COMPLIANCE
CARB Compliance
Conformance with California Air Resources Board emission standards for diesel trucks, required for all drayage carriers operating at California ports.
CARB compliance refers to adherence to the emission standards set by the California Air Resources Board for commercial diesel trucks operating in California. The CARB Clean Trucks Rule (also called the Drayage Truck Regulation) was first enacted in 2008 as part of the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach Clean Trucks Program. It requires all drayage trucks serving California ports to meet specific engine emission standards — initially 2007 model-year engines, progressively tightened to require 2010 model-year engines or newer for current operations.
CARB compliance is enforced at the terminal gate: trucks must be registered in the CARB Truck Regulation Online Reporting and Compliance system (TROCS) and display a valid green sticker. Trucks that do not meet CARB standards are turned away at the gate. This makes CARB compliance non-negotiable for any carrier operating at the Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, or any other California port.
Looking ahead, California's Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation will require drayage carriers operating at California ports to transition to zero-emission vehicles (battery-electric trucks) on an accelerating timeline. Carriers working at LA/LB today should be actively evaluating their fleet transition path to battery-electric to maintain operating eligibility at California ports through 2035 and beyond.