ATA members ask for delay of new engine emission controls

In an attempt to delay the effective date for new diesel engine emission controls, 345 motor carriers have petitioned the White House for a change in the regulations. The group’s letter says that the new engine technology is untested and poses a threat to motor carrier profitability and to the national economy. The group wants engines that have been proved to be as efficient as the current generation of heavy truck engines. They say that preliminary results show that new engines are less reliable than current engines and consume fuel at a higher rate. The original EPA projections said that the new engines would cost $803 more than current engines. The ATA letter suggests that the actual cost could be as high as $9,000 and that total life cycle costs for the new engines could be $15,892 per engine or more.