By Light & Medium Truck Citing the economic downturn, tight credit markets and the prospect of a large price increase, truck and engine maker Navistar Inc. said it will take a “leadership role” in trying to convince Congress and the new administration to delay full implementation of 2010 diesel emission regulations. Navistar said it would back the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which Nov. 19 called for Congress and the administration to phase in the new emission regulations to “allow ample breathing room and to build confidence within the trucking industry.” “We’re ready for 2010, but we think our customers need the right to choose between two clean-diesel choices in 2010 and 2011 — 2007 and 2010 standards,” Tim Touhy, Navistar spokesman, said. “We’re ready to take a leadership role in this as a manufacturer in the industry, and we support OOIDA’s call. Other truck and engine makers are not following suit. The chief executive officers of Mack Trucks Inc. and Volvo Trucks North America and a representative of Daimler Trucks North America rejected the call for a delay. Navistar is the only engine manufacturer planning to use exhaust gas recirculation technology to meet the 2010 emission standards. The other engine manufacturers have said they will use a different technology called selective catalytic reduction. Analysts said Navistar had little chance of delaying EPA’s standard. “The incoming Obama administration ran on a platform of treating environmental issues very seriously, so that it’s a very low, low probability they’ll accept any delay,” said Eric Starks, president of FRT Associates. Chris Brady, president of Commercial Motor Vehicle Consulting, Manhasset, N.Y., said the truck makers were not successful in their bid to delay 2004 emission regulations citing the business environment. “I do not believe this argument will work in 2009,” he said. http://www.lmtruck.com/articles/lmtbase.aspx?storyid=324
