question for the truckers

[sdbrit68]

for those os us not in the know............does the rulings in this article just affect american truckers, or all the NAFTA trucks also ?

just curious, as in socal, you know which trucks are which by the amount of smoke billowing out

Los Angeles port, truckers group head for court - Los Angeles Times

[dsmack]

SD~
I am a former owner-operator and long haul trucker, and am now employed in Commercial Vehicle enforcement activities.

The Ports of LA and LB are interjecting themselves in a way that I, personally, feel is inappropriate. The Federal Govt has worked for many years to clean up polution caused by diesel powered large trucks. Just this past year or so new regulations came into effect nationwide which drastically reduce emissions, both hydrocarbon and oxides. They have done this by requiring all diesel engines being produced to have a regenerative exhaust scrubber system which is, in effect, a catalytic convertor that burns off the byproducts trapped. This is just the latest in a long string of changes over the years designed to clean-up exhaust stack pollution, beginning with the installation of turbochargers or superchargers as far back as the 60s.

I spend every working day talking with truckers and inspecting their rigs. One of the things I have tried to find out is how the new type of diesel engine/exhaust systems are working out for the industry. The sad news is, not well to date! Instead of going through the regeneration cycle as intended, the computer controlled fuel system monitors detect a fault code that shuts the truck engine down, with minimal, if any warning. This is a dangerous situation.

Consider for a moment that you are the driver. You are wending your way throughout your day, and are just crossing a major intersection when the computer shuts down your rig with no warning... What now? It won't restart for as long as 1/2 hour, no matter what you try. That's bad enough, but now expand the scenario to just crossing a railroad crossing with your 10,000 gallons of fuel enroute to the local Stop and Rob... now you're stuck on the RR tracks with no way to move with 10K gallons of gasoline sitting behind you!

Unfortunately, California over the years has seen necessary to be one step "ahead" of everyone else on the planet when it comes to emissions regulations. Sometimes with less than desirable results. (I can say this without fear of flaming, as I am a Native Californian and lived the dream there for too many years)

This proposed change in the rules for operators in the Port area goes well beyond emission regulations. It is an attempt to establish a jurisdiction which will have the power to dole out jobs and opportunities to selected companies... I have a basic philosophical problem with that, especially when it is being thinly disguised as "Emission Regulations". Maybe I've just become too jaded and suspicious in my later years.

In summary, I think this is a bit of over-reaching control over facets of the economy which they have no business entering. Decently maintained diesel trucks which are legal in the other 49 states (plus the rest of CA) should not be prohibited from operation in the Port areas.

My gut feeling is that someone is looking to line their pockets with this scheme. Probably won't be apparant initially, but look out within 5 years!

Don

[CheriAnn]

Thanks for your great reply Don!

[sdbrit68]

didnt even think of all that................I was looking at if the laws would also affect the NAFTA guys.

my concern is that we keep putting more restrictions on american workers, that force them to not have jobs, and american trucking,employs a lot of people

but you have some very good points