Industry Stakeholders Sound off on Environmental Regulations
The trucking industry is no stranger to being a scapegoat for pollution, what with the stereotype of the big diesel truck shooting out plumes of smoke with every tire rotation, so the Biden-Harris administration is both taking drastic steps itself to curb emissions, while also authorizing states such as California to go even further beyond. While nobody is inherently against the concept of reducing pollution, industry leaders feel these upcoming changes will have catastrophic results on the economy.
Chris Spear, ATA
Chris Spear is the CEO and President of the American Trucking Associations, and we have covered his thoughts on both the EPA and California regulations before. If you need a refresher, here is what he said about the stricter requirements that make diesel trucks less common:
“The EPA is handing over the keys as a national regulator. This isn’t the United States of California, and in order to mollify a never satisfied fringe environmental lobby by allowing the state to proceed with these technologically infeasible rules on unworkable and unrealistic timelines, the EPA is sowing the ground for a future supply chain crisis.“
Todd Spencer, OOIDA
The president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA),Todd Spencer, released his own statement that sounded very similar to Spear’s. In it he says that this “announcement is a blatant attempt to force consumers into purchasing electric vehicles while a national charging infrastructure network remains absent for heavy-duty commercial trucks. Professional drivers are skeptical of EV costs, mileage range, battery weight and safety, charging time and availability. It’s baffling that the EPA is pushing forward with more impractical emissions timelines without first addressing these overwhelming concerns with electric CMVs.”
Jim Mullen, CFC
Jim Mullen has been on both sides of the industry, regulation and business, so as the head of the Clean Freight Coalition, he is on board with the changes provided that the government can accommodate them.
“An adequate infrastructure, including the power grid and charging stations, and the sourcing of required minerals, are essential to the supply chain as part of the transition to a zero-emission future. Further, regulations must provide the lead time, stability, and certainty that allows for the industry to develop the technology, test in real-world conditions, and minimize downtime and operational disruption,” he said.
Conclusion
These various regulations will go into effect sometime in the future, ranging from four to nine years. If you want to not have to deal with them for the foreseeable future, our advice to you is to buy a newer truck before the regulations require new models to have emission-cutting and cost-increasing changes made to them. If you want to get funding for a new truck, you can look no further than TopMark Funding; read on below for more information!
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