Implementing the new federal fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks and pickups stands to save fleets, consumers and the nation as a whole billions of dollars in reduced fuel consumption and reduced emissions, which in turn yield a cleaner environment and improved public health, according to an analysis conducted by the National Wildlife Federation. What’s more, the organization says it has determined that the fuel savings will more than cover the upcharge for the pricier technologies required to meet the new standards. The $6,000 to $8,000 more for Continue Reading

Truckers serving the Port of Oakland petitioned the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to delay emissions upgrades for drayage trucks, but the state agency declined. Undeterred, the West State Alliance, which is leading the charge on behalf of the truckers, is intent on ensuring their voices are heard. The next phase regulations calls for 2004 model engines to be retrofit with particulate filters by 2012, followed by 2005-2006 models to be Continue Reading

The anxieties caused by the FMCSA’s new Compliance Safety Accountability performance measurement tool may point at a more fundamental issue, meaning more training and education about the program and what it means may be needed. A recently released report from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) found that nearly two-thirds of the 4,500 drivers surveyed expressed concern about losing their jobs as a Continue Reading

The new federal fuel efficiency standards announced by US President Barack Obama may have some far-reaching effects. After the proposed 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission goals detailed on Tuesday, the Canadian Trucking Alliance is pushing for Ottawa to adopt a similar set of eco-friendly rules for the trucking industry. Specifically, the CTA wants to accelerate the penetration of new EPA2010-compliant tractors into the marketplace and incentives to retrofit older vehicles with fuel-saving technologies, as well as see lawmakers embrace the Continue Reading

Most stakeholder groups in the trucking industry are cheering the new federal fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks announced Tuesday. With the exception of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn. (OOIDA), the new targets for reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions were met with praise. One of the advantages of the plan is to reduce dependence on foreign oil. In order to develop technologies to achieve these ambitious standards, a number of OEMs will be put to work, though several said the new federal fuel efficiency goals align well with Continue Reading

New federal fuel efficiency standards were announced yesterday, and they affect a broad span of vehicles, ranging from tractor-trailers, heavy-duty pickups and vans, and vocational uses. Tractor-trailers are targeted to achieve a 20 percent reduction in both fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions by model year 2018. Within this group, there are even more specific requirements determined by design and Continue Reading

The American Transportation Research Institute, which monitors state and local truck anti-idling regulations, has issued some recent updates to its online guide. These newest updates include a new law in Oregon and a revision to one in Texas. The latest information can be found on the ATRI’s website at www.atri-online.org. A card, which can be placed in the cab of a truck for handy reference, can also Continue Reading

Nearly eight months into the enforcement of the new Compliance Safety Accountability safety measurement tool, the American Transportation Research Institute is allowing carriers to let them know how it’s working. ATRI’s survey seeks input on how the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s program is impacting their operations, as well as their feelings about it. A previous ATRI study about the impact of Continue Reading

The California Air Resources Board granted fleet owners a reprieve, announcing on the date by which all tractor-trailers must have origingally submit phase-in compliance schedules that they were now given an extra 30 days. The new deadline by which owners of fleets of 21 or more trailers must notify CARB of their schedules to be fully compliant with the state’s greenhouse gas reduction regulation is Aug. 1. By opting in to Continue Reading

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expanded its SmartWay programs to include a dray-truck initiative to help clean up ports by targeting what are most often the most egregious offenders. Under the terms of the program, carriers commit to track and reduce particulate-matter and nitrogen oxides emissions over a three-year period. Furthermore, they will dedicate the newest or cleaner trucks in Continue Reading