What Have You Done As An O/O To Prepare For "CARB-2014"?

I live amongst the dairy cows and the corn.....So what does that make me?

 

I forgot what my reply was last night.......:smt102

 

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CARB Regulations - Is a Reality
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[TD] Written by Betty Plowman
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[TD="class: createdate"] Thursday, 16 May 2013 10:10 [/TD]
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[TD] I once read that "Nothing ever becomes real 'til it is experienced - especially by you."

The reality of the CARB Truck and Bus Rule is finally hitting home to many and I'm now witnessing anger and frustration over the regulations that I haven't seen, in all areas of the state, ever. Apparently many "deniers" are finally admitting that the CARB regulations are here to stay (assuming our lawsuits are unsuccessful). I continue to hear comments like, "I didn't want to believe it was true" and "How can they take my property?" and many other ones that I can say here.

I know the feeling folks; we have lived it for seven years now.


What happens in Chico...
In late March, after completing my article for April's magazine, I headed north for a meeting held by Assembly member Dan Logue in his home city. Dan had invited the CARB staff to meet with local business owners (who owned diesel powered equipment) and explain to the good folks up north just what was coming their way.
I was asked to speak at this meeting and was told I would have seven minutes. How can I cover a seven-year battle in seven minutes? Undaunted, I made-up a bunch of notes and rehearsed my presentation and rehearsed over and over with the help of my stove timer.
So up to Chico I drove. When I got to the public building where the meeting was to be held, I saw a huge crowd forming. Shockingly, I ended up parking four blocks away. Encouraged by the number of pick-up trucks I saw (my kind of people). I concluded there weren't going to be many enviros this night. I also wondered - is it possible this many people are showing up?
Yes, it was standing room only for a room that had only seen eighty people maximum for previous important meetings (estimates are 350 to 400 people).
Here they were, farmers, ranchers, truckers and contractors, the absolute salt of the earth, trying to understand how one state government agency had the power to virtually destroy their livelihoods. Several were from five and six generations of farming families, trying to comprehend how what they and their ancestors had worked for, for so long, would quickly vanish with these draconian regulations.
No matter how many times I hear these stories, it is still painful, especially since I understand the scientific fraud and deception behind it all.
Many of you may remember Dr. Bill Wattenburg, who for many years had a talk show on KGO radio. Dr. Bill is a genius (he actually is an inventor, scientist, author, and radio talk show host residing in the Sierra Nevada region). He was the one who exposed CARB for another one of their boondoggles, the MTBE additive that was supposed to make our gasoline burn cleaner, but instead poisoned our groundwater. MTBE is like a diesel particulate filters (DPF) that are supposed to clean the air but instead burns down a truck, bus and anything near it like a forest and homes. His KGO program is no longer around, but you can listen to Dr. Bill live on the internet by going to Talk Radio Network from 8:00-11:00 on Sunday nights. His program is called The Open Line to America.
I am sure CARB will continue to be a hot topic.


CARB Enforcement Still a Hot Topic
I depend on you folks to let me know what is going on in your part of the state. Such was the case when Central Coast member Robert Dorazio saw a news report on his local TV station KEYT with the headline "Air Resources Board Cracks Down on Polluters." This report also stated that 124 trucks were inspected and 20 citations were issued on this first day. Enforcement spent a total of three days at this location. So for those of you who still not take this seriously, let this be a warning.
I also want you to know that for all those who have taken on this extra burden of compliance, the anger level is rising against those who continue to do nothing. The paperwork alone is a huge addition to workloads and may require the addition of extra office help, if you have more than three trucks - I'll bet it would be classified as a "Green Job" by Brown and Obama.
I understand it all; it's not easy to comply with these regulations in a segment of the transportation industry whose rates have been stagnant for a number of years as we continue our "Race for the Bottom." I firmly believe that a large percentage of our members have taken the necessary steps for compliance and are now forced to compete with the "do-nothings" who continue to work well below a sustainable rate. And remember who is in this enforcement "Chain of Responsibility", straight from CARB "All in-state or out-of-state motor carriers, California brokers, or any California resident including but not limited to contractors, public agencies and developers."
You have to love this CARB/government regulation, not only is it a huge financial burden on the trucker but they then expand the regulation's enforcement requirements (arguably illegally) and make the same industry at every level financially responsible (fines) for who they use. The regulations remind me of the popular bumper sticker from the 1980's which read "Don't Like My Driving? Call 1-800-EAT S#%T." The number now listed for CARB enforcement complaints is 916-445-0799. Not quite as easy to remember as the one from the eighties.


DPF Fires Still Are on My Radar
I am still interested in any truck or bus fires that may have occurred in your area. Two major fires occurred last month, a school bus from Chino Hills on the 57 on March 28th and a tour bus on I-80 on Easter night. Both drivers reported these fires started in the engine bay but I have yet to learn of the cause. Perhaps I have been watching too much CSI, but I would think we could get some kind of a definitive answer on the exact cause someday. Apparently, because neither of these incidents had fatalities no one seems to be interested.


CCTA Board Meeting in Oakland June 8
I look forward to seeing many of you at our June Board Meeting to be held in Oakland on June 8. We hope to have a representative from CHP there to discuss the Commercial Vehicle Safety Summit (CVSS) which will be held in Ontario, Ca. (DoubleTree) on September 26.
The winners of the STAR (Safe Transportation Achievement Recognition) awards will be presented at this time. It would be great to see as many of our members as possible apply for this prestigious award. The application can be downloaded at the CHP website and is due on or before August 15. CHP is well aware of the fact that many in construction trucking may feel that their low-mileage will exempt them this from this award, but I've been assured that this is not the case. If you have a great company safety record, I urge you to submit an application regardless of your mileage.



In closing, I would like to finish with this quote from Aldous Huxley: "...reality, however utopian, is something from which people feel the need of taking pretty frequent holidays...."
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