HOW LONG WILL MY TRUCK BE LEGAL IN CALIFORNIA???

I’m sure that all of our recent posts about CARB are wearing some of you out.  But this topic is also creating a lot of conversation.  Most of you wonder how long you can legally run in California with your truck.  I have all of the answers.

The list below shows the years that you can continue to run in California, depending on what the age of your engine is.  If your engine is 1996-2006, you can report to CARB, and operate within the state til Jan. 1st 2014, which you will read about below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I own a single truck; how do I take advantage of the small fleet compliance option?
As a single truck owner, you can delay the PM filter requirement for heavier trucks until January 1, 2014, and truck replacement until 2023. The table on the following page shows when you must report and the compliance requirements base on engine model year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So basically the majority of you are small fleet owners, and by reporting your truck information to CARB, you will at least be able to travel in California until January 1st, 2014.  If you have any more questions, refer to this link: http://www.arb.ca.gov/html/fact_sheets/smallfleet_comp.pdf

HOW TO REGISTER YOUR 96-99 ENGINE WITH CARB

Hopefully many of you have been reading Uncle Lenny’s posts about registering your 96-99 engine with CARB.  You must do this to allow your truck to enter the state of California from now til 2014.  CARB is only concerned with the model year of your ENGINE.  So if you have a 1995 truck, and a 1996 engine, you must register.  If your engine is 1995 and older, you do not need to register.  If your engine is 2000 or newer, you will be instructed to register at a later date.

I know a lot of you may not know where to begin with all of this, but if you are savvy enough to check out this blog, you will have no problem registering your truck.  Below I will provide step by step directions to do so.

First step is go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/trucrsreporting/default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2ftrucrsreporting%2fFleets%2fViewFleet2.aspx

IF YOU NEED TO ENLARGE ANY OF THE PICTURES, CLICK ON THEM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the green box on the left, click on “Create A New Account”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Create your own username, and password, and be sure to write them down in case you need them again.  Fill in the rest of your information.  Click on “Create New Account”.  It will show a message that your account was created and you will then click on “Continue”.  You will be redirected back to the sign in screen (shown above).  Enter your username and password, and click “Log In”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will then see the screen pictured above.  Click on “Add a New Owner”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the Company Information screen, enter information in all fields marked with an *.  You will need your Tax ID number for this screen, so make sure to have that handy.  When all information is entered, click on “Save Company Information”  After saving info, it will show a message at the tops of the screen that shows “SAVED COMPANY INFORMATION“.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice at the top of the screen, after saving your info, the website will assign you a TRUCRS ID#.  That will be your personal reference number for your account.  At the top of that screen, click on “Add New Vehicle”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter information in all fields marked with an *.  Some of the info you will need here will be you truck VIN number, License number, and also a “Engine Family Number” which should be marked somewhere on your engine.  Once you have entered all of your truck information on this screen, click on “Click to Save and Continue (Next Page)”.  Once you go to page two, you will see a whole series of questions that probably do not pertain to you or your business at all. You are not required to answer any questions on page 2.  If you do not think that they apply to you or your business, do not answer them.  Then click on “Save Information” at the bottom of page two, and it will display a message that says you info was saved.  Once this info has been saved, your registration is complete.  You can print this info out, or just be sure to hang on to your username, and password, as well as your TRUCRS ID#.  Also, if you know of other drivers that don’t have access to the blog, be sure to spread the word about this.  Hope this answers some questions, and helps you all out.  Thanks for all you do, and GO MERCER!

ANOTHER MESSAGE FROM PERMITS

The deadline for sending us your paid 2290 or Federal Highway Use Tax is January 9^, 2012.  We must have copies of them so we can start the license renewal process.  Please scan, mail or fax them to the Permit Department as soon as possible.

 

A MESSAGE FROM PERMITS

The end of the year permit packages were mailed to our contractors Friday, December 16^th.  If your truck is permitted for the System fleet you will receive your IFTA sticker and permit, California, Colorado and Oregon permit (if you had an Oregon last year).  You must have these various state permits in your truck by January 1, 2012.  If your truck is permitted for the Mid-America fleet you will only receive the IFTA sticker and permit.  As in years past, the IFTA sticker and permit have been extended through February 28, 2012.

 

If you haven’t been through Oregon and gotten your tax weight receipt you have 3 options on how to obtain the it:

• Stop at the port Monday – Friday between hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.  You do not need to pay for it as it will be charged to our account.
• Call the phone number in your permit book.  It is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
• Call the Permit Department with a fax number and we will order it and fax it to you.  Please give us plenty of notice so you will not be delayed waiting for the fax.

 

The fine is $495 if you enter Oregon without the tax weight receipt.

 

NEW CARB REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, 96-99 ENGINES, PART 2

This post is a follow up to what Len Dunman posted on the 16th, concerning California’s Office of Administrative Law about registering small fleets of trucks between the model years 1996-1999.  You only have to register if your truck/engine falls within these years.  If you have a truck older or newer that this, you may continue to enter the state of California, and you will be instructed to register your truck at a later date.

NEW CARB REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, 96-99 ENGINES

On December 14, 2011, California’s Office of Administrative Law approved amendments to the Truck and Bus Regulation. Prior to the amendments, trucks with engines of model years 1996-1999 would have been banned in California on January 1, 2012. Those retro-fitted with a CARB-approved particulate matter (PM) filter would be allowed in California until January 1, 2020.

The amendment allows heavy truck owners with 1996-1999 engines but without PM filters to operate in California until January 1, 2014 providing they report their trucks to CARB through the Truck Regulations Upload and Compliance Reporting System (TRUCRS). You are eligible to report if you own three or fewer diesel trucks. You must report your vehicle by January 31, 2012. Mercer cannot do this for you.

The link to the online reporting system is: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/reportinginfo.htm. If you can’t get on that way, go to www.arb.ca.gov and go from there. Since the actual deadline for compliance is January 1, 2012, my advice for everyone with these engines is to get them registered by the end of December. Several Mercer drivers have already done this with no problem. Good luck.

Important Reminder to Licensed Motor Carriers and

Independent Owner Operators!

 

BE PREPARED – FINAL PHASE OF THE DRAYAGE TRUCK BAN GOES INTO EFFECT

JANUARY 1, 2012

 

Beginning January 1, 2012, the final phase of the Drayage Truck ban will take effect at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach marine terminals. Port drayage trucks equipped with Engine Years 2006 and older will no longer be permitted access.

 

Be prepared for the January 1, 2012 ban date and make sure your port drayage truck meets the following Clean Truck Program requirements:

 

Truck Ban Requirements

 

• Drayage trucks with engines that do not meet the 2007 Federal heavy-duty emissions standards will be banned from marine terminal access on January 1, 2012.

 

• This means that drayage trucks equipped with engine years 2006 or older will be banned from marine terminal entry on January 1, 2012.

 

• Drayage trucks equipped with engine years 1994 to 2003 are also banned from terminal entry even if they have been retrofitted with a level 3 verified diesel emission control system (VDECS).  Retrofitted trucks will only have marine terminal access through December 31, 2011.

 

• Drayage trucks with 2004 to 2006 engine years will only have access to marine terminals through December 31, 2011.

 

• ONLY drayage trucks with 2007 and newer engine years will have access to marine terminals starting on January 1, 2012.

 

Verify Truck Engine Year

 

• Licensed Motor Carriers and Independent Owner Operators with 2007 model year trucks not previously inspected must have their truck engine’s model year verified at the Truck Access Center (TAC).   This requirement is necessary because the Port Drayage Truck Registry (PDTR) automatically assumes that 2007 model year trucks have engines from the previous year (2006).

 

• Visit the TAC today and make sure your truck has the correct engine year entered into the PDTR.

 

The Clean Truck Fee Expires on December 31, 2011

 

• The Clean Truck Fee (CTF) of $35 per loaded twenty-foot equivalent container unit will expire and will no longer be collected starting January 1, 2012.

 

Register Your Truck in the PTDR, eModal’s Trucker Check and the State DTR

 

All port drayage trucks must be registered in the PDTR, eModal’s Trucker Check, and the State DTR to secure access to the marine terminals in both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach.  Failure to register in all three will result in the truck being denied access to the ports’ marine terminals.

 

• The PDTR can be accessed at https://pdtr.cleanairactionplan.org.

 

• eModal’s Trucker Check can be accessed at www.emodal.com.

 

• The State DTR can be accessed at https://arber.arb.ca.gov.

 

For more information, including operating hours and directions to the TAC, please call the Clean Trucks Program Helpline at (866) 721 – 5686.

Location of the TAC:

3593 New Dock Street (Pier S Avenue and New Dock Street, Terminal Island),

San Pedro, CA 90731.

 

 

 

Concession/Registrant Administrator

c/o Tetra Tech, Inc.

Helpline: 1-866-721-5686

Email: ctp@tetratech.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM T/A

T/A has come out with a new promo to Wish Mercer Contractors a Merry Christmas.  For the month of December, T/A is reducing it Mercer price by an additional penny per gallon.  T/A will now be priced a cost plus ½ penny per gallon.

TA in Wildwood FL.

Can we get the word out to the contractors on this? Of course we hope that we never have guys sitting for multiple days, but if they are sitting in FL,  Wildwood TA would love for them to stay there…

 

Dennis called to let us know that the TA in Wildwood FL is offering a deal for Mercer contractors that are laying over in FL. Mercer contractors can get a coupon from Dennis or any of the restaurant servers that will allow them to get a discounted meal for staying there multiple days when they are in the area. The first meal is regular price, 2^nd meal 20% off, 3^rd is 20% off, 4^th is 50% off.

 

Any contractors interested in taking advantage of this deal should stop in and see Dennis or any of the restaurant help.