OOIDA to give small business truckers’ perspective on idling

[Staff]

OOIDA Regulatory Affairs Specialist Joe Rajkovacz has been asked to give the trucking industry’s perspective on idling at this year’s Tri-State Idle Reduction Conference in Illinois.

The presentation, titled “Idle Less, Save More,” is scheduled for Thursday, May 10, at the conference in Willowbrook, IL.

Rajkovacz said many small-business truckers – approximately 75 percent – do not have any anti-idling technology equipment on their trucks, according to a 2006 member profile survey by the OOIDA Foundation.

“It’s not that small-business truckers don’t want this technology – it’s a cost issue for them,” he said. “There needs to be more assistance programs for owner-operators, such as low-interest loans, grants or self-sustaining programs to help truckers purchase anti-idling equipment.”

According to the survey, approximately 35 percent of OOIDA members who responded said they planned to purchase anti-idling equipment in the future, but Rajkovacz said cost plays a big factor in small-business truckers’ ability to purchase expensive anti-idling technology.

“The big fleets have more of an advantage because they have newer equipment that is already compliant with 2004 emissions standards, while the average year of a truck owned by an OOIDA member is 2000 or older,” Rajkovacz said.
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