FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CALIFORNIA FLEET SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES THE “2010 FLEET SOLUTIONS WORKSHOP SERIES”
“Created to help truck operators and owners successfully navigate the complicated worlds of regulatory compliance, grant funding, and vehicle financing.”

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA—June 29, 2010—California Fleet Solutions (CFS), a division of Whittier, California-based Velocity Vehicle Group (VVG), today announced a “Summer Roadshow” event series with six educational workshops taking place between July and September in locations throughout California. This series consists of half-day events in key locations along goods movement corridors, each providing regulatory updates, information on funding programs, financing resources, and equipment updates.  In addition to short presentations and guest speakers, workshop attendees will also be able to ask questions in both group and one-on-one settings, enjoy a Ride & Drive opportunity, and will receive lunch and all conference materials, including a take-away funding application kit.  There is no fee to attend the workshop, but pre-registration is required.

CFS is a true “one-stop” resource and information center for California’s truck and bus fleet operators.  “CFS is backed by the exceptional brands and expertise behind Velocity Vehicle Group,” said Jeff Macartney, President of Crossroads Lease & Finance and one of the key organizers behind the CFS endeavor.  “We are a local, California-based business here to serve the needs of California truck operators in need of solid information and solutions to run their businesses.  The workshop series is our way of bringing expertise directly to the fleets and making the compliance choices clear and the funding application process as simple as possible,” Macartney added.

The workshop series was created as a means to educate fleet operators about the more than $500 million in funding that is available to purchase new clean trucks.  On June 24, 2010, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) announced the release of an additional $200 million in Proposition 1B funds to cut harmful emissions from heavy-duty trucks and other sources in the state’s four busiest trade corridors.  Well over half of this funding will be made available to truck and fleet operators for the purchase of new clean trucks and retrofits.  ARB also has available a $28 million Voucher Incentive Program to assist small fleet operators to purchase new trucks and after-treatment devices. 

“With more than $500 million in ARB grant funds available over the next two years, and millions more in other local, state and federal incentives, California truck and buses owners have never had such an opportunity to secure new clean vehicles in order to comply with California’s Truck & Bus Rule,” noted Macartney. “We are excited to assist our customers to make the most of this opportunity via our planned California Fleet Solutions Summer Roadshow event series.” 

The first CFS workshop will be held in the Avalon Room at the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 from 8:30am to 12 Noon.  The program agenda to designed to provide a concise look at ARB fleet rules, compliance deadlines and enforcement, the Prop 1B and Voucher Incentive Program application processes, and financing programs.  The workshop will create opportunities for question and answer exchanges, both in group and one-on-one formats, and will showcase the latest in equipment options from partners under the Velocity Vehicle Group umbrella.

Additional workshops are scheduled for August and September in Stockton, Hayward, Fresno, Riverside, and San Diego/Imperial Counties with dates and specific locations to be announced shortly.  For more information or to register, please visit www.cafleetsolutions.com or contact the event hotline at 888.993.0302.

About Velocity Vehicle Group
Velocity Vehicle Group, through its subsidiaries, operates as a commercial vehicle and bus dealer providing new or used trucks, motor homes, alternative fuel trucks, engines, and buses. It also provides accessories, air conditioning equipment, air lines, bearings and seals, brakes, bus parts, electrical parts, engines, fan drives, hoses and fittings, lighting products, mirrors, radio products, safety, seating, snow chain systems, starters and alternators, steering and suspension products, tools, trailer parts, trailers, and wheels and drums. In addition, the company offers truck rental and leasing, maintenance and repair, roadside assistance services, transportation consulting, and financing. Velocity Vehicle Group is based in Whittier, California with locations in Long Beach, Fontana, Ontario, Carson, Hesperia, San Diego, Caruthers, Woodland, and Rancho Cucamonga, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as warehouses in Sacramento and San Diego, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada.  www.velocityvehiclegroup.com.

About California Fleet Solutions
As part of Velocity Vehicle Group, California Fleet Solutions (CFS) is backed by the resources of California’s strongest network of manufacturers, dealers, and parts suppliers.  Representing the best brands and the most competitive products in all classes, CFS’ goal is to provide California fleets with equipment and financing options that work within budget and to maximum advantage.  CFS supports vehicle leases or purchases with competitive service and maintenance options and provides a comprehensive suite of strategic consulting services, with most of these at no cost to the client.  www.cafleetsolutions.com.
 

The California trucking association held a technician skills competition last weekend at the Santa Anita race track parking lot. The Velocity Group entered 5 technicians and all 5 finished in the top 20. I am extremely proud of our guys and it shows how skilled they are.

Please join me in congratulating Roy Quintana from the High Desert for finishing in first place!! and Ed Sanchez for finish in 3rd..

Roy will represent California and the Velocity group in North Carolina this September for the TMC National Skill Competition.

Good luck Roy and Great job guys..

Roy Quintana

Ed Sanchez

Devon Beck

Ben Pangan

Cody Smith

Scott Zeppenfeldt

Vice President of Service Operations

www.velocityvehiclegroup.com

Excerpt below is from California Trucking Association

Thank you goes out to everyone that sponsored, volunteered and competed at our First 2010 CTA Super Tech Competition June 5 and 6. These are the results from our Northern, Southern and Final Competition. Pictures are from Southern only.

Northern California Winners

1st Gadihel Flores with Swift Transportation 2nd Larry Parker with Walmart 3rd Jose Flores with Swift Transportation 4th Alex Johnson with Gordon Trucking

Southern California Winners

1st William Moran with Scully Transportation 2nd Ed Sanchez with High Desert Truck/LA Freightliner 3rd Roy Quintana with High Desert Truck/LA Freightliner 4th Martin Reed with Johnson Power Systems

2010 CTA Super Tech Finals

1st Place Roy Quintana with High Desert Truck/LA Freightliner 2nd Place Larry Parker with Walmart 3rd Place Ed Sanchez with High Desert Truck/LA Freightliner

Company Orders 750 Freightliner Cascadia Tractors Equipped with BlueTec Selective Catalytic Reduction Emissions Technology

PORTLAND, Ore. –  Freightliner Trucks today announced that Penske Truck Leasing has ordered 750 Freightliner Cascadia^® tractors equipped with BlueTec^® selective catalytic reduction (SCR) emissions technology. This purchase makes Freightliner Trucks the majority supplier of 2010 EPA-compliant tractors to Penske Truck Leasing.

Penske Truck Leasing offers commercial and consumer truck rentals, full-service leasing, contract maintenance, transportation and supply chain management solutions to individuals, small companies and multinational organizations. Its order includes 50 Cascadia 113-inch single-axle day cab tractors equipped with Detroit Diesel DD13^™ engines; 450 Cascadia 125-inch tandem-axle day cab tractors equipped with DD13^™engines; and 250 Cascadia 125” tractors with a 72-inch raised roof and Detroit Diesel DD15^™ engines.

Penske Truck Leasing customers have also ordered an additional 132 Freightliner Business Class^® M2 106 trucks with SCR-equipped Cummins engines and 50 Cascadia tractors to-date, equipped with a combination of Cummins ISX, DD13 and DD15 engines.  

The aerodynamic Cascadia was specially designed to incorporate EPA 2010 emission engines. BlueTec emissions technology – Daimler’s solution for meeting the 2010 EPA emissions standards – reduces emissions to near-zero levels of NOx and particulate matter as measured at the tailpipe and increases fuel economy by up to five percent over other emission treatment systems.  

According to Marc Althen, senior vice president, administration and procurement for Penske Truck Leasing, fuel efficiency is a priority to Penske customers, making the 2010-ready Cascadia an ideal choice.

“Based on our own research and field testing, we determined that SCR emissions technology was the right fit for Penske and our customers to comply with the 2010 standards,” said Althen. “And, when coupled with the advanced performance of the Cascadia, our customers get a powerful and efficient business tool that positively impacts their bottom line.”

A Freightliner Trucks customer for more than 25 years, Penske Truck Leasing and Freightliner Trucks together hosted a 16-city tour in late 2009 to educate Penske customers on the benefits of BlueTec SCR technology.

“We are pleased to build upon our long-term relationship with Penske Truck Leasing by supplying the majority of their 2010 solution,” said Mark Lampert, senior vice president, sales and marketing for Daimler Trucks North America. “By selecting our proven BlueTec SCR emissions technology, Penske Truck Leasing and its customers will continue to experience the superior performance they’ve come to expect from Freightliner Trucks.”

For more information on Freightliner Trucks, go to www.FreightlinerTrucks.com.  

Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America.  Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets Class 4-8 trucks and is a Daimler company, the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer.

Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P., headquartered in Reading, Pa., is a joint venture of Penske Corporation, Penske Automotive Group and General Electric.  A leading global transportation services provider, Penske operates more than 200,000 vehicles and serves customers from more than 1,000 locations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. 

Velocity Vehicle Group is pleased to announce that James K. Blakely “JB”has joined the Fleet and Government sales department of Los Angeles Freightliner. JB brings nineteen years of experience in the industry.

He will offer the following products to serve your needs:


You may contact JB at:

LA Freightliner
2429 S. Peck Road, Whittier CA 90601
Office: (562) 447-1200 Cell: (714) 357-0024
Email: jblakely@lafreightliner.com

www.LAFreightliner.com

ARB has posted dates, times, and locations below for a series of public training seminars to discuss the March 31, 2010 reporting requirements for the Truck and Bus regulation and the Tractor and Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation. The seminars will be offered in the day, in the evening, and also by webcast. The training seminars will provide: Update and overview on the regulations, with information on the early reporting required for owners of agricultural vehicles and two-engine sweepers; How to use the fleet calculator; How to use the ARB on-line reporting system.

LAST TRAINING SEMINAR
3/16/10                 Location:
1pm - 3pm           Holiday Inn 8000 Parkway Drive La Mesa, CA 91942
  
The presentation, as well as any additional material, will be available prior to the seminars at the Truck and Bus regulation website: www.arb.ca.gov/dieseltruck and the Tractor and Trailer Greenhouse Gas (GHG) regulation website: www.arb.ca.gov/cc/hdghg/hdghg.htm. The hard copy materials will also be available on the day of the meeting.

For those unable to attend in person, live internet broadcasts (webcasts) will be available for the February 16, March 2 and March 18, 2010 sessions and can be accessed on the date and time of the seminar at www.calepa.gov/broadcast/?BDO=1. An email address will also be available during these sessions to submit questions.

The Excel spreadsheet reporting form is now available for fleets to enter their vehicle information for the Truck and Bus Regulation and for the Tractor Trailer Greenhouse Gas Regulation.

This spreadsheet allows the user to enter fleet information for the initial 2010 reporting required for the Truck and Bus regulation and the Tractor/Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation.

There are no fees associated with reporting. The spreadsheet is designed to allow fleets to enter the appropriate information and to upload the data on the internet by using the Truck Regulation, Upload, and Compliance Reporting System (TRUCRS) online portal before the reporting deadlines.

The spreadsheet is available at:
www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/reporting.htm

The regulation requires that fleets that qualify for agricultural vehicle provisions and fleets with two engine street sweepers with Tier 0 auxiliary engines to report information about their vehicles by March 31, 2010. The regulation applies only to diesel trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 14,000 lbs. Out-of-state trucks and buses that operate in California are also subject to the regulation. The Air Resources Board is making amendments to the regulation that would not require any other fleets to report until January 1, 2011.

If your fleet has sold or scrapped trucks since 2008, your fleet may qualify for Vehicle Retirement Credits.

These credits will allow you to claim that retired truck as a 2010-compliant vehicle until December 31, 2013.
This credit only applies if your fleet size has been reduced since 2008.

Vehicles that were REPLACED with newer vehicles will not receive this credit; the replacement vehicles’ emissions factors will be used instead. Call today to find out if your fleet could benefit from using Vehicle Retirement Credits.

To view the text of the regulation, visit:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2008/truckbus08/revfro.pdf

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has passed the Truck & Bus Regulation.
The regulation was approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on December 9, 2009.
OAL submitted it to the California Secretary of State and becomes effective January 8, 2010.

To view the text of the regulation, visit:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2008/truckbus08/revfro.pdf

This is CARB’s actual tag line:
KNOW THE LAW. AVOID THE FINES.
 

ARB calls for new health report, directs staff to explore regulatory flexibility for small businesses on diesel truck rule

SACRAMENTO: The Air Resources Board directed its staff today to return to the Board next April with a new provision that would provide truck fleets more flexibility in cleaning up their diesel emissions under the state's Truck and Bus Rule that was adopted in December of last year, in light of the recession's effect on the industry.

ARB staff demonstrated that the down economy has reduced the amount of time trucks have operated, thus reducing harmful diesel emissions that would have occurred during normal economic times.
The Board also directed staff to withdraw and redo the health report that carried Hien Tran's name since it was learned last year that he falsely claimed he held a PhD in statistics from UC Davis. The implementation of the rule will continue to be carried out during this period.

The Board also neglected to second a motion by Board Members John Telles, who wanted to repeal the diesel rule after learning of a Tran's misconduct.

ARB passed the diesel truck and bus rule last December that requires truck owners to install diesel exhaust filters on their rigs by Jan. 1, 2011, with nearly all vehicles upgraded by 2014.

The regulation is estimated to prevent 9,400 premature deaths over its lifetime.

To reduce diesel emissions and improve air quality and public health, the ARB adopted a Diesel Risk Reduction Plan in 2000 and has already passed regulations addressing urban buses, garbage trucks, school bus and truck idling, stationary engines, transport refrigeration units, cargo handling equipment at ports and rail yards, off-road vehicles, port trucks and other sources.

For more information on the Statewide Bus and Truck Regulation, visit:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2008/truckbus08/truckbus08.htm

We are pleased to welcome Charlie Cox & Bob Towle to our Emissions Specialists Team

Charlie Cox is an Emissions Compliance Specialist with Velocity Vehicle Group.  Charlie has a great deal of experience designing compliance strategies for clients who are subject to diesel emission regulations from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), as well as local air pollution authorities like the South Coast AQMD.  He is a member of CARB's Off-Road Implementation Advisory Group (ORIAG) and currently serves as the first chairman of the ORIAG retrofit subcommittee.  He has developed emissions compliance plans for several of the largest construction and trucking companies in the United States representing more than 100,000 vehicles and has contributed to several industry publications on the subject of emissions regulations and retrofit technology.

Charlie's experience in working with grants and funding programs makes his consulting experience highly relevant in the current regulatory climate.  He has been invited to speak before local, state and regional-level events conducted by the Associated General Contractors of California, Faster Freight/Cleaner Air, Californa Trucking Association, Great West Truck Show, AQMD, California Bus Association, California Dump Truck Owners Association, Clean Cities Coalition, National Pavement Expo and numerous educational events on the subject of emissions compliance.

Bob Towle has been worked in the diesel filtration market for twenty years and diesel emission reduction for the past seven.

His involvement in the emission technology started in the voluntary markets from the Ports of Long Beach to Oakland along with School Bus fleets. When the first regulations from the California Air Resource Board were mandated to the Solid Waste Collection industry, he worked with the majority of these fleets on a statewide basis.

As regulations developed with municipalities, utilities, off road and LSI, he has continued to worked with some of the largest fleets in the state with compliance strategies and programs. With new regulations addressing PM and NOx, he felt that it was important to offer all aspects needed to be in compliance.

With Velocity Vehicle Group, Bob can assist with sound compliance strategies that offer PM retrofits, EPA 07 Gliders, newer used vehicles,  and new vehicles. This “total package approach” is what is needed to meet the new regulations.

Emissions Hotline (888) 578-2430 www.cleanandgreenvehicles.com

VELOCITY VEHICLE GROUP PROVIDES TOTAL SALES, PARTS AND SERVICE SUPPORT ALL THE BRANDS BELOW,
THROUGH OUR VAST RANGE OF DIVISIONS
• LA Freightliner • South Bay Truck Center • San Diego Freightliner • Silver State Truck & Trailer • High Desert Truck & Trailer • Crossroads Equipment Lease & Finance • BusWest • Fleetlogic • SelecTrucks • TransWest Truck Center

We are pleased to welcome Pat Avery to our autocar Parts team!

Pat Avery, formally with Autocar, has joined Velocity Vehicle Group as our Autocar parts specialist.
Pat’s years of experience with Autocar, and specifically the refuse fleets in Southern California, is yet another way we are working to provide you,
our valued customer, with the best service in the industry!

Please join us in welcoming him to our team and don’t hesitate to call him with any parts or technical needs.
Parts Hotline (866) 213-6646  Direct (909) 786-3095

Download pdf announcement flyer.

We are very pleased to announce the we have added Trans-West Truck Center in Fontana to the Velocity Vehicle Group.

The addition of Ford with their broad line of commercial vehicles will greatly expand the range of products that we can offer our existing customer base.  Trans-West has access to almost the full line of Ford products, including trucks from Ranger, F150 and up to F750, vans from the new little Transit van to the E350, cab and chassis products for our bus division and SUVS and Crossovers including the Expedition, Explorer, Escape and the hot new Edge and Flex.  Sorry no Mustangs or Tauruses as the “car” products are not covered by this dealership. The company will be owned by a new wholly-owned subsidiary of Los Angeles Truck Centers, Transwest Truck Center, LLC.

This marks the second acquisition this year for VVG after the earlier purchase of Diversified Truck Center’s Autocar business.  The company is pleased to be in a position to take advantage of opportunities to grow and position ourselves to increase our leadership position in the commercial vehicle industry.

Please note, in the coming weeks we shall be updating all of V.V.G.s websites to reflect the additional truck sales, parts and service location in Fontana, including a revamped Trans-West website coming soon.

As part of the overall effort to cut down on pollutants stemming from port activities, SCAQMD will co-sponsor the demonstration of four compressed natural gas (CNG) drayage trucks at a cost not to exceed $421,250 from the Clean Fuels Fund. Other partners in the almost $2-million project include SoCalGas, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, AutoCar, California Cartage Co. and L.A.Freightliner.

The project is the first to demonstrate the use of CNG in drayage trucks at the ports. A small refueling station will also be installed for the trucks' use.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) heavy-duty trucks are already in use at the port. SCAQMD's goal is for the ports to convert half of their trucks to natural gas. "In light of a predicted rapid increase in trade at the two ports, reducing port pollution has become the number one priority for our agency," said Barry Wallerstein, SCAQMD's Executive Officer. "These CNG trucks have the potential to help provide cleaner air for the community and a cost savings to the truck operators."

Approximately 65 percent of containers being moved from San Pedro Bay ports by truck are delivered within 25 miles of the harbors. There are about 16,500 of these so-called drayage trucks that move goods from wharves to warehouses and train yards south of downtown Los Angeles.

CNG technology can provide the neccessary power and range needed to make these short-haul deliveries from the port while having 33 percent lower life-cycle costs than a comparable new diesel truck.

Article sourced via SCAQMD flyer © Matt Miyasato

BusWest, headquartered in Carson, CA, is pleased to announce completion of the delivery of 14 Type II Para-transit buses with CNG conversion kits to the City of Santa Clarita Transit, Santa Clarita, CA. The 14 units were purchased off the Caltrans contract and were converted to CNG as a fuel source.

Mike Candelaria, BusWest Transit Sales Manager, notes. “The City of Santa Clarita Transit is home to Six Flags Amusement Park and is one of the fastest growing transit systems located 35 miles North of Downtown Los Angeles. The Para-transit buses they purchased provide fixed route and ADA services throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. The Agency understands the necessity to help keep the sky line clean. They continue to do their part within their community by running buses that operate off CNG fuel type powered engines.” Adrian Aguilar, Transit Coordinator for the City of Santa Clarita, comments. “Our fleet of buses is moving towards 2010 emission standards. To help comply with this standard we purchased CNG powered vehicles. Caltrans allowed us to purchase 14 buses without having to go out to bid. The big benefit for our organization is we receive the price based on such large bus procurement instead of just our quantity of 14 buses. Based on our market study, the cost for us to procure 14 units would have cost our agencies two buses plus the CNG systems based on the time to procure and the small quantity of buses purchased. In short, BusWest has done an excellent job helping Santa Clarita purchase off the Caltrans contract. The BusWest sales team worked directly with our staff to assure the buses were out of revenue service for the least amount time while they were cycling them through A-1 Electric for the installation of the CNG conversion kits.”

The Allstar bus, manufactured by Starcraft out of Goshen, IN., will features two wheelchair positions that meet American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. BusWest proposed enhanced flexibility and safety with regard to the wheelchair accommodations with input from key Transit staff. The Starcraft Allstar has been federally tested for 7 year/200,000 mile service durability. The BAF technologies CNG conversion system installed after the units delivered.

BusWest has five locations in California and Nevada and sells and services buses by Thomas Built Buses, Starcraft, Caio North America, Tiffany Coach, and DesignLine International. BusWest serves customers in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Hawaii. They have mobile services in the Bay Area and throughout Southern California.

BusWest is the passenger transportation equipment division of the Velocity Vehicle Group headquartered in Whittier, California. Velocity Vehicle Group companies include: BusWest, Los Angeles Freightliner, Las Vegas Freightliner, San Diego Freightliner, Crossroads Financial, Performance Truck and Trailer and others. Velocity Vehicle Group also distribute

PORTLAND, OR – Daimler Trucks North America today held events celebrating delivery of 132 new natural gas (NG)-fueled tractors to drivers who contract with California Cartage Company and 100 new NG trucks for the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles’ Clean Truck Program. Marking an innovative partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Southern California Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and Cal Cartage, a private company committed to building a clean drayage fleet, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles appear well on their way to becoming two of the “greenest” ports in the country.

Nearly $12 million in grant funding for California Cartage’s project has been provided by the South Coast Air Quality Management District using funding from a U.S. EPA grant and from California’s Proposition 1B Program. “The Air District is very proud to have played an important role in this aggressive alternative fuels project,” commented Dr. William Burke, Chairman of the agency’s Governing Board. “This clean truck project is good for California’s environment and California’s residents on all accounts. The project will prove that we can have a thriving port while still protecting public health. These ultra-clean LNG trucks will provide extremely important air quality benefits to those that live close to the ports and throughout our entire region.”

In addition to the 132 vehicles delivered to California Cartage, the 100 NG vehicles earmarked for deployment by licensed motor carriers and owner operators doing business with the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles will help meet the objectives of the Ports’ Clean Truck Program. The deployment of these near-zero emission trucks will lead to immediate improvements in air quality while enabling California Cartage’s drivers and the ports to comply with some of the most stringent emissions reductions standards in the world, setting new benchmarks in the future of harbor drayage.

California Cartage’s new low-emission natural gas fleet is the result of plans developed by California Cartage Company working in cooperation with the EPA, CARB and the SCAQMD to remove older, pollution-creating trucks from the harbors. The initiative was developed to make the trucks more affordable for the benefit of owner operators working with California Cartage. The trucks, Sterling® Set-Back 113s, are factory-built to be fueled with natural gas. Ideal for port operations as well as natural gas utilities and municipalities, the new NG trucks are powered by the Cummins Westport ISL G engines.

"Our ports are a major economic engine, but that engine needs cleaning," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "The trucks being introduced today support our mission to grow and green the Port of Los Angeles. Through our landmark Clean Truck Program, we are growing our ports and cleaning the air so that Angelenos can breathe easier."

“This is a proud day for Long Beach,” said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, who was recently appointed to chair the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ (USCM) Environmental Committee, a leading position on climate change, air quality, and water infrastructure. “We’re making history in our commitment toward cleaner air and marking a significant milestone on our path toward a healthier and more productive port. I commend California Cartage’s leadership in ascertaining funds and deploying 132 new NG trucks for the benefit of their owner operator fleet.

“Using natural gas in place of other fuels can help ease a number of environmental concerns,” he added. “Natural gas trucks reduce pollutants by more than 90 percent and the technology has come a long way. While our buses have been using natural gas for years, these new trucks with next-generation natural gas powertrains have more power and burn cleaner.”

“By introducing the Set-Back 113 with natural gas, we’re giving our customers a hard-working truck that reduces both costs and environmental emissions,” said Chris Patterson, President and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America. “Through the development of this new truck, as well as all the others on exhibit today, we are helping to shape the future of clean technology. And with an expanded line of Class 3-8 vehicles, including new Freightliner® Business Class® M2s with natural gas that will soon be made available, as well as Freightliner diesel hybrids, other M2s, FLDs, new severe duty trucks and, coming soon for 2010, new models with Detroit Diesel’s BlueTec® SCR emissions control technology, our customers can spec a truck to meet all their applications.”

The Cummins Westport ISL G, an 8.9 liter stoichiometric cooled-exhaust gas recirculation
(EGR) engine, offers the lowest emissions available in the industry without sacrificing top-level performance and efficiency. Available in ratings up to 320 hp, the ISL G already meets EPA 2010 standards with 85 percent lower NOx emissions than the C Gas Plus engine and features the highest power-to-weight ratio in class with an optimized turbocharger. The ISL G also features a maintenance-free exhaust system with a three-way catalyst (TWC). No further technology or after treatment will be required to meet 2010 emissions standards.

“Our tests show this new natural gas technology can save thousands in annual fuel and operating costs per truck,” said Robert Curry, President of California Cartage Company. “That will help owner operators and cartage companies save thousands per year in addition to the health benefits of cleaner air and reduced emissions. Our drivers will benefit from federal tax credits for alternative fuel vehicles and alternative fuel incentives, too, which mean that accessibility to NG fuel is on the rise.

“We are also proud to be on the cutting edge of creating a cleaner environment for our community,” Curry added. “By replacing 132 old diesel trucks, we will take tons of diesel particulate matter and tons of carbon out of the air over the life of this project (eight years).” According to California Cartage, the new trucks have been assigned to individual small fleets and owner operators.

Like all Daimler trucks, the Set-Back 113 with natural gas is durable and reliable, and ready to tackle any job. It sports a roomy and comfortable cab, superb visibility, maneuverability, ride and handling, all of which contribute to increased productivity for drivers and fleet owners.

Benefits of Natural Gas Trucks: When natural gas is burned, it produces virtually no emissions of sulfur dioxide or particulate matter and far lower levels of "greenhouse" gases and nitrogen oxides. According to information at www.fuelingthefuture.org and www.naturalgas.org, natural gas vehicles generate 69 to 83% fewer greenhouse gases and non-methane hydrocarbon emissions, which result in fewer toxins to be inhaled. They also create 32 to 73% fewer nitrogen oxides which mean potentially fewer asthma attacks. Add to these benefits, less acid rain and water pollution.
Copyright © CCJ

— Southbay Truck Center Service has been selected for the 2008 Best of Carson Award in the Repair Shops category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)

U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Local Business Association
Email: PublicRelations@USLBA.net
URL: http://www.USLBA.net

###

WHITTIER - When truck retail giant Los Angeles Freightliner opened for business 30 years ago, a big rig's smog controls weren't exactly a big selling point.

Dealers moved trucks by touting raw horsepower, reliability and comfort.

While power and economy are still important today, new air quality regulations have made emissions a top feature - particularly for the estimated 14,000 drivers hauling goods in and out of the sprawling Long Beach-Los Angeles seaport.

"Back then, (drivers) were interested in air suspension, big power and power steering," said Dean Kitakis, a Freightliner dealer who has sold trucks in Southern California since the early 1980s.

"I can't remember anybody being concerned about emissions. Now, they tend to ask," he said.

The sea-change in attitude about emissions has been prompted by recent clean-air proposals by port authorities on both sides of San Pedro Bay. Under pressure from community groups concerned about soot-spewing trucks, port commissioners are seeking to ban access to marine terminals by the most-polluting rigs (those built before 1990) starting Jan. 1, 2008.

The ban would grow progressively stricter through 2012, when all harbor drayage trucks would need to meet 2007 EPA emissions standards - either through vehicle replacement or, in the case of trucks built after 1994, retrofit with a particulate filter.

If the plan withstands potential legal challenges by the trucking industry, many of the estimated 16,000 trucks currently doing business in the harbor will be phased out in the next half-decade.

Economists put the cost of such a fleet turnover at more than $1.5 billion - nearly half of which is expected to come from grants provided by public agencies.

For dealerships like Los Angeles Freightliner, the pending changes could mean a windfall in sales in the near future.

"We're getting a lot of interest from drivers and motor carriers curious if there's enough trucks available and cost and things like that," said Kitakis during an interview inside the company's Whittier headquarters. "We think (our) supply chain could handle an order of 500 or more trucks very fast."

L.A. Freightliner is counting on long-term relationships in and around the harbor to secure business during the changeover.

The company estimates it has sold several thousand trucks that immediately or eventually went into service in the harbor, including more than 500 to drivers using port-sponsored grants since 2002.

Those grants, offered through the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, provide drivers with highly subsidized newer trucks - often exceeding 80 percent of the total purchase cost - in exchange for their old beaters.

Joe Palma, a harbor trucker for 35 years, purchased a truck from Freightliner in 2004 using a Gateway grant.

In exchange for his 1983 Kenworth, Palma received $38,000 in credit toward a greener truck. He picked out a 2000 Freightliner retailing for $52,000, applied the credit and took out a loan for the remaining $14,000.

The newer truck, which is more than five times cleaner environmentally, required no down payment.

"I didn't have to pay anything out-of-pocket except for a few dollars for (administrative) fees," said Palma, who works as an independent contractor in the port. "I was skeptical when I first heard about the program, but it's been good. My truck has been great, and the mileage is much better."

The Gateway program often offers drivers more trade-in credit for trucks burning the most fuel and spitting out the most smoke.

For example, a smog-spewing clunker from the late 1970s can fetch substantially more than a mid-1990s model, even though both are much more polluting than a new truck.

But because pre-1989 trucks had virtually no emission controls to trap hazardous diesel particulate matter, they are considered the most dangerous - and therefore the most valuable to take off the road.

Beginning in 1994, federal air quality regulations placed the first emission controls on heavy-duty trucks. This engineering feat will allow mid-'90s and later models to undergo a retrofit to be accepted in the port plan, but at a cost of around $15,000 to $20,000 per vehicle.

As yet, grants have not been made widely available for retrofitting and interest is weak, but L.A. Freightliner is gearing up for such projects.

The company is working with Cleaire, a particulate filter production company, for retrofitting on a large scale, Kitakis said.

As for sales, the company believes it can provide several hundred trucks on short notice, and maintains an inventory of several dozen new and used trucks at its Whittier lot.

Smaller lots in Long Beach and Fontana can also accommodate a rush.

"We have a large staff that understands this industry, what (drivers) need and what kind of financing they would be comfortable with," said Freightliner Account Manager John Cannon.

Always the consummate salesman, Kitakis said the new trucks are not only less-polluting, but average more miles per gallon, have better turning radius and are more reliable.

"When these guys trade in their old trucks, which a lot of times are being held together by rubber bands and glue, they feel like they've died and gone to heaven," Kitakis said. "It's that much of a difference."

Author: Kristopher Hanson