First Name | Doug |
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Last Name | Britton |
Email Address | brtntrk@hotmail.com |
Affiliation | |
Subject | Truck and Bus Rule Amendments |
Comment | To: California Air Resources Board I'm a little fired up Close to 30 years ago, I bought the trucking operations from my family and went out on my own. I had many weeks where the payroll sheet said don't pay Doug. I didn't receive paychecks many times and employees made more than me many years so that I could get my business off the ground. In 2006, I heard about the truck and bus regulation. It scared the pants off me so much that I sold some of my trailers to reduce my debt. In the fall of 2008, I was debt free. In the spring of 2009, I was back to my maximum debt when I bought 4 trucks(2009 models with grant money)to begin complying with the truck and bus rule. I had to try to spread the debt load out over a period of time. I bought another truck in 2010(2010 model). In the fall of 2011, I was debt free again. In the fall of 2012, I purchased 5 more trucks through grants(2012 models). My debt load is now over two and a half times what my maximum ever has been in my lifetime. I would be in a position of almost zero debt if this ruling were not in place. I went to apply for my TWIC card in Stockton in February. There was a non compliant truck loading fertilizer while I had compliant trucks parked in my yard. In March, there was a driver with a non compliant truck inside the Port of Stockton gate when I picked up my TWIC card. Yes, I had compliant trucks in my yard parked again. I've heard of people asking dealers to deny them loans so that they could get the good faith extensions. I've heard of 12 truck fleets becoming 4-3 truck fleets to get around the ruling. I've had carriers tell me they will keep running until they get caught and then do the upgrades. It is nonsense for people to say that they just heard about this truck and bus regulation in the last six months. We have had some improvements in the air quality partly because of the thousand's of carriers like me who are complying. Now, I have come full circle thanks to this ruling. I am back to don't pay Doug to get my business through this hard time. I can't afford to go borrow more money and refinance again to follow your rules if you allow the extensions to others who will have a competitive advantage. It's like you want me to finance their extensions. They had as much time to prepare for this rule as me. You bet I'm fired up. Douglas Britton President Britton Trucking Co., Inc. |
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2014-04-21 14:16:41 |
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