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in North America? Who are they trying to fool? Canada NewsWire Give us your message. We'll give you the world. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attention News Editors: Greener Trucking Industry Marks Earth Day TORONTO, April 22 /CNW/ - While Canadians are poised to celebrate Earth Day, Canada's trucking industry is also gearing up to mark the enormous strides it has made in becoming cleaner and greener. "For the most part, the only place you will see the old black smoke belching clunkers of yesteryear are on re-runs of Smokey and the Bandit. The technological advances in reducing emissions from truck engines and truck diesel fuel have been nothing less than astounding. And, there's more to come." says the president of the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), David Bradley. "Today's heavy truck engines are twice as fuel efficient and eight times cleaner than the engines that were around 10 or 15 years ago," says Bradley. He credits the introduction of clean burning electronic engines, the introduction of low sulphur fuel, improved systems for monitoring fuel efficiency, anti-idling and speed monitoring for much of the improvement. "Because of the need to constantly update its fleets, the trucking industry is better able than some industries to adapt to and embrace new technology, quicker. The industry is also receptive to piloting alternative fuels where it makes sense." For example, the typical life of a truck tractor is four to seven years, whereas a railway locomotive engine can last over 30 years. "Tough regulation of truck engine and fuel emissions will continue to drive further significant improvement. The 2007 model year engines will produce 90% less emissions of nitrous oxide and particulate matter -- the equivalent of removing 13 million trucks and buses from the road. The sulphur content of truck diesel fuel will be reduced from 500 ppm (current standard) to 15 ppm. Fuel efficiency could double again by 2010," adds Bradley. Trucking Environmental Facts: - 90% of Trucks Pass "Drive Clean" Test - The pass rate for heavy duty trucks under the Ontario Drive Clean emissions testing program is over 90%. (Over 98% for trucks 5 years old or newer.) - The Future Will See More Trucks & Fewer Emissions - Trucking's share of the freight transportation marketplace is expected to increase by over 2% each year till 2010. However, more trucks will mean less emissions as a result of cleaner engines and fuel. Despite the industry consuming more diesel fuel, 11.8 billion litres in 2000 to 12.9 billion in 2010, the trucking industry's annual national emission inventory for NOx will decrease by 94%; PM 93%; CO 88% and HC 44%. - Sulphur Content of Fuel - The burning of sulphur in fuel is a contributor to particulate matter. The current sulphur content of truck diesel is 500 ppm; for gasoline its 1000 ppm; and for railway diesel (which is not regulated) it can be as high as 5000 ppm. Both the Canadian and US federal governments are introducing a requirement that the sulphur content of truck diesel be reduced to 15 ppm by 2006. - Truck vs Rail - While truck engine and fuel emissions are tightly regulated, the same cannot be said of the rail sector. The view espoused by some that the environment would be helped if more freight were diverted from truck to rail, is not borne out by research: A 1999 options report from Transport Canada's Transportation Table on Climate Change determined that a shift from truck to rail would have very little impact on greenhouse gas emissions, but would exact an enormous toll on the Canadian economy. The table was co-chaired by the executive director of Pollution Probe and an assistant deputy minister at the department. Members of the table included environmentalists, transportation industry representatives, petroleum producers, provincial and municipal governments. Last month, a study came to light from the North American Council for Environmental Co-operation (governed by the environment ministers from the three NAFTA countries) on the environmental impacts of increased trade which found that a shift from truck to rail on North America's major trade corridors would actually lead to an increase in emissions of two of the most harmful emissions from a human health perspective -- NOx and particulate matter (PM). Those emissions have been linked to respiratory ailments and lung cancer, respectively. The current (April 2001) issue of the Sustainable Transportation Monitor - the official publication of the Centre for Sustainable Transportation states that the railways' traditional measure of fuel efficiency (tonne-kilometres of freight moved) "at first sight...suggests an overwhelming superiority of rail and marine over trucking in terms of energy efficiency. However these are comparisons between apples and oranges. Rail and marine mostly moves large or bulk loads between distant destinations." Trucks do that and much more. With regard to modal shift, the CST Monitor states: "For the most part, the only practicable shifts would concern inter- city or other long-distance freight movements. As noted, energy savings may not provide such a strong reason as many believed for such shifts... rail's advantage in energy efficiency may be offset by trucks' more sophisticated emissions controls and higher quality fuel." (The CST was established in 1996 by the federal departments of environment and transportation. Its current board of directors is composed of individuals from the rail sector, labour, academia and government). The Ontario Trucking Association was founded in 1926 and provides services and policy advocacy for its members. The membership, which currently stands at about 1700 companies, includes trucking companies from virtually all Canadian provinces as well as the United States. -30- For further information: Rebecka Torn, Manager, Communications, or Stephen Anderson, Communications Officer, [phone] ONTARIO TRUCKING ASSOCIATION has 42 releases in this database. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- General Inquiries - [e-mail] Technical Issues - [e-mail] © 2001 Canada NewsWire, all rights reserved