Our trucking software can help you to run your business more efficiently, removing waste and enhancing your bottom line. That’s more important than ever, if the concerns many have about new EPA/NHTSA regulations are true.
What the Government Wants to Do
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) want to impose new restrictions on medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The stated goal is to reduce carbon emissions and improve fuel efficiency to lessen the effects of global climate change.
The government is already implementing Phase 1 of this program, which affects vehicle models through the year 2018. Phase 2 will go well beyond the existing standards, affecting vehicles from pickups to the largest big rigs. The goal is to create a single overarching federal program that would, according to government officials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 1 billion metric tons and save about 1.8 billion barrels of oil.
Federal officials admit that imposing these standards will cost the transportation industry about $25 billion. But they insist that the environmental benefits are worth the added expense. Of course, many truckers disagree. Dozens of them, in fact, have spoken their mind at NHTSA public meetings.
Many truck drivers have reported that “fuel-efficient” vehicles have cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars in maintenance. Repairs costs on these vehicles are high while proving less reliable than older equipment. In a recent edition of Landline magazine, trucking professional Tilden Curl kept detailed records on two trucks. In comparing his 1995 Peterbilt to his 2009 emission-compliant Kenworth, the emission-compliant truck cost him much more in maintenance and downtime (and achieved lesser mileage per gallon) than the original Peterbilt. Curl states that the regulations have led to “a rush to push technology beyond tested capabilities,” and trying to comply with these has cost him his retirement funds. Other drivers say that the burden of complying with federal rules has cost them clients, led to missed deliveries, and resulted in increased downtime that hurt both their reputation and their income.
How Can Trucking Software Help?
Whatever you think of the government’s actions, one thing is for sure: it’s more important than ever before to make your business as competitive as possible. That’s where the right software comes into the picture. By automating many tasks that once took countless hours to do by hand, trucking software can free you up to do the one thing that puts money in your pocket: driving. It can also help you keep detailed maintenance records on your trucks like Curl did. Find out for yourself about the difference the right trucking software can make by taking TruckingOffice for a free 30-day test drive.
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