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Owners of diesel fleets must assure that their engines continue
to meet air quality standards. 

Release 09-57
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2009
	  	  	
Karen Caesar
(626) 575-6728
www.arb.ca.gov

San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and contractors fined
$47,750 for emissions violations

SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board fined the San
Diego Metropolitan Transit System $47,750 in May for diesel
vehicle emissions violations.

An ARB investigation showed that MTS failed to meet transit
fleet vehicle requirements, and did not inspect their heavy-duty
diesel vehicle fleet. MTS paid a fine of $11,375 for failing to
meet the fleet vehicle requirements. MTS maintenance contractors
Veolia Transportation Services, First Transit and McDonalds
Transit Associates paid a combined fine of $36,375 for failing to
meet the emission test requirements for the MTS diesel vehicle
fleet.

"Local communities, transit customers and the mechanics who work
on the vehicles are particularly vulnerable and should not pay
for emissions violations with their health," said ARB Chairman
Mary D. Nichols.

The law requires owners of California-registered truck and bus
fleets to regularly inspect their vehicles to ensure that their
engine emissions meet state air quality standards.

MTS is required to:

    * Guarantee employees responsible for conducting the
inspections attend a California community college training class
on diesel emissions compliance testing and provide certificates
of completion within one year;
    * Provide documentation to ARB that the inspections are
being carried out for the next four years;
    * Ensure all of the company's on-road heavy-duty diesel
engines have their software updated with the latest low-NOx
(oxides of nitrogen emissions) programming;
    * Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state's
idling regulations;
    * Comply with requirements of the fleet rule for transit
agencies; and,
    * Ensure that all on-road diesel engines are up to federal
emissions standards for the vehicle model year and are properly
labeled with an emissions control certification label. 

MTS paid $47,750 in penalties: $35,812.50 went to the California
Air Pollution Control Fund for projects and research to improve
California's air quality; the Peralta Community College District
received $5,968.75 to fund emissions education classes conducted
by participating California community colleges; and, the
remaining $5,968.75 went to the California Pollution Control
Financing Authority which guarantees loans to off-road vehicle
fleets that need to buy exhaust retrofits to comply with state
regulations.

Diesel exhaust contains a variety of harmful gases and over 40
other known cancer-causing compounds. In 1998, California
identified diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant
based on its potential to cause cancer, premature death and other
health problems.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain
health based air quality standards.

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