o Whom it may concern:
After researching the infrastructure options available
and assuming that the trucking OEM's will continue at the same pace
of clean truck development, it would seem that the proposed
requirements for drayage trucks beginning 1/1/2024, are unpractical
and dowright unfair.
It is easy to assume, with all due respect, from behind a
desk or in an office setting, that truckers are not intelligent
enough to understand the effects of climate change or the need to
make changes to combat the issue. You would be wrong. We do
understand and want to be a part of the solution. I think if you
would listen a bit more to the people who these regulations are
going to most immediately burden, you would find that we truckers
are willing to work with our community leaders and the CARB to do
our part ,but these hurried requirments seem like a "take it leave
it" type solution.... You are in fact telling a segment of the
trucking community to "sink or swim". Maybe some will swim, but
most will sink. This is a tough enough business without the kind of
pressures you are throwing on our plates. Where is the fairness and
EQUITY in that for the small trucking fleets? The little guy. Or do
we not matter? Are we acceptably expendable? Fact is, we will be
collateral damage. And some will say we were a neccesary sacrifce
for the greater good. I really hope I am wrong on that.
Truly.
Reality is, trucking company owners work their tales off
everyday to make sure the counrty continues to get their shipments
moving in and out of these ports. During the pandemic everyone was
thanking us for doing our part in keeping the supply chain moving.
We stepped up. We did our jobs. We were heros...Now our trucks are
a nuisance and we are the enemy because we are arent moving at the
accelerated pace you set forth. We are not the enemy and given the
chance we can continue to be part of the solution. We will adopt
new technologies and continue to purchase cleaner and cleaner
trucks but this jump you are proposing is more of giant leap and
some simply will not make it.
I want to be clear, these regulations to clean up our
environment are important and necessary. It's the right direction
to be going in ,but can we slow down a bit so we can all keep up
and move forward together? Its discouraging that these regulations
might put me in a position where i can lose everything i have
worked for these last 4 years because of the speed of
change.
I'm writing this in the hopes that you listen. I am one of
the many who are out here grinding it out at the ports and would
love to continue to do so. Please consider putting off these
hastily timed regulations. Give the industry more time. Time for
the OEMS not only to have more equipment available but to innovate
equipment to the point where we can use it efficiently to run our
businesses. Current ranges do not allow that in all cases.
More time for the independent maintenance and repair sector to
catch up and train the 1000's of mechanics needed to support the
industry. More time is needed to build out the infrastructure that
is needed. This is one of the biggest most obvious obsticles to
this whole changeover. The elephant in the room that nobody
involved in pushing this pace wants to recognize. Its a huge
concern to everyone and the solution being pushed is unrealistic.
Please do not tell me that companies installing and maintaining
their own charging points is a practical solution to this issue. It
is not, and to say it is, is either naive or is taking a dishonest
stance. We just need more time to figure out how to create a
situtation where everyone has a chance to both contribute and
succeed.
Slow down and allow us to step up. We always do and always
will. Given the chance.
Thank you,
David J. Gurrola Jr.
One link Transportation Inc.
CEO