TORONTO — The fleet of so-called “envirotrucks” that have been traveling across the province this last month will be making a pit stop in Toronto at the Ontario Trucking Association’s 81st annual convention.

The OTA says truckers will be able to get a up-close look of some of the first of the new generation smog-free trucks to be put into service in Ontario.

The display is open only to registered delegates of the convention and the media.

The new trucks, which hit the market earlier this year, must by law meet tough new emission standards that will virtually eliminate smog-causing emissions between now and 2010.

The display trucks have been provided by Mack, Peterbilt, Volvo, Freightliner, Kenworth and International.??The 2007 and newer model year trucks are equipped with a diesel particulate trap (DPF) which filters out microscopic particulate matter (PM). The engines have also been designed to use environmentally responsible ultra low sulphur diesel fuel.

The purchase price of the new trucks come at a steep price though — about $8,000 more per unit compared to a 2006 model. That’s why OTA is lobbying for incentives and tax breaks in order to help accelerate the new engines into the market — an issue that will be much discussed at the convention, for sure.

The two-day convention takes place Nov. 15 and 16 at the Toronto Congress Centre.