Truckers and carriers in California are currently fighting a state requirement that forces them to install diesel particulate filters in their diesel-powered trucks and buses. They insist that the filters are poorly designed and have caused trucks to break down, placing drivers in danger and making it impossible for them to meet deadlines.
The California Air Resources Control Board (CARB) filter requirement has garnered negative attention from truckers and carriers, particularly as the cost of installing the filter is about $18,000. Recently complaints have increased because truckers and carriers insist that the filters are poorly made, meaning trucks are breaking down far more frequently than before the devices were installed. That places truckers in danger and threatens a carrier’s revenue.
Now, truckers and carriers, represented by the Alliance of California Business, are taking their complaints to the California courts. They’re hoping that mounting evidence against the safety and reliability of the filters will help reverse the CARB requirement.
The Alliance’s motion includes dozens of trucker testimonials which outline the dangers posed by installing diesel particulate filters. Supporting the truckers is Jeromy Geiger, who works for McCorkle Trucking in Glenn, California. He says the damage caused by a faulty filter can sideline a truck for an extended period of time.
“When those filters get clogged, the truck can be down for a week waiting to get repaired,” noted Geiger, who went on to insist that the real victim in this situation is the small trucking company with just a few commercial vehicles in its fleet. “This law really hurts the little guy,” Geiger said.
Therese Cannata, the San Francisco lawyer who represents the truckers, says the filters not only pose a threat to truckers, but to the public as well. She says the filters have caused fires that destroy truck engines and place everyone on California’s roads in real danger.
“Not only does this law put people at risk, it puts the entire industry at risk,” Cannata said. “We are asking the court not to let that happen.”
Cannata hopes the state’s courts take action and kill the CARB requirement. “The court has the power to enforce safety,” she added.