Not long after highlighting efforts to beef up enforcement of state clean diesel rules, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) has announced that Randy's Trucking Inc. will pay the agency $524,675 for violating a variety of air quality regulations.
The case marks the largest ever settled for failure to comply with California's Truck and Bus Regulation, which the agency says is helping to cut harmful diesel emissions throughout the state.
“It's vital for businesses to know that we can't relax our standards or make exceptions when it comes to protecting public health,” says ARB Enforcement Chief Jim Ryden. “Fortunately, fines this high are rare, and company owners are being more proactive in making their diesel fleets compliant. Randy's Trucking has been cooperative and is working toward full compliance on an approved schedule that reflects their commitment to upgrading their equipment.”
The Bakersfield, Calif.-based company will pay $392,755 to the Air Pollution Control fund to support air quality research, as well as $130,920 to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to help clean up school bus fleets throughout the state.
ARB says its investigation showed that Randy's Trucking Inc. failed to clean up its fleet according to the timetable set forth in the statewide Truck and Bus Regulation. The rule requires owners of diesel vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 26,000 lbs. to meet specific compliance deadlines according to the engine model year. Randy's Trucking failed to meet these requirements for all its 1996 through 2006 model-year heavy-duty vehicles, according to ARB.
In addition, the agency says Randy's did not properly self-inspect its diesel trucks to ensure that they met state smoke emission standards as required by state law. The company also failed to check that engines were properly labeled, or ensure their trucks met annual emissions compliance requirements.Â
ARB says Randy's Trucking Inc. has since agreed to pay its fine and follow all relevant state air-quality requirements. The company has also agreed to send fleet maintenance representatives to attend classes conducted by the California Council on Diesel Education and Technology, submit all relevant compliance records, and complete Low NOx software upgrades on all applicable heavy-duty diesel engines.
