First Name | Shellie |
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Last Name | Archer |
Email Address | truckmom1331@gmail.com |
Affiliation | Archer Trucking, Inc Ukiah & Marysville |
Subject | MILLIONS to comply... and now WE'RE the Bad Guys! |
Comment | Dear Members of the Air Resource Board, Some of you may remember me, Shellie Archer, or my Company, Archer Trucking, Inc., because I was ACTIVELY involved in going to meetings to protest the regulations that were ultimately adopted concerning trucks. I wrote letters, and drove many miles attending several hearings and meetings to make my voice heard about the difficulties that we would have (along with other construction truckers) to meet your time lines. I asked for a more lenient time line to allow for us to use the good trucks we had until they wore out, etc. I was instrumental in the meeting of Lake and Mendocino County Truck Brokers to discuss the (then) Proposed Rule with Tony Brasl, who came to Ukiah for said meeting. I spoke at the Capitol representing small business trucking companies! I did everything in my power to try and PREVENT the hurried time-line that was ultimately adopted, begging for a more reasonable schedule. I am happy to say that my Company was directly involved in getting the Construction Truck mileage exemption that is in place now added to the rules. Believe me when I remind you of the anxiety and effort to open up our Company financial records to you to PROVE the need for that assistance. I drove from Mendocino County to Sacramento to bring you those records, and trusted they would be kept confidential, and used appropriately. They were, and I am grateful for the Construction Truck exemption. I still wish that the CARB had NOT created the schedule/rule that was voted in way back, but you DID, and many trucking companies have stepped up to be in compliance at GREAT EXPENSE! My husband and I are now 56, and in the last few years we have purchased 24 new trucks and installed several filters WITH NO HELP FROM THE STATE. We have added millions of dollars in debt to our business at a time of life when we should be DOWNSIZING if anything, not PURCHASING brand new trucks and spending money on filters for older trucks! We were very fortunate and blessed to have excellent credit, and enough work in our future to take the leap of faith that THE RATES WOULD COME UP TO HELP PAY FOR THESE TRUCKS BECAUSE EVERYONE WOULD BE SPENDING MONEY TO MEET THE ARB COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE! Surprise, surprise, several of my competitors are not complying, and NOW THEY MAY GET REWARDED FOR NOT COMPLYING! Don't you understand that every truck that I have that is compliant has a HUGE expense that the non-compliant trucker is not bearing? If you issue these extensions now, the company which did NOT comply and now has more time is able to work for far less per hour that we can and still break even or make a profit. Do any of you remember telling all of us that of course the rates would increase to cover these expenses? It has NOT happened, and WILL NOT happen, until ALL TRUCKERS ARE IN COMPLIANCE, LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD! There are people in the industry who no longer want to talk to me about the CARB problems, because now I am "THE ENEMY" because I am compliant. They don't come right out and say it, they just don't answer or return phone calls and don't let me know about upcoming CARB events any more. I'm the villain... because I'm compliant. It is so frustrating. Ask others who are in compliance, and I believe you will hear the same thing: those NOT in compliance are still working together to fight CARB, and the rest of us are not appreciated very much. IT IS THE ULTIMATE INSULT THAT THE CARB WOULD EVEN BE CONSIDERING THESE EXTENSIONS INSTEAD OF ENFORCING THEIR OWN RULES! Believe me when I tell you that because of the money I have spent and the millions in debt, I cannot accept the CARB changing things now. I WILL JOIN OTHERS AND WE WILL SUE YOU FOR CAUSING DIRECT FINANCIAL PROBLEMS FOR OUR COMPANIES AND OUR INDUSTRY. I never thought I'd be against extension, but I never dreamed of spending so much money and THEN having others get rewarded for their non-compliance. What a slap in the face. I have more to say, but on a slightly different part of this, so I will submit a separate comment. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, consider what message you are sending out with these proposed extensions and new rules. Please do not pass them without considering carefully what the results may b. Thank you, Shellie A. Archer President Archer Trucking, Inc. 707-485-4500 |
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2014-04-05 09:50:41 |
If you have any questions or comments please contact Clerk of the Board at (916) 322-5594.