How does Clean Truck Check work, start to finish?
Clean Truck Check works in three parts: the owner reports the vehicle in CARB's CTC-VIS system, pays CARB's annual compliance fee, and has the truck pass the right emissions test before each deadline. Diesel Dynamix handles the testing part, on site.
Here are the Clean Truck Check test steps with a mobile tester:
- Report and pay. Make sure each truck is in CTC-VIS and the annual fee is paid. We can help if you are stuck.
- Check the deadline. Each truck has its own due dates in CTC-VIS.
- Book the visit. Tell us the truck count, engine types and where the trucks park.
- Test day. We run the right test for each truck: OBD for 2013+ diesel and 2018+ alternative fuel, smoke opacity plus visual inspection for 2012 and older diesel without OBD, or visual inspection for 2017 and older alternative fuel without OBD.
- Results. You get the result per truck, a plain-English explanation and the next due date.
If a truck fails, it goes to a repair shop, then we retest. We do not do repairs.
Clean Truck Check checklist: how to prepare
Most problems on test day are preventable. Use this checklist in the days before the visit.
Paperwork and access
- The VIN for every truck. Each test is tied to the VIN, so it has to match the truck.
- Your CTC-VIS login, or at least confirmation that each truck is reported and the fee is paid.
- Keys, cab access and gate instructions for our tester.
Truck condition
- No check engine light. Get faults diagnosed and repaired before the test, not the morning of.
- Do not clear codes or disconnect the battery right before an OBD test. The readiness monitors need time and driving to set again.
- For smoke tests, fix known smoke problems such as a dirty air filter, exhaust leaks or a failing injector.
- Any particulate filter should be installed and working. Deleted or tampered equipment fails.
Scheduling
- Group trucks with close deadlines into one visit.
- Ask for an early-morning slot if trucks need to roll out on time.
What happens during a mobile Clean Truck Check test
On test day, our tester arrives at your location, checks in with your contact and works through the trucks one at a time. You do not drive anywhere.
For an OBD truck, the tester confirms the VIN, connects CARB-verified equipment to the diagnostic port and records the data. The truck stays parked. For a non-OBD diesel, the engine is brought to operating temperature, the tester does the visual inspection, and the opacity meter reads the smoke during several snap accelerations. Older alternative-fuel trucks without OBD get the visual inspection.
How long Clean Truck Check takes depends on the mix. OBD tests are usually quick once connected. Smoke tests take longer because of warm-up and the inspection. A large yard takes longer than a single truck, which is why we plan the order around your dispatch.
As each truck finishes, we tell you how it did. If one fails, we explain why in plain English, so your mechanic knows where to start, and we schedule the retest after the repair.
Proof of compliance and how long a test lasts
A passing test counts toward the truck's current deadline, and the truck's compliance status is tracked in CARB's CTC-VIS system. That status, along with your test records, is your Clean Truck Check proof of compliance.
To stay compliant, three things have to be true: the truck is reported in CTC-VIS, CARB's annual fee is paid, and the truck has passed its test for the current period. If any one is missing, the truck can show as non-compliant even after a passing test.
A test is not good forever. Most covered vehicles currently test twice a year. Under CARB's original rule, OBD-equipped vehicles move to four tests a year from October 1, 2027. A bill has proposed cutting testing to once a year, so the schedule may change. Always check each truck's next due date in CTC-VIS.
We keep a record for every truck by VIN, give you the next due date and can send reminders before it comes up. Fleets can set up recurring visits. See fleet testing.
