Friday, June 28, 2013

Over 28 percent of U.S. trucks are clean diesel, zero-emissions

More than 28 percent of all trucks registered in the U.S.—2.5 million out of 8.6 million—are now equipped with new technology clean diesel engines, according to data compiled by R.L. Polk and Company for the Diesel Technology Forum.
 
The Polk data includes registration information on Class 3-8 trucks from 2007 through 2012 in the U.S. Beginning in 2007, all heavy duty diesel trucks sold had to meet particulate emissions levels of 0.01 grams per brake horse-power hour.
 
"The fact that more than 28 percent of all trucks on U.S. roads today are new technology diesel engines with near zero emissions is significant for the environment and the trucking industry," said Allen Schaeffer, the executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. 

"More than 95 percent of all heavy-duty trucks are diesel-powered, as are a majority of medium-duty trucks. Diesel power is the driving force today of goods movement by truck in our economy and they are continuing to play a central role of the United States' new effort to reduce fuel consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years."
 
Schaffer said the increasing rates reflect the confidence truckers have in the new technology diesel engines, particularly with the recession lowering the demand for trucking services.
 
Regionally, the Midwest has the highest percent of new diesel trucks at 31 percent, followed by the South at 29.8 percent, the Northeast at 29.1 percent, and the West at 26 percent.
 
Schaeffer said the new technology diesel engines and fuel have reduced nitrogen oxides by 99 percent and particulate emissions by 98 percent.

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