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Federal Legislation Introduced Feb 2023
We have seen a few new pieces of Federal Legislation introduced in February that affect the trucking industry. Both in the US House and the US Senate.
In the House bipartisan reintroduction of the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act was introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL) with Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Warren Davidson (R-OH), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) signing on as co-sponsors.
The REPAIR act would maintain the quality and affordable repairs by ensuring that owners and repair shops have access to maintenance tools and data. "By prohibiting vehicle owners from accessing and sharing data they generate, manufacturers stop consumers from accessing third-party repair shops,” Rep. Davidson (R-OH) said. “American vehicle owners have a right to control their data, and a right to access third-party repair shops, tools and parts.”
According to recent poll done by Overdrive magazine 30 percent of respondents say they use “mom and pops” shops for their repairs. Without the REPAIR act those shops would not have access to technology to repair new trucks.
To Follow The REPAIR Act Legislation
In the House bipartisan legislation was introduced, the Motor Carrier Safety Selection Act was introduced by Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Seth Moulton (D-MA). This act would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a Safety Fitness Determination system for trucking companies.
This Safety Fitness Determination system would also require shippers, manufactures, and brokers to verify that a trucking company is licensed, registered and insured before any freight could be put on any of the trucking companies trucks.
As of right now shippers have no way to determine if a trucking company if safe to handle their freight. Many shippers have created their own in-house system to exclude certain trucking companies.
To Follow The Safety Selection Act Legislation
Introduced by Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and having 33 republican co-sponsors this legislation would overturn the heavy-duty truck emissions standards that were finalized in December 2022.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) back in December 2022 updated the emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks. These standards would start with the 2027 model year. The standard tailpipe NOx limits to a level 80%-plus below the current standard and reducing particulate matter limits by 50%.
The new EPA ruling would also require that manufacturers extend warranties to 450,000 miles from 100,000 and useful life limits to 650,000 miles from 435,000 miles.
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