VANCOUVER — B.C. is the first jurisdiction to take the Canadian Trucking Alliance’s enviroTruck initiative from concept to reality.

enviroTruck was designed by CTA to accelerate the penetration of new smog-free heavy truck engines and greenhouse gas fighting/fuel efficiency technologies and devices in the trucking industry.

The BC Trucking Association has spent the last few months actively promoting the concept with local governments and other stakeholders. Its effort has paid off, says CTA, as the Fraser Basin Council has announced a new incentive under its Green Fleets BC program to encourage the B.C. trucking sector to adopt emission reduction technologies.

First BC, then hopefully the rest of Canada
will see the benefits of enviroTrucks, says CTA.

The Council is a non-profit organization, with board representation from all orders of government (including First Nations), business and community groups, that focuses on today’s sustainability issues.

According to the Council, the trucking industry in BC needs an opportunity to judge how newer engines, aerodynamic enhancements, anti-idling units, high-tech tires and other devices can help cut smog and greenhouse gas emissions without eating up fuel budgets.

“Their incentive program is designed to stop telling and start showing just what an enviroTruck can do,” says CTA, whose CEO David Bradley adds the alliance will continue to lobby the federal government and work with provincial associations “to encourage other provincial governments to follow the B.C. example.

Up to $10,000 per vehicle is available for a vehicle that meets the Fraser Basin Council’s enviroTruck standard, to a total of $70,000 for the entire program. Results may lead to bigger things, says CTA, given that the focus of the program is not only to get enviroTrucks off the drawing board and onto the road, but also to demonstrate fuel and cost savings to the industry.

Program participants will provide monthly usage statistics and comments on their experience with their enviroTruck, including its combination of components. The Council will be accepting applications now until February 15, 2008.

“It’s a modest start but a significant step in the right direction which we are hopeful can be built upon over time,” said Bradley. “It would also be very helpful if Transport Canada were to step-up to the plate.”