Freight Carriers and Owner Operators May Experience Environmental and Emmission Standard Regulations in the Near Future (if the EPA and DOT have their way)

By: Brad Hollister | Freight Access, Inc. (http://www.freightaccess.com) CLICKING HERE. or CLICKING HERE

Later this week, the FMCSA together with dept . of transportation will undoubtedly be meeting to continue a rule making session trying to get medium and also heavy duty vehicles and tractors environmental standards being placed into law. This issue of gasoline proficiency has unquestionably been controversial. A number of proceedings occurred in attempts to push regulation regulating freight truck fuel performance for tractor makers; to take effect for tractor versions built between 2014-2018. On-lookers and the ones near to the situation believe that final regulation may be in position prior to the end of 2011.

The fuel consumption along with emissions quantities currently being taken into consideration are based on President Obama's dedicated initiatives to change the transportation industry's specifications. Even while much disagreement has taken place, the agencies writing the legislation assure trucking executives that they are implementing prevailing technologies in legislation and also believe medium level trucks as well as heavy duty tractors can certainly Increase their gas mileage by ten to twenty percent. Regulators from the Us Epa along with the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are the organizations assigned in order to manage this reform.

The earliest open public hearing occurred on November 15 following a notice of 600 plus page draft of recommended regulation which had been published on October 25th. The upcoming hearing will be slated for November 18th in Cambridge, Massachusetts in which the board may administer oral arguments around the 600 page legislation as well as the investigation of National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's ecological impact study which can be the foundation of the breakthrough for the suggested guidelines.

Once notice of the planned regulation is technically written and published to the Federal government Register, the environmental Protection Agency along with National Highway Transportation Safety Administration must begin a 60 day time period where the public can make remarks, as part of the public process. Currently, the new legislation is targeted at implementation of existing technologies such as focusing on speed limiters, anti-idling technology, aerodynamics, and use of lighter materials. The legislation being discussed is targeted to affect heavy duty pickups, vans, vocational vehicles, as well as combination tractors... in model years starting as early as 2014.

Needless to say, many in the industry are concerned the implementation of further restriction can devastate an already fragile transportation business. The domestic United states Transportation business has been under extreme stress due to new legislation. Industry leaders believe that these added technologies will significantly increase not only the costs of operation but the expenses of purchasing new equipment in the future. Numerous small carriers and Owner Operators will no longer be able to afford new trucks and thus will be forced to keep older equipment as well as fleets on the highways much longer under the new legislation; while law makers argue the increased expenses of these technologies far outweigh the benefits as well as operational savings throughout the life of the truck.

The federal Administration officials point out that the benefits of technology could deliver savings of up to $74,000 per truck; far out-pacing the increase in costs. The regulatory authorities think environmental programs will improve the truck driver's earnings along with improvement in environmental impact. Numerous producers such as Ford, Navistar and others joined the truck Manufacturers Association and Engine Manufacturers Associations are in favor of implementation of the new standards. These groups providing comments strongly urged the Epa and FHTSA to be practical regarding implementation of new standards.

Kyle Treadway, chairman of the American Truck Dealers Division of the National Automobile Dealers Association strongly encouraged these agencies to be realistic while considering the implementation of suggested requirements. Mr. Treadway focused his remarks on practical implantation, suggesting the new legislation be realistic, affordable, and technologically feasible. He went on to say that if any of the three criteria is not met, Mr. Treadway believes that truckers will not purchase new vehicles which may considerably damage truck lots. Low-rolling-resistance tires were also under attack, as it was suggested that the Epa and NHTSA investigate these technologies completely to ensure that the added effectiveness are not endangering the traction each tire can achieve.

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