Eight transportation organizations have urged governors from Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington to delay the implementation of Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rules. These regulations are scheduled to take effect in 2025 and 2027.
Eric DeGesero, a lobbyist for the New Jersey Motor Truck Association, highlighted recent legislative developments in New Jersey. "In New Jersey, important legislation to delay the EV truck regulations by two years passed the Assembly Transportation Committee last week, thanks to the leadership of Chairman Clinton Calabrese, Speaker Craig Coughlin, and the Assembly Transportation Committee," he stated.
DeGesero emphasized concerns about infrastructure readiness. "We simply do not have the infrastructure in place for such a dramatic change in our trucking and logistics systems," he said. He warned that if ACT regulations proceed without delay, it could lead to negative economic impacts such as higher prices, job losses, and shipping delays nationwide.
The letter sent to the governors referenced a previous communication with the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association on November 8, 2024. It acknowledged ACT's role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions but called for reconsideration of its timeline.
“To be clear," the letter states, "we fully support these goals... In fact, 60 trucks today equal the output of one in 1988." The letter credits this progress partly to collaborations like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay program.
However, it expressed concern that rushing ACT's implementation might hinder these efforts. “The damage that our industry will incur by implementing ACT on its current rushed timeline will curtail these critical efforts as clean diesel truck availability will become limited," it reads.
The organizations propose exploring alternatives similar to SmartWay's voluntary approach. They seek a deferment of ACT's implementation date to avoid harming dealers and trucking companies while working toward environmental objectives.
The letter was signed by several associations including those from New Jersey Motor Truck Association and others across seven states.
