OTTAWA – The Canadian trucking industry is pretty self-efficient, but the nation's largest truck lobby group wants to make sure Ottawa considers truckers when it drafts its economic recovery-minded 2010 budget.

"(The industry) does not expect the Government of Canada to solve all its problems," says Canadian Trucking Alliance chief David Bradley. "Our industry is a creature of one of the most competitive markets there is. Ultimately our members’ ability to manage their businesses will determine whether they survive."

However, he said the budget should ensure truckers are "able to take full advantage of the opportunities that do present themselves through economic recovery; (are) treated fairly compared to other sectors of the economy; and, receives value for the tax dollars it generates."

Speaking on Parliament Hill before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, Bradley, urged that the 2010 budget include "mechanisms" to accelerate the penetration of new, smog free truck engines into the market at a time when economic recovery takes hold. 

Trailer skirts, rear fairings, APUs and wide-base
single tires are all part of CTA's enviroTruck concept.

"The problem is that the industry is in no position to replace its aging fleet with new equipment, at least not at the rate we need to, because the industry simply doesn’t have the capital and credit remains extremely tight," he said.

Bradley reminded the committee that the federal government still hasn't made good on its commitment to reduce the federal excise tax on diesel fuel by 50 percent over four years.

Perhaps believing that the Conservatives have little intention of following through on that plan, CTA is now proposing to work with government on an alternate approach that would allocate revenues from the excise tax to accelerating the investment in new smog-free heavy truck engines and the GHG-reducing technologies and devices identified in CTA’s enviroTruck initiative.

Bradley added that similar incentives or rebates should also be considered for the latest proven safety enhancement technologies including electronic on-board recorders, and vehicle stability systems.

"Mandates for many of these devices are already being considered in the US and Canada," he said. "We need to be ready.”