The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced on Tuesday that they issued more than $2 million worth of fines in 2013 alone to commercial truck and bus fleets. According to the press release, which had the subheading “Settlement of 256 cases generates $417,167 for community colleges,” the total amount came to $2,177,813.
The press release named the 7 companies that paid the most in fines. They are as follows:
• Thermo King Corporation – $213,200
• California Gas Transport – $136,125
• GC Harvesting – $120,000
• KS Industries, Inc. – $230,250
• Roly’s Trucking – $58,000
• White Arrow- $50,700
• THX Transport – $50,000
According to CARB, the fines will be used to help improve California’s air quality.
“The amount collected will be distributed to the California Air Pollution Control Fund and to the Peralta Colleges Foundation. The fund will receive $1,703,084 for research projects to improve California’s air quality, with the remaining $417,167 going to the college district to fund diesel emission education classes and diesel technology certificate and degree programs, conducted by participating California community colleges around the state, and $57,562 to fund school bus diesel particulate filter installations.”
Though 256 individual fines made up the grand total, just 47 of those cases accounted for about three quarters of all money paid to CARB from commercial truck and bus fleets. The other 209 cases paid an average of $2,152 each.
You can see the press release here.
Next Story: Port Carriers Sue Over Rate Increases, Compensation
Image source: examiner
Fines are not something to brag about. This will only make people hate CARB even more. It did for me.
Also, instead of “school bus diesel particulate filter installations”, how about we improve their maintenance so they run efficiently in the first place? Or, work WITH the engine manufacturers to make a special school bus ECM tune so they don’t smoke at all? Modern school buses already have much more power than models of even 20 years ago, a reduced power level will have the engines always running very lean so there is no chance of a rich condition to make smoke.
But with the EGR in action to reduce the already extremely low NOx emissions, thats pretty much an impossible task. So, go ahead and install a $5000 filter on every bus so they will consume more fuel, run hotter, require more maintenance and increase their emissions output. Thats a much better alternative to the horror of seeing a small puff of smoke when the bus accelerates from a stop.
Boycott California!
It appears that these are all California based companies yes? Which means that CARB has no teeth when it comes to carriers based outside of California.
Funny how California is “trying” to make their air less polluted when it is one of the most polluted states ever. They are so broke, they need to rob from hard working people to get it.
If trucks would stop going into California maybe that would improve their air quality. I never plan to darken the door of California again.
I stopped going to California back in 2006. I was in barstow ca in august when they were handing out fine for idling trucks for the A/C. Of coarse they left their cars running for the A/C. That’s about the time I started running into Canada, The Canadians are much nicer people than Californians.
Maybe CA needs to put in a giant set of air recyclers that can pull the air in and clean it. They have just figured out how to relieve people of their hard earned money. And if a majority of trucks quit delivering to the area, they soon will find out how hard it is to keep supplies on the shelves.
…and another reason why I REFUSE to go to that state. It use to be I would refuse going to NYC, but I think I would go there before I would even consider going to California.
Follow the money. All CA is interested in is relieving you of your money .