Ryder to pay $1M for California violations

Ryder Systems will pay a $1,031,000 settlement for its first California Air Resources Board violation in 53 years of state operation.

The board issued a statement Sept. 11 that the transportation and supply chain management company had not conducted testing and maintained proper records of annual opacity tests on heavy-duty vehicles during 2008 and 2009.

California requires annual opacity tests, which determines if trucks produces visible smoke exhaust and that companies keep records. CARB indicated Ryder had not performed the tests or kept the relevant records on vehicles that had been in service for more than four years.

The California Air Pollution Control Fund, established to mitigate sources of pollution through education and advancement and use of cleaner technology, will receive $773,000. The company will provide the remaining $258,000 to upgrade a Sacramento maintenance facility for trucks powered by natural gas.

Ryder responded with a written statement:

“Although Ryder disputed the California Air Resources Board’s calculation of the penalty, we have worked closely with CARB to settle the issue and move forward.  The lack of documentation did not result in a negative impact to air quality.  We have made substantial new investments to ensure that this administrative issue does not recur. We have also worked with CARB to further expand the use of alternative fuel trucks in California, allocating 25% of the settlement toward the region’s natural gas vehicle infrastructure.”