In a surprise move from the current administration, the EPA has announced the Cleaner Trucks Initiative (CTI), a move to place stricter emissions standards on heavy-duty truck engines.
Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the CTI during a press conference on November 13th. He was surrounded by representatives from organizations including the Truck & Engine Manufacturers Association, the American Trucking Association, and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
According to Wheeler, the CTI will update standards for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from on-highway heavy-duty trucks. Federal NOx emission guidelines haven’t changed in almost 20 years. NOx creates particulate matter harmful to human respiratory systems which can cause serious health issues, especially in children.
“The Cleaner Trucks Initiative will help modernize heavy-duty truck engines, improving their efficiency and providing cleaner air for all Americans,” said Wheeler. “The U.S. has made major reductions in NOx emissions, but it’s been nearly 20 years since EPA updated these standards. Through rulemaking and a comprehensive review of existing requirements, we will capitalize on these gains and incentivize new technologies to ensure our heavy-duty trucks are clean and remain a competitive method of transportation.”
The move was unexpected from the current EPA, which has in the past two years has been accused of rolling back environmental regulations. But the move is supported by even those industries which will be impacted by the program.
“We — EPA, the manufacturers and other stakeholders represented here today — have done this before, working together,” said Jed Mandel, president of the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association. “And we’re ready to step forward to do it again.”
While changes are almost certainly coming, it’s not yet certain what they will look like or when compliance deadlines will go into effect. According to Wheeler, the EPA hopes to have a final rule by the end of 2020.
Source: EPA, EPA, ttnews, businesswire, cnet, thehill, latimes
Experienced Trucker says
Because with constant forest fires, or farmers burning wood & bush from past crops or when a ship starts up @ spews more particulate matter in 5 minutes than 10k trucks that use DEF < (designed for this very purpose) or 10k nationwide jet take offs/landings the non-elected regulators not legislators want more restrictions so cops can extort even more $$ from a driver. Go figure.
Kevin Chevalier says
Don’t forget the junky 4 wheelers who are allowed to spew obnoxious
fumes in to the air, the ones who are allowed to run heaps down the road that no way would pass the most generous of inspections Lol!!!
Phil says
#sickofthestupid
Codi says
Good. This current administration will lose the votes of truckers if they keep hurting our wallets for the illusion of cleaning the air. Meanwhile zero action is being taken against China or India for their toxic black skies. Why do we, the truckers, the backbone of America, have to pay the price? Easy solution. We all just find another career field.
Daris says
This is so fake…if emission laws didn’t change where did def come from and why did cat stop making on road engines….this is another ploy to kill independents…more money for maintenance.
Robert E Rosser says
This is put forward by large truck companies in order to crush any competition including owner operator companies and independent drivers. Once again our Government rearing its ugly head to show it is neither for the people or by the people. Another blow by the NWO.
David says
Emissions was a disaster for the owner operator. Many went bankrupt because of these so called clean trucks. Someone should see sue the government for this unproven unreliable technology.
SEB says
What a bunch of crap. All this emission BS has done is make the trucks unreliable. Parked regens once or twice a week. Ryder doesn’t have a clue how to work on them. I’ve had a check engine light on for 400k miles, all those parts changers can do is turn it off and it comes back on as soon as it’s started.
TexasJester says
I have a new truck, has 120,000 miles on it – I picked it up with 107 miles. In the first 5,000 miles, I had 3 warnings come on, and the check engine light has been on since. They’ve changed the offending sensors 3 times, and the light is STILL on. I just put a piece of electrical tape over the light, so I don’t have to look at it…
Marcel says
This problem could be solved if drivers,owner operators and independents would agree that on a certain day we stop and don’t move until we come to and agreement. We need the epa but they have to much power We as drivers, truck owners have the power to change this “your setting in it”but 35yrs in this industry I’ve never seen to two truckers that could agree on anything the problem is a simple fix.
Ww says
NOx does not create particulate matter. Low temp combustion and in complete burning make particulate which is already trapped and burned during a regen . I am weary of these politically dummies ruining engines and livelihood
Jay says
I thought Trump was going to do away with Regulations. Remember he sat in a truck at the White House and turned the steering wheel like a 5 year old. Oh, he meant regulations on Oil and Pharmaceutical Companies.
Carlos says
Trump is only going to benefit his mega carrier buddies. So that means more regulations are coming to put owner ops out of business faster
James Hill says
It’s time to put an end to the EPA. Unelected bureaucrats placing laws on a free people is unAmerican, undemocratic and violates the concept of no taxation without representation. Increasing the cost of business is a hidden tax on the people. END THE EPA NOW!!
Austin Ford says
Clearly, another example of Government trying to shut down trucking. The EPA mandated emission standards have done nothing but cause problems for the commercial vehicles that fall under the requirements. Having been in the business for 35 years, I have witnessed the failure of equipment requiring manufacturer repair increase exponentially the last 11 years since the mandate went into effect. We have equipment that literally spends more time in the shop than on the road due to failure of this emissions nonsense. What’s next, require bicycle pedals in the truck instead of an engine?
art says
No emissions equipment to break on Tesla electric truck…
Tim says
art, get back to us when the truck can circle the block without a recharge.
Alex Knolls says
You mean the truck that has been driving across the country unassisted, and makes regular runs over Donner Pass hauling loads between the Reno and Fremont factories?
Ya, it does just fine, and will be better by the time production starts.
Carlos Ronquillo says
When this trucks dpf malfunction they polute more than any other truck in this planet.
art says
Trump is not going to get reelected.
What happened to DEregulation?
Daniel says
Trucks are already gutless now because of emissions standards. I’d like to see these guys drive an entire year with a house attached to their car and see how they like it.
AnotherPOV says
I for one am glad to hear it. Trucks are the number one cause of pollution in the USA. We need cleaner air and harsher laws enforcing it. We don’t really need trucks either. Everything can be delivered by electric trains instead. If the trucking industry goes down the government can focus its attention on more important things like giving free healthcare, free college tuition, mandatory job assistance, and raising the minimum wage to a rate that is liveable. That’s much better than a bunch of behemoths blowing toxins into our diminishing ozone. Read a book people.
Austin Ford says
How do you think food get’s to the warehouse? How do you propose food gets to the grocery store? How is fuel going to get to the gas station? How do you think mail gets to the local post office? It can take months for freight to go by train the same distance a truck will travel in days. How many months do you suppose fruits and vegetables will last sitting on a train? Do you really propose that train spurs be built to every grocery store, convenience store, home improvement store and warehouse?
zee says
this is a person who thinks everything is free…ever see a train
or a plane back up to a tarjay or wallyworld?
i believe his idea is called communism…tell everyone it’s free!
nothing is free. he is member of one world government society.
AnotherPOV says
There are just a bunch of ad hominem replies to my comment.
To reply to some of the proposed problems: We really don’t need semi trucks. We can use smaller more eco friendly vehicles to deliver goods from the trainyards and airports. They’d have to be deemed as acceptable and pass a very rigorous test by our government of course, but with these acceptable credentials freight could be transported easily.
Some of the smaller towns MAY be affected but they can receive government subsidies or assistance to help maintain their standard of living if their “stable” economy collapses. Though honestly an economy built around transporting material in a vehicle that kills the environment is ephemeral at best anyway.
The best part of this is most of the vehicles could be automated. If the trains and trucks and maybe even planes all have designated routes they can be relied on to efficiently deliver goods without the need to take long breaks, endanger the lives of others on the roads, and not waste as much fuel as a human operator would. This would eliminate the need to pay operators which is money that could be used to continue to fund these programs and many others. I’d say this would be a great future to live in: safe, automated and run by the most intellectual people on the planet!
CK the United Fleet says
I listen to plenty of audible books while driving. I’m on the 46th one to be exact.
Apparently you want to live in a socialist environment since you speak of “free this” “free that”, who is paying for your wannabe free everything world? So your remedy is to put us truckers out of our careers, our small trucking businesses where some of us employ others with more than a minimum wage job and where others are out here delivering every single damn commodity you have in your home; making an honest living.
Read a book for what? So we can learn how to not hit a four wheeler who cuts us off while driving down a graded mountain or a bustling interstate. Sacrificing leaving our families to stock stores, warehouses etc with supplies so ungrateful asses like yourself can have what you want as soon as you hit the check out button on your Amazon account.
Read a book so I can tell you how to go screw yourself in five different languages.
Free Bird says
They need to be speaking to the manufacturers only…
MrNA says
The engine manufacturers are supporting this to put Glider Companies out of business. Most of the life threatening science behind this is fabricated. Remember the EPA and the PM25 testing on humans ?? What a scandal and how quickly it was pushed under the rug and we forget.
No I’m not in denial. Global warming is real. Do we have any control on the outcome ? I doubt it.
Do I want a smoking engine ? No.
Does my 1999 CAT smoke ? No.
MrNA says
If you block the road you probably deserve a ticket. Officers discretion.
As far as local yokels having Authority, here in CA the State has allowed authority to local agencies through CAHP training. Been doing it for years.
J.R. says
My 2013 KW just cost me $7,000 to replace the aweful fuel mileage power robbing emissions junk, new dpf/ecr and egr, all useless garbage. I should have just deleted them
HAROLD T HART says
Been there done that. This year alone, due to crappy Cummins engineering, I have spent $20k on in frame, $8k on after treatment system, a new turbo, and new fuel pump. I also have a 2013 kw.
HAROLD T HART says
Its interesting to watch these guys. No mention of what the right level of nox is, just that we need less, how much less. No one at this pow wow has to spend thousands of dollars fixing technology that doesn’t work.
Rise up says
I have a SDPXXXXX C15 in a 2008 389 that I bought with 470k, and it was 4 years old. In the following 3 years I’ve spent over $20k on the so called regen system alone. It is the single most stupid design of anything that man kind ever came up with, well, maybe apart from the Ford pinto. There were times on the road when I was literally praying that I can make the next mile to deliver the load so I can get paid to fix the dam thing if it stopped. It was a disaster, especially for a start up like me with all the payments. I had to learn the business part, and quickly learn how to fix things on my own, or just simply sink with the ship.
Constantly being from one dealer to another for repairs made me understand they are all rip offs, and I was on my own like the most of you OOs, so I ended up deleting that dam thing, and finally started making $$$. The only positive was that I pretty much learned everything about this engine, and now I do all the repairs that can possibly be done with the tools that I have. No more dealer BS for me. If I ever buy another truck, it’ll be a brand new technology (No Diesel ). BTW, I received a check for $2k from a CAT class action settlement after spending over $20k. Funny, isn’t it. This time I was ripped off by a Law firm. Sadly, I’m not sure if anyone, anything can make America great again, or if it ever was.
com.bil says
Here is something for all of you Einsteins to think about, most of our air problems are created and aggravated by the very air breathers walking the face of this earth ! Another issue no one seems to think about , every human on this planet consumes 4 pounds of solid food and one liter of liquid, and passes 3.35 pounds of waste multiply that by 324 million and wahlaw, 10,854,000,000, pounds of human waste every wonder where all that goes ??? We, all of us are creating a lot of our own problems, but the people who are responsible for these things cannot get the political traction to do anything about it !
Forrest Adams says
Why don’t they slap a giant choke on these idiots vehicles and see how they like getting worse mileage and half the power out of a bigger engine…so dumb…I dont know how they think anything is going to get anywhere.
Bob Rupp says
Bunch of nonsense, they have been killing truckers over this junk by the hot boxes on the truck catching fire when they get hit in the fuel tank and sprays on the hot box.They burn so fast that the driver can’t get out in time.Anybody who lost a loved one over the truck burning needs to get a lawyer and start during everyone involved.