Two CARB workshops on 'clean' school bus funding, public heavy-duty fleets, ULSD switch

Diesel Fuel News, March 17, 2003

California Air Resources Board holds a hearing March 27 on rules to spend about $5 million on 45 "clean" school buses, two-thirds of which will be alternative fuel, one-third "clean-diesel" with diesel particulate filters. Separately, at an April 3 workshop, CARB outlines a plan to control diesel particulate matter (PM) on public fleets, requiring best-available control technology (BACT), such as particle filters.

Starting 1/1/2005, municipal fleets (and contract fleets) must switch to ULSD, unless they're in an ozone attainment area or if there's no CARB-verified control technology available. Fleets with engines of 1987-2002 model years must gradually convert vehicles to "BACT" between end-2005 and end-2008. Older engines (pre-1987) must meet these "clean" standards by end-2009.