March 2010, Work Truck - Feature

EPA HD OBD Ruling Impacts Medium-Duty Fleets

Effective Jan. 1, the heavy-duty onboard diagnostic (HD OBD) ruling requires truck manufacturers install OBD systems on trucks 14,001-lbs. GVWR or greater.

By Sean Lyden

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While onboard diagnostic (OBD) systems have been mandated for cars and light trucks since the mid '90s, trucks over 14,000-lbs. gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) had a free pass.

That is, until this year.

Effective Jan. 1, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires diesel engine manufacturers to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 83 percent from the already stringent EPA 2007 levels - from 1.2g/bhp-hr (grams per brake horsepower hour) down to 0.2g/bhp-hr.  

The EPA predicts these emissions reductions will contribute to preventing 8,300 premature deaths, more than 9,500 hospitalizations, and 1.5 million work days lost, totaling more than $70 billion in annual savings.

Where does onboard diagnostics (OBD) fit in this plan? The EPA claims OBD systems on medium- to heavy-duty trucks are essential to ensure projected environmental benefits actually happen by alerting fleet operators to emissions system malfunctions and holding fleets accountable to repair the issues before they lead to greater harm to the trucks or environment.

What does the EPA's heavy-duty diagnostics (HD OBD) ruling actually cover? How did this ruling come about? What impact will it have on fleet operations? The following answers and questions can help truck fleet managers as they prepare to phase in new medium-duty trucks this year.

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