Page 11 - ATR 3 2013

NeWS IN bRIef

WHITe HoUSe. gReeN TRUckS.
The Obama administration plans
round two of emissions regulations
even as 2011’s round is still being
phased in by trucking companies. The
announcement came during a speech
detailing the administration’s Climate
Action Plan which focuses on stationary
sources of greenhouse gases (GHG) .
“The fuel standards we set over the
past few years mean that by the middle
of the next decade, the cars and trucks
we buy will go twice as far on a gallon
of gas. That means you’ll have to fill up
half as often; we’ll all reduce carbon
pollution,” President Obama said during
his speech. “And we built on that suc-
cess by setting the first-ever standards input for this latest round of heavy-duty To determine how much a person
for heavy-duty trucks and buses and vehicle standards. We look forward to owes in the “vehicle miles traveled”
vans. In the coming months, we’ll part- working together to develop environ- (VMT) fee, GPS data would have to
ner with truck makers to do it again for mentally beneficial standards that also be collected. Ideally, it would track the
the next generation of vehicles.” take in to consideration the associated vehicle’s location so a driver won’t have
The trucking industry is still phas- economic and operational challenges,” to pay when out of state and when a
ing in the efficiency standards set in said Susan Alt, senior vice president of vehicle enters a crowded city a conges-
2011 even though truck and engine Vovlo Group public affairs. tion fee could be collected. The state’s
makers began announcing EPA certi- Although much of the trucking ACLU chapter was initially alarmed by
fication for 2014 equipment last year industry is taking a look at natural gas the plan fearing the data could be used
and the 2018 GHG standards will be as an alternative fuel, the president did for other purposes that would invade
even more comprehensive and challeng- not announce any timetable for federal the privacy of the driver. The transpor-
ing. The initial heavy-duty standards action. tation department won the ACLU’s sup-
will reduce greenhouse gas emissions port by agreeing to erase the data after
by approximately 270 million metric pay aS yoU go, NoT aS yoU 30 days and by requiring law enforce-
tons and save 530 million barrels of oil fUel Up ment to obtain a warrant before view-
worth more than $50 billion according Oregon may soon become the first ing the information.
to the White House. The new climate state to open to the public a voluntary The 5,000 drivers that opt into
plan also notes that heavy-duty vehicles mileage-based user fee system in lieu the VMT fee plan will pay 1.5-cents
are the second largest source of green- of a state fuel excise tax after both the for every mile they drive instead of the
house gas emissions within the trans- state House and Senate passed a bill to 30-cent state fuel excise tax. The ulti-
portation sector. allow up to 5,000 drivers the option of mate target of the VMT fee legislation is
“We appreciate that the adminis- trying the system out. Critics fear this to ensure that extremely fuel efficient
tration is again taking a collaborative bill would put Big Brother in the front
approach and seeking the industry’s seat everywhere you go. 

arkansas Trucking reporT | issue 3 2013 11