New York Looks to Cut Emissions by Private Trash Haulers

The administration of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, which has made cleaner air a priority, has taken steps to modernize the city’s fleet of diesel-powered vehicles — including about 2,000 trucks used for picking up residential waste and recyclables — with newer, less-polluting models. Under a law the mayor signed in September, by 2017 at least 90 percent of these vehicles must meet the tougher emission control standards for diesel trucks that the federal Environmental Protection Agency set in 2007.

But those trucks are not the only ones on the streets. Now the administration wants to impose similar requirements on private haulers who dispose of the city’s commercial garbage and recyclables, as well as construction and demolition debris.

A new proposal would require about 8,300 private collection trucks to meet the same federal emissions standards by 2020, three years after the deadline for the municipal fleet. The proposal, which requires the approval of the City Council, is part of a larger package of revisions to the city’s air pollution control code.

Council officials said on Monday that they were reviewing the plan.

A report released last month by the New York City Business Integrity Commission, which oversees the private haulers, and the Environmental Defense Fund, a nonprofit group, projects that if no action is taken, the private trucks will emit a total of 1,368 tons of particulate matter and 23,198 tons of nitrogen oxides between 2013 and 2030. These substances, found in diesel exhaust, have been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular problems, smog and global warming.

The report projects that if private haulers retire their older trucks by 2020, particulate matter emissions would be reduced by 796 tons during that time period; it would be the equivalent of removing 341,829 cars from city roads every year between 2014 and 2030, the report said. Nitrogen oxides would also be reduced by 12,054 tons, or the equivalent of removing 862,704 new cars or 143,784 old cars from the roads every year.

Under the proposal, a refuse collection company would be given several options, including retrofitting older trucks with new engines that meet the 2007 federal emission standards, or replacing them entirely with new vehicles that do. Shari C. Hyman, the commissioner of the Business Integrity Commission, called the proposed mandate “a balanced approach that will help achieve the air quality goals of the administration without unfairly burdening private industry.”

The report, which was written by M. J. Bradley & Associates using city data, estimated that the overall cost of the proposal to the private haulers would be $484 million, on top of the $571.4 million they would be paying to replace trucks through normal turnover. However, commission officials said this figure could be significantly lower if trucks were retrofitted instead of replaced. The report also noted that with more new trucks and fewer old ones, savings on repairs and maintenance could be as much as $15.5 million.

Several companies’ representatives said they supported the proposal. “With or without legislation, we support cleaner emissions for our industry and, frankly, every industry,” said Ron Bergamini, chief executive officer of Action Environmental Group, the parent company of Action Carting, one of the city’s largest haulers with 80 trucks on city roads every day. He said he expected that half of those trucks would have to be replaced or retrofitted by 2020 — at a cost of about $270,000 for each new truck, and $25,000 to $35,000 for each retrofit.

But others said that while they supported the concept of reducing emissions, they remained concerned about the proposed legislation.

“Companies that collect waste and recyclables in New York City typically operate on very narrow margins and are limited as to their ability to raise prices,” said David Biderman, general counsel for the National Solid Waste Management Association, a trade group that represents more than 750 waste and recycling companies nationally, including 75 in the New York region. “This proposed legislation as well as other legislative proposals pending before the City Council are likely to increase carters’ costs significantly over the next few years if they are enacted.”

Patrick Hyland, executive director of the New York Metropolitan Trucking Association, an industry group for more than 50 heavy construction truck companies, said that he had initially resisted the proposal but that the commission’s willingness to adopt a 2020 deadline after considering an earlier date had made it “more palatable” to his members, who typically spend $160,000 to $190,000 on each new truck.

“I voiced my concerns about hitting them with something like this while some of them were still digging themselves out of the economic downturn, coupled with Hurricane Sandy,” Mr. Hyland said. “They need to prepare themselves financially.”

Jim Tripp, senior counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund, said he saw the proposal for private haulers as an “innovative” step in the Bloomberg administration’s efforts to improve air quality, which have included banning smoking in public places and phasing out the use of certain kinds of home heating oils. “I think it will have a citywide benefit since we all have garbage picked up and these trucks are everywhere,” he said.

International LoadStar looks to shine in refuse truck market

TOOELE, Utah -- One man’s trash is another’s treasure, particularly if that other man is in the business of hauling trash away to landfill sites and recycling depots.

Or, for that matter, in the business of selling and servicing refuse trucks. With that in mind, Navistar International has barged into the refuse truck market with the impending launch of its new low cab forward LoadStar. Constructed of stainless steel, the LoadStar has been designed to better withstand the highly corrosive and punishing refuse truck environment and it also boasts a number of driver-friendly features that will make it popular with operators.

More importantly, however, Navistar has recently acquired refuse body manufacturer E-Z Pack with an eye to completely changing the way refuse trucks are sold and serviced. Currently, waste collection companies tend to buy trucks and bodies separately, and then must have any problems attended to by either the truck or body dealer.

This arrangement often results in finger pointing, a shirking of responsibility and for the operator, increased downtime and frustration. Through its acquisition of E-Z Pack, announced earlier this year and to be consummated in February, International will now be able to sell a fully integrated refuse truck with body and then provide one-stop parts and service shopping for customers. E-Z Pack wins too, thanks to instant access to International’s expansive dealer network.

Jim Rogers, vice-president of sales and marketing with E-Z Pack, said the partnership will revolutionize the refuse truck industry.

“From this day forward, we’re changing the business model in North America,” Rogers said. “We’re going to integrate the body and the chassis together, provide one-stop shopping for our customers and they’ll have service like they’ve never seen before.”

Previously, Rogers said, the relationship between body builder and truck manufacturer was practically non-existent.

“The only time we’d talk to each other is when we get into a finger pointing exercise and the poor customer is sitting in the middle saying ‘I just want my truck to run’,” Rogers admitted.

There are other benefits to the new marriage as well. Installation of the E-Z Pack body onto an International LoadStar chassis will be simplified thanks to International’s Diamond Logic electrical system. The truck and body will each have a wiring harness designed to plug into each other, providing a plug-and-play solution that Rogers said could slash in half the typical mounting time of 60-80 hours.

Navistar’s highly regarded Diamond Logic wiring system will also allow the chassis and body to communicate more effectively, providing benefits such as the ability to notify operators when a light is out on the body via a message displayed inside the cab. The partnership is also great news for International dealers. Refuse trucks typically cost $20,000-$25,000 per year to maintain, providing a new revenue stream for dealers.

E-Z Pack, based in Lexington, Ky., currently owns about 7% of the refuse truck body market and manufactures a variety of rear, side and front loaders. When the acquisition is concluded, the body will still be offered on other truck makes while Navistar will offer alternative bodies as well on its LoadStar.

Driving the LoadStar

As for the LoadStar, it is sure to earn plenty of attention among refuse truck owners and operators, which tend to be a 63-37% split between private collection companies and municipalities, respectively.

I recently had the opportunity to drive a Mack TerraPro, Autocar ACX-64 and Peterbilt 320 as well as the new LoadStar on a makeshift course at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City. The LoadStar was a dual drive configuration (left hand, right hand and right stand-up drive configurations will also be offered), and was fitted with a 40-yard E-Z Pack front loader.

At this point, there’s little I can say about the performance of the LoadStar, since the truck I drove was a prototype and as such, still had some wrinkles that will be ironed out before production commences. The fan was constantly on, giving no real sense of interior noise and the steering was stiff, again a byproduct of its prototype status.

What I can attest to, however, is its operator-friendly interior and ease of entry and egress. The 16-inch offset step height allowed me to climb easily into the cab through a large door with a 90-degree-plus opening. Well-positioned grab handles made climbing in and out a piece of cake, which will be a luxury for single operators when applicable. In contrast, climbing in and out of the Pete 320 took some athleticism that not all trash truck operators possess. The Mack and Autocar fell somewhere in between.

Once inside the cab, I immediately appreciated the large, flat floor area, which is unencumbered by steering wheel or floor-mounted pedals.

The view from the cab is phenomenal, thanks to a 3,000 sq.-in. windshield, the largest in the class. The Mack TerraPro provides slightly better forward visibility, but overall, the LoadStar offers an impressive field of vision. It also boasts a tight 40-degree wheel cut, so operators can safely navigate a cul de sac without having to put the truck into reverse. Nothing good can come from reversing a trash truck in a residential neighbourhood.

LED lighting, which lasts 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, is standard inside and out of the cab.

It was a warm day in Utah when I drove the LoadStar, so I appreciated that the air-conditioning was highly effective, thanks to the truck’s industry-leading 14 vents.

The LoadStar is the only trash truck to offer tilt and telescopic steering and it boasts a spacious, 92-inch wide cab. Power locks and windows are available - not to spoil drivers, but to provide a flat door panel and reduce the likelihood of operators’ coveralls getting caught as they climb in and out of the cab.

The cab itself may be the LoadStar’s strongest attribute; it’s made of 4100 stainless steel.

“The biggest thing about stainless steel is that it’s almost immune to perforation,” said Steve Gilligan, vice-president, vocational marketing with Navistar. “If you scratch it, it’s not going to continue to perforate like some of the other materials.”

Stainless steel is 40% stronger than galvanized steel and 62% stronger than aluminum, Gilligan claimed. Owners will need to be mindful that it requires a self-etching primer when paint repairs are necessary.

Interestingly, when the LoadStar is first launched in July 2013, the only power option will be the Cummins ISL G natural gas engine. Diesel offerings will follow four to six months later. Gilligan said Navistar’s transition to selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology within its own engine line threatened to delay the rollout of the LoadStar, and since up to 50% of the refuse truck market will soon be powered by natural gas, the company opted to introduce its NG version first.

Currently, one in four refuse trucks are powered by compressed natural gas, E-Z Pack’s Rogers noted, and that’s expected to climb to 33% next year and 50% by 2015.

“We originally planned to launch with the MaxxForce 9, 10 and 11,” Gilligan explained. “We changed our engine strategy and moved into the SCR realm and we didn’t want to delay this program. Our customers started telling us they’re looking at natural gas harder every year. We didn’t want to slow down the launch of this truck.”

The low cabover engine (LCOE) refuse truck market is relatively small, with just 30,000 such trucks sold in North America over the past five years. The segment leader is Mack, followed by Autocar and then Peterbilt. With its partnership with E-Z Pack and rugged, driver-oriented design, International hopes its LoadStar will be one of the front-runners in this segment in the years ahead. The truck itself is very well designed and the benefits of complete integration between the chassis and body are difficult to ignore. Add to that the comfort most International dealers have with bidding on municipal tenders and it’s easier to understand why the company is so enthusiastic about jumping into a relatively small market segment.

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SCL shipper, carrier panel looks at costs, outlook for 2013

MISSISSAUGA, Ont., -- Shippers and carriers met to discuss costs and challenges ahead for 2013 during Supply Chain Canada’s breakfast seminar this week in Mississauga.

Lou Smyrlis, Editorial Director, Transportation Media, spoke of the volatile and fragile economic recovery faced by countries worldwide and how Canadian shippers and carriers thought these challenges might play out in their businesses.

Jim McKay, Walmart Canada Corp’s Director, Transportation, said the company would focus on reliability with respect to servicing its stores and DCs in 2013. Fuel efficiency, and keeping costs low would also be key areas of focus.

Ian Murray, General Manager, Marketing, with Canadian Pacific Rail, said the number one driver of change for 2013 will the change in leadership at the railway under new CEO Hunter Harrison.

“There will be a huge focus to move the needle on reliability and speed, foundational to what we’re doing, and to moving assets more efficiently while controlling costs,” said Murray.

Doug Munro, President, Maritime-Ontario Freight Lines Limited, said there are challenges ahead in trying to get compensatory rates in a market of overcapacity and stagnant growth.

“It’s trying to get top line revenue when costs on the bottom are pushing up all the time. It’s about maintaining margins,” said Munro.

Excess capacity is also a major issue for the marine sector, said Michael Broad, President, Shipping Federation, as is slow trade growth worldwide.

“Record numbers of containerships, along with swelling international trade, and the high cost of inputs, are the three issues of concern,” he said.

In terms of priorities heading into 2013, Murray said service quality would be at the top of the list.

“It’s making sure we’re making commitments and delivering to those commitments, and controlling our resources much more closely than we have in the past,” he said.

Keeping service levels up is also a priority for Munro.

“It’s educating customers on the one hand, but with the markets so competitive we have to maintain a high level of service. Without that, nothing else matters. My outlook is that 2013 is going to be a bit of a tough year but I think we’re getting a bit of market share from our competitors,” he said.

Walmart Canada’s McKay said 2013 will be about finding increased reliability through relationships, and also about fuel, cost mitigation and balancing the inbound and outbound flow of goods.

“Global trade is expected to increase 3-5 %. We’re hoping for the best but will have to take a look at controlling costs and keeping efficient,” said Broad of the marine industry outlook.

Murray noted there is ample room for collaboration between the modes in the year ahead.

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