On environmental initiatives, BCTA has tried to develop and support practical options for reducing fuel consumption and smog and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, ranging from regulatory changes that support more efficient practices to technological solutions. Because margins for trucking companies are very tight, BCTA's challenge has been to identify strategies that put reducing emissions within reach of most of the industry.
BCTA has called upon both the provincial and federal governments to help accelerate the penetration of smog-free trucks, as well as emissions-reducing technologies, through tax incentives, grants or rebates. These technologies include:
aerodynamic devices (e.g., trailer fairings or side skirts and other equipment that reduce drag on the truck, for savings on fuel usage)
auxiliary power units (APUs) (i.e., anti-idling technology that provides power for "hotel" services for heating, cooling, or electrical services for the truck's cab)
- hybrid or alternative energy vehicles
Even though we have not yet achieved a financial incentive program, we have successfully advocated the adoption of a number of government policies and regulations that promote fuel efficiency. We have also participated in initiatives to document the fuel-saving claims of equipment and strategies and worked with the government to recommend practices for the trucking industry that can help meet the Province’s emissions reduction targets for 2020.
Achievements
2011
Successfully advocated for regulations supporting the use of super single tires at equivalent weights to tandems in BC. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure amended the T-59 permit defining conditions for long combination vehicles to allow the use of super single tires at 3,850 kg per tire or 7,700 kg per axle.
Opposed Metro Vancouver’s draft Integrated Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Management Plan (IAQGGMP), which recommended expanding current engine retrofit requirements for heavy duty vehicles and emissions testing programs and increasing required reductions for carbon content in fuel from 10 to 15 percent by 2020 (under the Province of the Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements Regulation). The IAQGGMP has to balance its proposals to improve air quality and address climate change with their economic impact – i.e., actions that have an adverse impact on transportation costs affect the competitiveness of the region’s whole economy.
Defended a 6-month long-combination vehicle (LCV) pilot in Delta against opposition from local MLAs. The project involves Maersk Distribution Canada running extended length super B-trains between the company’s terminal on River Road in Richmond and the Deltaport container terminal in Roberts Bank. The politicians publicly questioned the safety of the project without researching the well-documented safety record of LCV use in communities within other jurisdictions. Use of LCVs reduces the number of trucks on the routes on which they are allowed, saving trucking companies significant amounts of fuel while reducing GHG emissions. In addition to reducing congestion for other road users, reducing the number of trucks also reduces the potential for traffic incidents.
Gained the addition of two new routes – Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton and Highway 8 between Merritt and Spences Bridge – in the network for extended length super B-trains hauling wood chips and mill-processed wood residuals, increasing opportunities for reducing emissions.
A 2011 report on the ecoFreight demonstration project, involving on-road testing of selected fuel-efficiency devices and strategies (begun in 2008, see below) confirmed significant savings for the participating BCTA carriers. One company recorded a combined efficiency gain of 6.27% for vehicle combinations equipped with low rolling resistance dual tires and trailer fairings, as well as one tractor with a speed limiter activated and set at no more than 100.6 km/hr. These vehicles operated between Burnaby and Prince George, hauling retail-ready bread on racks on the head-haul and empty on the back-haul. The average round trip distance was 1,550 km.
The other project participant reported 5.1% efficiency gain while testing wide-base single tires (operating under special permit) on two 8-axle, B-train combinations hauling wood chips between Fraser Lake and Prince George then returning empty (round trip 320 km, with total daily travel of 1,280 km) and between Vanderhoof and Prince George (round trip about 210 km, with daily travel of 900 km).
2010
Persuaded the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) branch of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) to introduce a 500-pound tolerance for the use of APUs and agree to a more flexible reducible load policy.
Provided significant direction as a full partner with MoTI on a fuel-efficiency website for verified data about products and technologies that also provides tips for fuel-saving driving, truck spec’ing and regulations.
Convinced the provincial government to require biodiesel labels for fuel dispensing equipment, one for diesel that contains more than 5% biodiesel and one for more than 20%. BCTA advocated this measure to provide protection for motor carriers, since using high-level biodiesel blends can affect engine operability and void manufacturers’ warranties.
2009
Influenced the government to delay its 5% average biodiesel mandate, originally intended for January 1, 2010. Instead, the government announced a phase in of the biodiesel requirement in December 2009, with a 3% target for 2010, 4% for 2011, and 5% for 2012. Our concern was that this new alternative fuel standard was adopted too rapidly and inadequately researched, leaving carriers little time to prepare for the change and potentially creating significant problems for their equipment.
Helped to turn an LCV pilot project into a regular year-round permit program that allows operation of Rocky Mountain Doubles between the Lower Mainland and Kamloops throughout the year. BCTA asked MoTI to expand the network and allow the use of Turnpike Doubles and is also working with the other western provincial trucking associations to establish one set of rules for LCVs from BC to Manitoba.
At BCTA’s request, MoTI introduced the permit that allows the use of extended length super B-trains (i.e., to 27.5 metres but still within legal axle and gross vehicle weights) for hauling lightweight loads of wood chips.
2008
Obtained a PST exemption on purchases of aerodynamic equipment and smog reduction retrofits in the February 2008 provincial budget. And, in July 2008, the government agreed to regulatory amendments that allow for additional width and length to accommodate the attachment of aerodynamic devices on tractors and trailers.
Under the umbrella of the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), received funding from Transport Canada’s ecoFreight demonstration program to explore a number of energy-saving initiatives (results are noted for 2011, above). In this effort, two participating BCTA member fleets installed and tracked the emissions savings of:
on-board computers, to monitor speed, idle time and engine revving to help optimize driver fuel conservation practices
aerodynamic trailer fairings
wide-base single tires (also called “super” single tires)
The Province named Paul Landry, BCTA President & CEO, co-chair of the Trucking Sector Climate Change Working Group, made up of industry experts with a mandate to develop a set of recommendations to help meet the Province's emissions reduction targets. The group examined strategies, including those already proposed by BCTA, to aid in emissions reduction, including incentives, outreach and education programs, and fiscal, regulatory and other government policy measures (for example, the increased weight tolerance for the use of APUs and a more flexible reducible load policy granted in 2010 were BCTA/Working Group recommendations).
Supported the Fraser Basin Council’s (FBC’s) Green Fleets BC enviroTruck demonstration project. Five BCTA member companies were selected to receive funding to test fuel-reducing equipment and strategies under this program.
2007
Supported CTA’s enviroTruck initiative, which promotes adoption of newer smog-free engines and add-on devices that improve fuel efficiency, including anti-idling devices (APUs), tractor and trailer aerodynamic fairings and wide-base single tires, and, most practically, government-sponsored incentives.
Made a presentation to the provincial Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services outlining the industry’s challenges in reducing emissions and identifying specific remedies, including incentives. The Committee subsequently included BCTA’s recommendations in its report to the Legislative Assembly in November 2007 (including for PST exemptions for fuel-efficiency equipment, mentioned under 2008 initiatives, above).
Joined the FBC to pursue similar green educational and other initiatives as part of FBC’s new Green Fleets BC program, including a biodiesel workshop, the E3 Fleets auditing tool for the reduction of fuel and emissions and the provincial enviroTruck demonstration project that subsidizes “green” trucks in select fleets in BC to show their potential for reducing GHG emissions.