Though more stringent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards for diesel trucks went into effect at the beginning of the year, it might be too soon to gauge the impact of the cleaner-burning engines on the pumping industry.
That may be because a stockpile of old-technology 2006 truck chassis remained available for new trucks built in 2007. Or for those who have recently bought a truck with required pollution control upgrades, it might be too soon to tell if performance or fuel mileage are hampered by the new technology.
During 2006, truck builders said their customers — driven by concern over the new emissions standards — were looking to add trucks in record numbers so they wouldn’t have to replace vehicles with initial 2007 models. If they weren’t clamoring for new 2006s, pumpers were hunting around for used vehicles that could take them through any bumps in the road during the changeover.
In a continuing effort to raise pollution control standards for diesel trucks, the EPA required engine manufacturers to drop particulate matter in vehicle exhaust from 0.1 to 0.01 g/bhp-hr. The reduction is being accomplished through a number of changes, most notably advanced sulfur-intolerant exhaust emissions control systems with catalytic diesel particulate filters.
Nobody wants to be the guinea pig, especially when the new equipment was expected by truck builders to drive the cost of vehicles up an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 for single-axle trucks and $5,000 to $8,000 for dual-axle trucks. With fears of poorer performance and a higher cost, no one can blame a small business owner for not wanting to stick his or her neck out to be an early adopter.
Overcome obstacles
Eventually the industry will overcome this obstacle — the same way it is constantly overcoming obstacles like regulatory challenges and ever-more-complex onsite systems. Part of what makes the liquid waste-hauling industry so dynamic is the willingness of contractors to step outside of their comfort zone to take on new work, to expand services that ultimately help lead us to a cleaner environment.
As the 2008 Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International in Louisville approaches, I’m looking forward to seeing how truck builders are dealing with the bulkier post-exhaust filter required of the new emissions standards.
In the meantime, I wonder if anyone has a story to tell about a 2007 truck. Were the industry fears over the new technology justified or overblown? Was the mileage and brute force torque of septic haulers impacted at all by the changeover?
If you made it through the busy summer season behind the wheel of a 2007 diesel truck, I’d enjoy hearing your early reviews. Maybe there’s a silver lining to the enhanced emissions systems. Perhaps the truck runs better than you expected, and the cost increases were closer to the EPA estimates, which were lower than truck builders’ expectations.
Whatever the case, I’d be happy to get your reactions. You can drop me a line at editor@pumper.com. I’ll share your responses with Pumper readers in an upcoming issue.
