A business group is suing CARB
Insiders,
A legal showdown is underway as a free enterprise group challenges the California Air Resources Board (CARB). At the heart of the dispute is the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulation, America's strictest mandate for transitioning to zero-emission trucks.
Critics argue ACF oversteps federal law, marginally impacts emissions, and imposes significant costs on truckers. With enforcement already in motion, the regulation marks the beginning of the end for diesel engines by 2036.
🗣️ SOUND OFF: How do you view the trade-off between environmental regulations and economic impact? Has the ACF Regulation impacted you or your business? We'd love to hear your insights and experiences.
Inside today's newsletter:
🚢 Baltimore's port traffic to flow again by May's end
🚫 NYPD's new tech targets illegally parked trucks with "Barnacle"
🛠️ Bipartisan push for "right to repair" laws faces OEM resistance
📜 OOIDA calls for fairer lease-purchase agreements in trucking
⚖️ Lawsuit challenges California's strict zero-emission truck rules
All this and more in today's edition of The Inside Lane.
Are rising costs making truckers' jobs harder?
With tight margins, carriers are working harder than ever to stay afloat. It’s an issue highlighted by freight platform Truckstop.com’s recent survey, which showed fuel costs, insurance premiums and fraud are creating challenging working conditions for truckers.
How have fleets’ workloads changed?
The survey found carriers averaged around 3,000 additional miles in 2023, moving two extra loads per month. Unpaid ‘deadhead’ journeys now account for almost one in six miles (17%), reflecting suppressed cargo volumes.
What should carriers be looking at?
Experts stress that prevention is better than the cure. There are green shoots emerging after a challenging few years but, meantime, controlling your expenses and operational efficiency has never been more important.
Read more on CCJ Digital.
🙂 GOOD DAY:
A one-way channel into and out of the Port of Baltimore will open by the end of April, with full access set to be restored by the end of May. Although it will take years to replace the collapsed Key Bridge, the return of cargo traffic in and out of the port will be welcome news for local carriers.
🙁 BAD DAY:
Illegally parked trucks are the NYPD’s radar - it’s piloting a new enforcement technology that blocks vehicles’ windshields. The Barnacle Device attaches with industrial-strength suction cups, sounds an alarm if the vehicle moves, and only releases with a code which is provided once the fine has been paid.
- NY Post
Bipartisan support grows for repair rights
A bill aiming to establish Federal ‘right to repair’ laws is gaining bipartisan support, despite opposition from OEMs. The REPAIR Act (HR 906) could mandate easy access to diagnostics data. Supporters say fleets should be free to decide where vehicles are serviced, while OEMs argue that it could lead to safety risks.
OOIDA seeks reforms on truck leases
OOIDA has proposed a list of lease-purchase reforms to the FMCSA’s Truck Leasing Task Force, designed to prevent predatory contracts. The association is demanding clearer documentation, protections to avoid drivers being coerced into signing contracts, and centralized enforcement, arguing that current rules make eventual ownership of the vehicle unlikely.
- LandLine
Lawsuit Challenges California's Truck Emission Rules
A free market business group is suing the California Air Resources Board, claiming the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulation violates federal law, does little to reduce emissions and imposes huge costs on truckers. ACF sets the country’s strictest rules for transitioning to zero-emission trucks, and it’s controversial. The first targets are already being enforced, beginning a pathway to phasing out diesel engines by 2036.
- FUEL PRICES: 6.5-cent increase nudges diesel over $4/gallon
- WELL SAVED: Driver avoids roll-over in dramatic dashcam footage
- INSURANCE COSTS: Truck premiums up 7.3% in Q4 2023
- AUTOPILOT LAWSUIT: Tesla settles out of court following fatal crash
Quote of the Day:
“California’s attempt to effectively abolish the internal combustion engine by forcing Americans to buy EVs is not only illegal but a threat to our American free enterprise.”
- Bill Barr, former Attorney General andChairman of the Center for Legal Action’s Advisory Board
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Be safe out there -
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