The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is applauding the direction of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada for several actions related to the trucking industry in their document: A Real Plan to Protect Our Environment.
Specifically, the plan calls for the elimination of US-Canadian rules that do not allow foreign empty trailer repositioning in each country, thereby improving the energy efficiency of international trucking in North America, while still maintaining necessary protections for domestic industries. The party pledges to work with the cross-border community to address this ongoing challenge to the supply chain.
The current practice of a driver bobtailing to the next facility is inefficient and wasteful, resulting in millions of extra miles driven, added driver wait time, and logistical issues for fleets. Recently, an analysis conducted by CTA and the American Trucking Association provided a very conservative estimate that 25% of border crossings at the U.S./Canada border would benefit from this policy change. Based on this study, the trucking industry would save over 67,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions along with $104 million annually in added fuel and other associated costs.
“This proposal shows there are tremendous options to reduce the trucking industry’s carbon footprint that also improve the efficiency of the supply chain, making US-Canada trade even stronger,” said CTA’s Lak Shoan.
The proposal also mentions making renewable fuel a better option for fleets, by looking at cost, the current state of technology, and whether these fuels work from an operational standpoint. It also mentions that funding towards compliance and enforcing environmental laws needs to be prioritized. CTA has been urging government to work with industry to combat operators who circumvent engine emission rules by tampering with ant-pollution systems.
Should it form the next government, the PC Party of Canada also ensures the trucking industry it will be invited to the table to explore equipment options to reduce the sectors greenhouse gas emissions:
“There are many options for reducing emissions in heavy duty vehicle fleets. A Conservative government led by Andrew Scheer, will consult with our industry partners to find ways that Canadian trucking companies can replace old and inefficient trucks with new and cleaner fleets,” it states.
“The Canadian Trucking Alliance appreciates this potential opportunity to explore such environmentally efficient options,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski
In the Fall 2018 economic statement, the Government of Canada introduced a new class of CCA rates for new truck purchases. CTA believes that such a taxation approach to all trucking equipment would be an excellent starting point of discussions to introduce greener trucking equipment beyond tractors.