CARB and What It Means for You as a Truck Driver

For some, the start of 2013 was spent peacefully with family and friends. For others, in celebration of the end of another year. And for still others, in head scratching at the thought of a new year. Unfortunately, some of the head scratchers were fleet operators and truck drivers. The reason for their frustration? CARB.

What is CARB?

By now, you probably have heard of CARB, but may not know what it is. CARB stands for the California environmental protection agency Air Resources Board. The purpose of this organization is to protect California's environment: however, this does not always work out as it might seem. As with most regulations, the damage done to business is often greater than the prevented damage done to the environment. Not to say that improvements in technology should not be pursued, but in the current economic state, many fleets, especially those who only occasionally run into California, may not have the capital to retrofit their equipment to satisfy CARB. For example, new regulations affecting the trucking industry may cost fleets millions of dollars in upgrades or thousands in fines if they fail to comply while.

CARB 2013

Starting on the first of January of 2013, new CARB regulations aimed at reducing the emissions output of heavy trucks went into effect. The regulations concern nearly every area of truck design from aerodynamic efficiency to engine operation and tires. Simply put, as of January 1st, heavy trucks operating within or entering California and pulling 53 foot trailers are now required to be registered with the CARB board and use Smartway products such as trailer skirts, chassis fairings, low rolling resistance tires, and engine emissions filters. Furthermore, reefer operators are required to make necessary adjustments to their units in order to reduce emissions.

Although all this may sound like regulatory gobbledygook, it will have a direct impact on you as a truck driver and/or fleet operator. It will also have an impact on the price of consumer goods. 

Coping with CARB

So what is the best method to deal with CARB? In reality, there are three choices: avoid California, lease equipment, or retrofit your existing trucks and trailers.

If you can avoid trucking in California, you probably should until the regulations become more reasonable. Given the cost of new tires, chassis skirts, boattails, and engine/reefer upgrades, unless you run often into California, the cost of these improvements is not worth it. Even with their perceived benefits, many of these enhancements to the truck's performance may be detrimental if you also haul anywhere in the Rocky Mountain states or Canada.

If you only run into California on an infrequent basis, it might be wise to lease equipment from a large truck or trailer leasing outfit such as XTRA Lease, Pac Lease, or even Ryder or Penske. These companies have already converted their equipment to Smartway standards and have a wide range of tractors and trailers ready to haul your load.

For those of you who run often into California, compliance may be your only option. But one thing is certain: if continued regulations threaten to eat further into the profit margins of truckers and trucking companies, the highways leading into California will be very empty. And as far as I'm concerned, an empty highway has almost no rolling resistance.

For Your Information

If you want more information on CARB, feel free to visit http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/truckstop/truckstop.htm and try to decipher the regulations for yourself. It might take you a while.

For a more succinct description of these new laws, read the following article.

http://times247.com/articles/23calif-regulations-forcing-trucks-off-the-road9

Safe travels to you on America's highways.

Mandates: They Connect More Than They Seem

As I was thinking yesterday about some of the new mandates facing the trucking industry, I began to connect the dots. The purpose of the new EOBR mandate probably has little if anything to do with its said purpose: safety. Instead, this mandate's purpose is likely to force drivers of older trucks into newer models that comply with other fuel economy and emissions mandates.

Think of the drivers of these trucks.

 

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In all likelihood, these drivers do not want a new truck, cannot afford one, or like the classic look and customizability of the older models. For whatever reason, these drivers choose to operate older, quality equipment that emits more emissions and gets lower fuel mileage.

Of course, this is their right. However, with the new EOBR mandate, these trucks would not be able to operate. Therefore, drivers of vehicles such as these would have no choice but to drive today's machines or be forced out of business.

Again, the choice is yours. Either you stand with truckers against EOBRs, or you can allow these mandates to force all drivers to operate futuristic, unattractive, shapeless rides. These machines may get 10 miles a gallon and have enough gadgets to be featured in a technology conference, but they also require a monthly payment and a monthly fill-up of DEF, items these older trucks do not need.

And when a new truck breaks, it cannot be fixed with simple wrenches, screwdrivers, and hammers. Instead, it must be towed to a dealer or service facility with the technology to fix the truck's gadgetry.

Although I am in favor of technological improvements wherever they can be made, in this economic situation, the last thing America needs is more mandates to drive truckers out of business. When the trucks stop, America stops too.

Do you want to drive these?

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Thanks to Virgil Tatro for informing me about non-electronic trucks.

Building Your Dream Ride: Special Edition

With the ever-changing prices of fuel and the governmental push to increase truck fuel mileage, many professional drivers are switching to aerodynamic rides. While these trucks can achieve fuel economy approaching ten miles an hour, their smooth, formless designs are not the most attractive or the most customizable.

Examine the top five trucks on the market today:

The International Prostar+

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 The Freightliner Cascadia Evolution

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The Kenworth T700

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The Peterbilt 587

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The Volvo VNL770

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Although these trucks are produced by five distinct manufacturers, all have sleepers in the 70-inch range; all are made to achieve fuel mileage of 7 or greater; and none are likely to be featured as custom trucks.

The question is, fuel economy aside, which would you rather drive?

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Probably the one on the right.

The truth is that as trucks become more efficient, they lose their appeal to drivers and fans alike. But that does not have to be the case. Chrome shops are busy creating new parts to fit these sleek rides. From sunvisors and chrome trim to LED lights, fenders, and bumpers, many products are available for aerodynamic trucks. Don't ever think that aerodynamic is the opposite of custom because, trust me, it isn't.

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Truckers Unite Against Regulations and Mandates.

The trucking industry is one of America's most important industries. That is a fact. Nearly every industry utilizes the trucking industry to move products, bring in raw materials, or do business altogether. Even industries that are naturally competitive with the trucking industry either work with truckers or employ truckers just to operate their businesses.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific, two of America's largest railways, operate fleets of trucks, that if inoperable, would harm the company nearly as much as the shutdown of the rail lines. At the same time, airlines also operate fleets of trucks to repair, move, and fuel their planes.

While trucking remains essential to America's economy, many of our lawmakers do not realize this. Each year, increased regulations, mandates, and changes to existing laws hamper the efforts of American drivers to do their daily tasks. In recent days, the CSA and EOBR mandates combined with changes to the HOS laws and increased fuel economy standards are threatening to drive up the costs that truckers like you face daily.

As the costs of trucking increase, all other products increase in price also. Soon, economists will warn us that we are heading back into recession. This does not have to be the case. Without all of these unnecessary regulations, truckers and trucking companies could help fuel an economic recovery. But with the current state of things, that is not bound to happen.

Americans, both truckers and civilians alike, need to come together and advocate a removal of these hindrances to the flow of goods in our economy. In addition, Congress needs to re-analyze increasing truck weights as was done earlier in the year. If the HOS laws are going to change next year, why not allow the drivers to haul more cargo with their less driving time?

As was said earlier, stop the regs, and we'll create some jobs. Perhaps, if for a week, some of our representatives performed the duties that all truck drivers perform, they would learn to appreciate the work that America's haulers do. Remember, without trucks, America's economy stops.