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The California Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) staff has
issued this announcement as a reminder of the upcoming Truck and
Bus Regulation requirements for school buses beginning on January
1, 2012. Diesel-fueled school buses with a Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating over 14,000 pounds are subject to the Truck and Bus
Regulation.  
• Compliance can be met by either retrofitting a school bus with
a particulate filter or by replacing a school bus with one that
is already equipped with a particulate filter.
• Owners must retire school buses manufactured before April 1,
1977, by January 1, 2012.  
• Remaining school buses must have particulate filters (that
reduce diesel PM emissions by 85 percent) installed on 33 percent
of the regulated fleet by January 1, 2012.  
• By January 1, 2013, 66 percent of the regulated fleet must have
particulate filters installed.
• By January 1, 2014, 100 percent of the regulated fleet must
have particulate filters installed.
• Owners of school buses with 1988-1993 model year engines have
the option to delay the particulate filter requirement until
January 1, 2014.
• Other provisions of the regulation are summarized in the Truck
and Bus Regulation School Bus Provisions fact sheet at: 
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/documents/fsschoolbus.pdf


The regulation is posted at: 
http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2010/truckbus10/tbfro.pdf
School bus provisions start on page 34 of the regulation.

For more information about the Truck and Bus Regulation, please
go to:  http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/onrdiesel.htm

If you have any questions or need help determining compliance,
please contact Lisa Jennings at 916 322-6913 or at
ljenning@arb.ca.gov . 

Background:  The Air Resources Board adopted a number of
regulations that require diesel engine owners to reduce their
engine emissions. These regulations are part of the State’s plan
to meet federal ambient air quality standards and to protect
public health. Between now and 2023, nearly all trucks and buses
that operate in California and have a manufacturer’s gross
vehicle weight rating greater than 14,000 pounds must upgrade to
reduce exhaust emissions.  Similar requirements will also become
effective in the next several years affecting owners and
operators of certain off-road equipment (including equipment used
in construction, industrial, and airport operations.  To comply
with these requirements, fleet owners can upgrade existing
engines by installing particulate matter (PM) filter retrofits or
other Verified Diesel Emission Control Strategies (VDECS), or by
upgrading to cleaner engines. 

For more information regarding these regulations please call
866-6DIESEL (866-634-3735) or go to:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/truckstop/truckstop.htm .