standards of 55%
 for pre-1991 model-year heavy-duty diesel-powered engines and 40% for
 1991 and subsequent model-year heavy-duty diesel-powered engines
 (3)  Retain exemptions to allow technologically less stringent standards
 for specific engine families based on data submitted by the engine
 manufacturers
 (4)  Retain the administrative hearing process prescribed under Health
 and Safety Code section 44011.6(m).

 Additionally, to minimize the economic impact of the Periodic Smoke
 Inspection Program (PSIP) on fleets, CARB proposes a “grandfather”
 period until July 1, 1999 for fleets to change over from SAE J1243 to
 SAE J1667 specification smokemeters.

 At the workshop, CARB’s Heavy Duty Diesel Branch gave a presentation on
 the basis for roadside and fleet programs, played an American Trucking
 Association videotape titled “On the Road to Clean Air”, explained their
 proposed regulatory amendments, and fielded questions from the
 attendees.  Paul Jacobs of CARB’s Heavy Duty Diesel Branch stated,
 “We’ve come a long way from where we were 8 years ago, when we were
 being told by the trucking industry that we were using junk science.
 Now, our snap-idle test procedures and programs are being endorsed by
 the industry.”

 Ed Ehlers, Executive Director of the California Association of Loggers,
 made an interesting proposal to CARB.  He expressed his concern over
 having his trucks taken out of service for testing.  Mr. Ehlers
 suggested, “The officer should issue a voucher to a truck that passes
 the smokemeter test.  That voucher could be used to offset penalties for
 a different truck within the company that fails to pass the test.”  Paul
 Jacobs pointed out, “At most, trucks are only delayed 10 minutes for
 roadside inspections.  In fact, the officers are specifically instructed
 not to let the line que up for longer than a 10 minute wait.”  As for
 the 10 minute delay, someone towards the back of the audience grumbled,
 “That’s just a cost of doing business.”

 You can contact either of the two individuals listed to the right if you
 need to talk to a representative of the CARB Mobile Source Operations  

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 Division, Heavy-Duty Diesel Branch.

 Mr. Robert Ianni

 Air Resources Engineering Associate

 Northern Heavy Duty Diesel Section

 2020 L Street

 Sacramento, CA  95814

 (916) 322-0845

 email: rianni@arb.ca.gov  

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 Mr. Ramon Cabrera

Associate Air Pollution Specialist

 Southern Heavy Duty Diesel Section

 9528 Telstar Avenue

El Monte, CA  91731

 (626) 450-6177

 email: rcabrera@arb.ca.gov  

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Jan., 1998