Trucks Clips: February 29, 2024

 

 

Officials Say $750K Fine Sends ‘Clear Message’ To Company Charged With Violating Clean Air Act — “A Michigan diesel shop has been ordered to pay $750,000 in fines for its part in a scheme to disable emission-control devices on hundreds of semis over a three-year span. On Friday, Feb. 23, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan announced sentencing for Diesel Freak LLC, as well as several individuals, for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. On top of the fine, the company also was ordered to ‘serve a term of probation.’ The owner of the business, Ryan Lalone, along with two employees, Wade Lalone and James Sisson, each were sentenced to a one-year probation. The company and the individual defendants pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. The sentencing wraps up a case in which 14 defendants were charged. Officials said the $750,000 fine was the ‘largest fine imposed over the course of the case in which the Court ordered over $1.8 million in fines.’ ‘This case is one of the largest of its kind ever charged in the United States, and today’s sentences send a clear message that polluters who break environmental laws will be held accountable,’ U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said in a statement. ‘Environmental rules safeguard the water we drink, the lakes we fish and the air we breathe. It’s critical that we protect our people and our planet from harmful pollutants.’” [Land Line, 2/28/24 (=)]

 

Final Sentences Handed Down In Michigan Emissions 'Delete' Case — “The final company and the last few individuals charged in a case related to deleting emissions controls on trucks have been sentenced. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced Feb. 23 that truck shop Diesel Freak and several individuals were sentenced for violating the Clean Air Act by engaging in an aftermarket scheme to disable the emissions control systems of semi-trucks. U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Maloney confirmed the felony convictions of Diesel Freak, LLC, of Gaylord, Michigan, and ordered the business to pay a fine of $750,000 and serve a term of probation. It was the largest fine imposed over the course of the case in which the court ordered more than $1.8 million in fines. Maloney also sentenced the owner of the business, Ryan Lalone, and two employees, Wade Lalone and James Sisson, each to 1-year probation. The hearing concluded sentencing for all 14 defendants charged in the case. In imposing the sentences, Maloney commented on the ‘systematic violations’ of the Clean Air Act he said occurred in the case.” [Overdrive, 2/28/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Voltera

 

Voltera Kicks Off $150M Expansion Of Electric Fleet Infrastructure — “Voltera Power announced a significant, $150 million expansion of its commercial electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with plans to double its number of managed charging depots in 2024. Voltera is best known for its clever managed charging depots, which the company builds, owns, and operates for the benefit of local electric fleets. Voltera then charges fleets for access to its chargers, which it maintains and manages to ensure maximum uptime. It’s a business model that’s already been put into practice at a few initial sites. With their latest press announcement, however, the number of locations Voltera has acquired has grown to 21 sites, representing approximately $150 million of private investment in EV infrastructure real estate and over 115 megawatts (MW) of charging capacity. ‘Both public and private investments are needed to scale development of ZEV charging infrastructure, which is needed to support fleets’ compliance with emerging state and federal emissions regulations,’ explains Tom Ashley, Vice President of Government and Utility Relations at Voltera. ‘Our real estate investments and close partnerships with key government and utility stakeholders strengthen our ability to develop impactful projects, especially in communities that stand to experience lasting benefits from transportation electrification.’” [Electrek, 2/28/24 (+)]

 

 

 

Should I Buy An Electric School Bus? — “Last month, images and news headlines of Teslas being stranded in Chicago and not charging in extremely cold weather caught many people’s attention on the merit of owning or buying an electric car. The lack of working charging stations and dead batteries were reported as the root cause. Will this negative news shake consumer confidence in electric vehicles? It depends on where you live. Also, access to a large amount of working charging stations seems to be paramount. How important is infrastructure? Many industry professionals believe this is the key factor in the whole process of adding electric school buses to a fleet. Electric school buses are going through an initial growth spurt due to the influx of funding from federal, state and local programs plus mounting environmental regulations. The market for electric school buses has been predominately in New York and California, but that scope is expanding rapidly. In mid-January, the EPA announced the winners of nearly $965 million in competitive grant funding for larger-scale adoptions of zero and low-emissions school buses. This amounts to 2,675 more electric school buses across 36 states.” [School Transportation News, 2/28/24 (+)]

 

Revoy Electric Trailer Rolls Into Trucking With Clean Fuels Conference — “Revoy EV’s electric trailer promises to make electrifying your OTR trucking fleet easy and cost-effective, and this one just pulled into the Port of Stockton ahead of the 2024 Trucking with Clean Fuels Conference. By packing batteries and an electric drive axle into a tandem trailer that fits between a conventional semi truck and trailer, Revoy EV claims it can ‘electrify’ a diesel truck fleet quickly and easily, effectively cutting a fleet’s fuel bill in half. When we covered the concept last month, we had lots of questions about the practicality of what was, essentially, a 22,000 lb. powered axle – but that hasn’t stopped the concept from getting a ton of attention. If you’re one of the many people who wants to learn more about the Revoy EV concept, a video posted to LinkedIn by Ollie Danner seems to indicate that you’re about to get your chance at the Trucking With Clean Fuels conference.” [Electrek, 2/28/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Ohio

 

Editorial: TPS Picked Right — “Toledo Public Schools is on the path less traveled for low-emission bus transportation and it’s a huge benefit to taxpayers. (‘TPS picks propane buses over electric in effort to go green, Monday) Blade reporter David Patch detailed the school district’s purchase of 25 new propane-fueled buses with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant as a significant contrast to the 99 percent of school districts opting for electric buses with the federal funds. TPS makes a compelling case for efficient use of taxpayer money, noting their use of propane buses since 2018 and a lifespan for propane buses that is twice as long as an electric bus.” [The Blade, 2/29/24 (+)]

 

Virginia

 

Electric School Buses Finally Make Headway, But Hurdles Still Stand — “The first electric school buses in the United States began running a decade ago in three school districts in California, providing a ride that was much less noisy, smelly and dirty than the diesel buses kids and parents were used to.” [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/28/24 (=)]

 

 

 

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