California seeks to ban sales of diesel big rigs in a bold bid to cut pollution.
Diesel truck owners who are caught selling their dirty vehicles are expected to face a hefty fine
As California prepares to enact a first wave of new legislation to curb emissions from heavy-duty vehicle pollution, a new report suggests that some might be able to dodge the fine by running their dirty vehicles to another state.
In an effort to reduce air pollution from diesel trucks, the state’s Air Resources board is considering a ban on truck sales that could be enforced by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Truckers who are caught selling diesel truck-carrying vehicles without meeting emissions requirements could end up paying more than $50,000 in fines, which is the cost of a vehicle to the state for a year.
And, since diesel trucks are so large in size, it is unlikely they will just be driven away and forgotten about.
“The big problem is that this truck has been in the state for at least the last five years,” says Jerry Hatton, president of Riddell Truck Centers. “So, they have a lot of data on them and have been using it.
“My opinion is that we will take a look at that regulation. But, as far as the financial aspect, I don’t see it being as big a problem as some may think it will be.
Riddell Truck Centers is the nation’s largest distributor of trucks and has two stores in California with more than 20,000 commercial and military heavy-duty trucks delivered to customers every day.
“It’s hard to understand, but we are getting about a $50,000 per truck fine for not meeting the standards,” says Hatton. “So, we’ve had a couple of people who have run to another state and come back in. But, it’s like going out for a beer as a way of getting rid of the traffic tickets.
