Larry Backstrom
CARB-credentialed tester
Tester ID: E278953
I’d rather sell you this box than charge you twice in 2027. four times in 2028. every year you own the truck.
The PT40
My replacement
CARB-certified CC-ROBD
I charge $125 to $150 a test. In 2027 your truck needs two tests. In 2028 it needs four. That’s $500 or more a year, every year, to have a guy like me stand in your yard with a laptop.
The PT40 cuts me out. It plugs into your OBD port, stays on the truck, and sends every test to CARB on its own. No appointment. No waiting on a tester. No fee per test.
It’s on sale for $199 through December 31, 2026. That’s less than two tests. After the first year it’s $99 a year, which is less than one test by a tester.
Your first 2027 test is due after January 1. So is the price increase.
Launch price · ends 12/31
Hire my replacement: the PT40 does your Clean Truck Check for you.
For the first year. Then $99/year.
Includes the PT40, Cable, Setup and Provisioned for your truck and your first year of testing.
- Guaranteed fit or your money back
- Ships 1–3 business days after payment, insured and signature tracking
- Have your truck registration handy
You know this email. It shows up every month.
CARB sends every truck owner a “Monthly CTC-VIS Account Summary.” Nobody reads the whole thing. You skip to section 3 and look for one number.
When it says 1, your month just changed. Find a tester. Book a time. Park the truck. Pay $125. Hope he shows up before the window closes.
Subject: Monthly CTC-VIS Account Summary
1. Vehicle Compliance Certification Status: …
a. Vehicles with Test(s) Due: 1 vehicle(s) have entered their test submission period.
b. Tests Past Due: 0 vehicle(s).
Clean Truck Check Team
California Air Resources Board
Today it says 1 once a year. In 2027 it says 1 twice. In 2028, every quarter. Four times a year that number sends you looking for a tester.
Subject: Monthly CTC-VIS Account Summary
1. Vehicle Compliance Certification Status: …
a. Vehicles with Test(s) Due: 0 vehicle(s) have entered their test submission period.
b. Tests Past Due: 0 vehicle(s).
Clean Truck Check Team
California Air Resources Board
The PT40 ran the test the week the window opened. CARB has it. You didn’t do anything. Next month, same thing. For as long as you own the truck, that line reads zero.
“Tests Past Due” and “Enforcement Hold.” If the first one moves, the second one can follow, and CARB can block your registration renewal. The PT40 keeps both at zero without you lifting a finger.
CARB will keep sending the email. You can stop reading it.
Keep $1,000 per truck in your pocket.
A visit from a good credentialed tester runs $125 to $150. Four of those a year adds up fast.
Over three years, the PT40 saves you more than $1,000 per truck. That’s money for fuel, tires or your own paycheck. Run ten trucks? That’s over $10,000.
Over 3 years — Tester: $1,500–1,800 · PT40: $397
Yes, it really does my job. Here's how:
When I test your truck, I plug my scan tool into the diagnostic port, read the engine computer, and send the result to CARB. That’s the whole job. The PT40 plugs into the same port, reads the same data, and sends it to the same place. The only difference: it does it on its own, every time a test is due, with no phone call to me.
It reads what I read
Check engine light, fault codes, permanent codes, self-checks, sensors and VIN. It’s the same data my tester tool pulls.
It tests early
It runs at the start of each 90-day test window. If there’s a problem, your CTC-VIS account shows the fault codes, with time to fix it before your deadline.
It reports straight to CARB
Results go to CARB’s CTC-VIS system over the PT40’s own prepaid IoT connection. You don’t need Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a phone or an app.
It sleeps, but not on the job
When you turn off the engine, your PT40 enters a low-power sleep mode to preserve your vehicle battery.
Why sell you the device that replaces us?
Fair question. Here’s the honest answer.
My brother Phill and I have tested diesel trucks for more than 30 years combined. We’ve run Clean Truck Checks on thousands of owner-operator rigs and motorhomes, and CARBtrax handles testing for about 1,500 fleet vehicles.
In 2027 every one of those OBD trucks goes to two tests a year. In 2028, four. We can’t double our hours, and we’re not going to hire our way out of it.
So, we’re doing what we’re asking you to do: we’re moving our own fleet customers to the PT40 first. We’d rather set you up with the box and keep you as a long-term partner than have you waiting weeks for a testing appointment. And yes, we still make a living—our yearly plan is how.
Buy from the people who’ll still be testing trucks in 2027 and beyond.
Larry Backstrom
Credentialed Tester ID: E278953
Phill Backstrom
Credentialed Tester ID: E149143
PT40
Clean Truck Checker
The truth is, our testing customers keep asking for the PT40. Once they see the numbers, they don’t want to book another test.
Three headaches that go away
Can I even get a tester in 2027?
Maybe not. In 2027 every tester in California gets twice the work, and in 2028 four times. We can’t double our hours. The good ones will be booked solid. Your truck tests itself.
Will I miss a deadline?
No. The PT40 tests inside every 90-day window on its own. Nobody has to remember, and CARB never has a reason to put a hold on your registration.
How long is my truck down?
Zero. No parking it for a visit, no waiting around the yard. It tests while you work.
Will it work on my truck?
Yes, if your truck has full OBD. That means a 2013 or newer diesel, or a 2018 or newer alternative-fuel engine, over 14,000 lbs. GVWR. Out-of-state trucks that run in California count too. Quick check: if your CTC-VIS account asks for an OBD test, the PT40 works on your truck.
Guaranteed fit, or your money back
We check every VIN before we ship. If the PT40 can’t report your truck’s first Clean Truck Check test, you get a full refund. No reset fee.
What it has, what it means for you.
CARB-certified CC-ROBD, Executive Order IM-006-0001
CARB accepts its results the same as a tester’s.
Reads SAE J1939, J1979 and J1979-2
Talks to the engine computers on heavy-duty trucks, including the newest engines.
Pre-activated SIM with prepaid cell service
Works the day you plug it in. No monthly phone bill.
Powered by the diagnostic port, sleeps when parked
No wiring, and it won’t drain your battery.
Tested to the ISO 16750-2 automotive power standard
Handles voltage spikes and a noisy truck electrical system.
Works alongside an ELD or Tracker
Works alongside an ELD or Tracker using a &-Cable adapter.
About the size of a deck of cards
Tucks under the dash, out of the way. The actual footprint is 2.5″ x 3.25″ x 0.75″
PT40 made by Pacific Track, LLC
CARB Executive Order IM-006-0001. CARBtrax is an authorized Pacific Track service provider.
Will Not Fit:
- Trucks 14,000 LBS GVWR and under
- Gasoline engines
- 2012 and older diesels engines
- 2017 and older alternative-fuel engine
"Your plan doesn't start until your first test."
Your plan year doesn’t start the day you buy your PT40. It starts the day the PT40 runs its first official test, or 6 months after purchase, whichever comes first. Ordering early costs you nothing, and it locks in the $199 price.
You order at $199
We set it up for your VIN and ship it after payment
Your plan year starts
The price goes up
Everything you get for $199
- The PT40 device. It's yours to keep.
- OBD cable and zip ties for the install
- Complete setup for your truck's VIN, done before it ships
- Pre-activated and prepaid for the year; starts with your first test
- First-year Annual Compliance Plan: every Clean Truck Check test that year, plus firmware updates
- Warranty, extended each year you renew
Your price
first year, then $99 a year
Shipping: $9.99 flat per order, insured, tracked and signed for. No free shipping. The margin on this box is thin and you could be anywhere in the country, so we charge what it costs and nothing more. U.S. addresses only.
Paying: No extra cost by Zelle, check, money order or debit card. Credit cards add a 3% fee. You’ll choose on the next page. Sales tax is added where required.
The price: $199 ends December 31 and it won’t be back. Plan prices go up over time too. On the next page you can prepay 2 or 3 years at today’s price.
Who packs it: Every PT40 is set up for your VIN and boxed by one of us, not a warehouse. If something’s wrong, you call the person who packed it.
Guaranteed fit
If it can’t report your truck’s first Clean Truck Check test, you get a full refund.
Changed your mind? 30 days to send it back
If it works but you don’t want it, return it within 30 days of delivery and we refund 80%. The 20% reset fee covers unlinking the device from your truck’s VIN and resetting it. Shipping is not refundable.
Annual Compliance Plans: 1, 2 or 3 years. Prepay and lock in today’s price.
Questions drivers ask me
Do I have to install it myself?
Most drivers do. It takes five steps and about 15 minutes, with no tools and no mechanic. Find the port, plug in the cable, start the engine, tuck it under the dash and wait for our “you’re reporting” email. Have 2 or more trucks? We install them for free in Southern California. Larger fleets in Northern California, call us and we’ll work it out.
When does the PT40 actually run the test?
Same rule as a tester: the truck has to be in park and idling. The PT40 picks that moment on its own, usually while the truck warms up in the morning early in the test window. You don’t do anything.
What if my truck fails a test?
Your CTC-VIS account shows why it failed. It lists the fault codes (DTCs), so your mechanic knows exactly what to fix. Because the PT40 tests early in the window, you have time to get it repaired before your deadline.
What happens after the first year?
You renew the Annual Compliance Plan for $99 a year. There’s no monthly bill. Plan prices will go up over time, so you can prepay 2 or 3 years when you order and lock in today’s price. If you don’t renew, the device stops testing and you’d need a tester again.
Do I still pay CARB's yearly fee?
Yes. Every truck owner pays CARB’s Annual Compliance Fee, whether you use a tester or a device. It’s $33.12 per truck in 2027. You pay it to CARB, not to us.
Will CARB stop emailing me every month?
No. CARB sends the monthly account summary to every truck owner, PT40 or not. What changes is what it says. With a PT40 on the truck, the test line reads zero every month, and you can skip the rest of it. If you ever see a 1 there, call me. That’s what the plan is for.
Why do you need my registration?
We set up each PT40 for one truck by its VIN, so it reports to CARB under the right vehicle. We use only the VIN, plate number and expiration date. If you send a photo of the registration, we delete it once your device is set up.
Can I return it?
Two cases. If the PT40 can’t report your truck’s first Clean Truck Check, you get a full refund, period. That’s the guaranteed fit. If it works but you change your mind, send it back within 30 days of delivery and we refund 80%. The 20% reset fee covers unlinking the device from your truck’s VIN and resetting it. Shipping isn’t refunded. Call me first and I’ll walk you through it.
My truck is registered out of state. Can I still order?
Yes. If your truck runs in California, it needs a Clean Truck Check test, and the PT40 covers it. We ship to any U.S. address.
What if CARBtrax goes out of business?
Fair question. Your cell service is prepaid for the whole plan, and the device reports to CARB under your VIN, not under us. If we closed tomorrow, your PT40 would keep testing.
What if I sell the truck?
The PT40 is linked to the truck by its VIN. It stays with the truck and keeps reporting as long as the plan is current. The new owner just picks up the plan.
The last Clean Truck Check tester you'll ever need to talk to.
You plug it in once. Every test, every window, every year is handled. The only number you’ll ever see from CARB is zero.
Fire me, keep the savings and let the PT40 handle your compliance. Questions first? Call me. I answer my own phone.
The $199 price is locked in through December 31, 2026. Your plan won’t kick off until your PT40 runs its first test, or after 6 months, whichever comes first.
The next CARB summary lands in your inbox on the first of the month. Order today and it’s the last one you have to read.