Cracking down on dirty diesel big rigs
Keeping our air clean. On Tuesday, the California Air Resources Board, working alongside the California Highway Patrol, held roadside inspections on Abbott Street to sure older trucks were following clean air requirements.
It’s that time of year in Salinas, where we’re at the height of the vegetable harvest season and big rigs are coming and going throughout the area. But with it comes big problems, like pollution.
“These trucks, not only are the main contributor to smog of all mobile sources, but they also have one other really negative impact and that’s the smoke that’s coming out,” said Bruce Tuter, an air resources supervisor with the California Air Resources Board. “We call it particulate matter, it’s that diesel soot. It’s very tiny and it’s very toxic, it’s the most toxic air contaminate that we know.”
CARB says that soot can cause asthma in kids, breathing problems in the elderly and increased heart disease rates.
Older trucks were pulled over. Drivers would do a “snap idle test,” which is to step on the gas so personnel could see if smoke was coming out of the exhaust stack. Trucks should have a filter on them, which controls the smoke coming out. Drivers would also have to pop the hood so personnel could see if the equipment was not only compliant but labeled properly. They aren’t just looking for problems under the hood, but also the refrigeration system.
“In Salinas here, because of the types of crops that you grow, because they are cooler weather crops in general, almost all of them require refrigeration and there’s refrigeration units on the trailers,” Tuter said. “Those are diesel-run and there’s a lot of older refrigeration units out there and they cause problems too.”
One truck that came through the checkpoint didn’t have the right paperwork and much of the equipment was non-compliant. He told us the owner just brought the rig in Las Vegas and was at the DMV trying to sort everything out.
“I was coming from Watsonville and the Highway Patrol Officer was here and they stopped me and they asked me for the registration and the DOT number and all that stuff it was not in the truck,” said Jose de Jesus Lara.
People who don’t comply could face fines. In a worst case scenario, the DMV could hold their registration, making it problematic to renew it the next year.
But overall, the trucks that the CARB saw were following the rules.
“The vast majority have been newer, compliant trucks,” Tuter said. “I’ve seen a number of old ones, but I’d say at least 80 percent are compliant as they drive by.”
If you spot a dirty diesel big rig, you can anonymously report it at 1-800-END-SMOG (363-7664). Make sure to note the location, time and license plate number. In the case of big rigs, those are found in the front of the truck.
