NAFA Fleet Management Association Sharply Critical of EPA/NHTSA GHG Phase 2 Standards
Rule subjects fleets to standards and technologies for which they are not prepared and cannot afford.
Princeton, NJ, August 19, 2016 --(PR.com)-- NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA) issued strong criticism of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Phase 2 Standards. The rule announced on August 16 significantly increases engine stringency levels for over-the-road segments and for vocational applications. NAFA asserted the stringency of these changes "...jeopardizes fleet managers’ budgets and ability to replace vehicles."
"The parameters of the Phase 2 rules do not take into account the realities of fleet operations," said NAFA’s Chief Executive Officer Phillip E. Russo, CAE. "The federal government has overestimated the impact of the new standards by assuming a more robust and fuller adoption of the standards by fleets over a shorter period of time. The fact is that fleets will face increased costs for vehicles and maintenance associated with new technologies."
Fleet managers appreciate the importance of continual improvement in emissions, but many have seen maintenance cost increases triple the rate of inflation since 2007 as a result of government regulations. Many have experienced increases in engine, exhaust, cooling and fuel system repair costs from 2010-2014 related to engine emissions complexity. As a result, vehicle and operational costs have risen significantly over the past 12 years.
During the rulemaking, NAFA repeatedly voiced its commitment to improving vehicle efficiency and reducing emissions. The NAFA Sustainable Fleet Accreditation Program is a pioneering movement in fleet management, emphasizing the economic and environmental benefits and overall importance of sustainability. But NAFA also repeatedly said "the proposed Phase 2 standards must be affordable, must not compromise performance, and must recognize the diverse needs of companies and agencies that depend on vocational vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles."
It is NAFA’s opinion that EPA and NTHSA ignored these concerns, subjecting fleets to standards and technologies for which they are not prepared and cannot afford, and spurring unintended negative consequences for the industry. "Fleets will be forced to purchase technologies that are not thoroughly tested and ready for marketplace introduction," according to the Association, "which increases costs, inefficiencies, and uncertainties to the transport segment, and could nullify the proposed intentions of reducing vehicle emissions."
Russo concluded, "NAFA believes the impact of this rule for medium- and heavy-duty engines and vehicles is ultimately unproductive, offering dubious prospects of providing sustainable gains. Our association emphatically objects to the final rule."
About NAFA Fleet Management Association
NAFA is the association for professionals who manage fleets of sedans, public safety vehicles, trucks, and buses of all types and sizes, and a wide range of military and off-road equipment for organizations in North America and across the globe. NAFA’s members are responsible for the specification, acquisition, maintenance, repair, fueling, risk management, and remarketing of more than 4.6 million vehicles that drive an estimated 50 billion miles each year. NAFA’s members control assets and services well in excess of $100 billion each year.
NAFA’s members manage fleets for corporations covering a wide range of manufacturing and service organizations, governments (whether local, state and/or federal), and public service entities (public safety, law enforcement, educational institutions, utilities, etc.); still other members serve financial institutions, insurance companies, non-profit organizations, and the like. For more information, please visit http://www.nafa.org.
"The parameters of the Phase 2 rules do not take into account the realities of fleet operations," said NAFA’s Chief Executive Officer Phillip E. Russo, CAE. "The federal government has overestimated the impact of the new standards by assuming a more robust and fuller adoption of the standards by fleets over a shorter period of time. The fact is that fleets will face increased costs for vehicles and maintenance associated with new technologies."
Fleet managers appreciate the importance of continual improvement in emissions, but many have seen maintenance cost increases triple the rate of inflation since 2007 as a result of government regulations. Many have experienced increases in engine, exhaust, cooling and fuel system repair costs from 2010-2014 related to engine emissions complexity. As a result, vehicle and operational costs have risen significantly over the past 12 years.
During the rulemaking, NAFA repeatedly voiced its commitment to improving vehicle efficiency and reducing emissions. The NAFA Sustainable Fleet Accreditation Program is a pioneering movement in fleet management, emphasizing the economic and environmental benefits and overall importance of sustainability. But NAFA also repeatedly said "the proposed Phase 2 standards must be affordable, must not compromise performance, and must recognize the diverse needs of companies and agencies that depend on vocational vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles."
It is NAFA’s opinion that EPA and NTHSA ignored these concerns, subjecting fleets to standards and technologies for which they are not prepared and cannot afford, and spurring unintended negative consequences for the industry. "Fleets will be forced to purchase technologies that are not thoroughly tested and ready for marketplace introduction," according to the Association, "which increases costs, inefficiencies, and uncertainties to the transport segment, and could nullify the proposed intentions of reducing vehicle emissions."
Russo concluded, "NAFA believes the impact of this rule for medium- and heavy-duty engines and vehicles is ultimately unproductive, offering dubious prospects of providing sustainable gains. Our association emphatically objects to the final rule."
About NAFA Fleet Management Association
NAFA is the association for professionals who manage fleets of sedans, public safety vehicles, trucks, and buses of all types and sizes, and a wide range of military and off-road equipment for organizations in North America and across the globe. NAFA’s members are responsible for the specification, acquisition, maintenance, repair, fueling, risk management, and remarketing of more than 4.6 million vehicles that drive an estimated 50 billion miles each year. NAFA’s members control assets and services well in excess of $100 billion each year.
NAFA’s members manage fleets for corporations covering a wide range of manufacturing and service organizations, governments (whether local, state and/or federal), and public service entities (public safety, law enforcement, educational institutions, utilities, etc.); still other members serve financial institutions, insurance companies, non-profit organizations, and the like. For more information, please visit http://www.nafa.org.
Contact
NAFA Fleet Management Association
Donald Dunphy
609.986.1063
www.nafa.org
Donald Dunphy
609.986.1063
www.nafa.org
Contact
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