Posted on 02/04/2010 2:27:33 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Days before San Bernardino officials were set to ink a deal for cleaner trucks at a local rail yard, the trucking company partnering on the project has pulled out of the project.
San Bernardino Associated Governments officials learned this week that J.B. Hunt Transportation was postponing the planned retrofit of 262 of the company's trucks from diesel engines to natural gas.
"This was based on business priorities," said Michelle Kirkhoff, director of air quality programs for SANBAG.
The project, to develop trucks that run on natural gas as opposed to diesel fuel, was funded by $19.2 million in state and federal grants aimed at pollution reduction.
Officials chose to partner with J.B. Hunt because of the company's huge fleet in San Bernardino County.
The goal is to develop cleaner trucks that will reduce pollution from cargo movement, which contributes to the area's perennially-challenged air quality.
The proposal was to help the company buy 262 engines that run on natural gas, and build two natural gas fueling stations and maintenance facilities. The grant would also pay to provide training for company mechanics.
J.B. Hunt would have paid $23 million to replace the trucks, slightly more than the grant was contributing, Kirkhoff said.
The company told officials Jan. 29 it's 2009 revenue declines forced it to rethink its commitment. Kirkhoff said SANBAG officials urged them to reconsider, but received word Tuesday that the company was pulling out.
In a three-paragraph letter, Gary Whicker, senior vice president of engineering at the Arkansas-based company, said J.B. Hunt wanted to focus "scarce company resources on our core business activities."
San Bernardino Mayor Pat Morris said after months of work, the company's decision was a setback. He noted the BNSF Railway intermodal yard in San Bernardino is among the state's most polluted rail facilities.
"To get this close and then take a step back in clearing the air, it is stunning," Morris said.
He said one-quarter of the Santa Fe Depot's pollution comes from the long-haul trucks that carry goods to and from the site, north of Third Street on San Bernardino's west side.
Officials hope to salvage the project, which has already cleared U.S. Department of Energy approvals. Kirkhoff said federal officials have agreed to let SANBAG find another private partner for the grant, which must be used by December 2011.
"We would like to give it one more college try...," she said. "We feel very hopeful we can continue with this project. We've got some folks who want to talk with us already."
business priorities? a gubamental agency with business priorities? yu kidding.
like being able to stay in business without excessive regulation driving one out of business
gubamint’s business is to put business out of business
fwiw.
Well there is our problem in a nutshell. If it's in the budget we must spend it. I'll bet not one of these bureaucrats has ever run their own business. Regardless of how big a deficit they are running they have to spend every effing dime of taxpayers money. Morons!
Most air pollution in the LA area is from ASIA, China in particular, all weather moves from East to West.
The other day I was coming down look-out mountain and the road was a little icy and about at the bottom I passed a JB Hunt truck and I noticed the driver was standing up in his seat. Well I asked him what had happened and he said he started to slide and crapped his pants on the way down. Well I said damn JB stop and change them and he said I can’t I ain’t finished yet
Three preachers died and went to heaven. While waiting for St. Peter to let them in a SWIFT and J.B. HUNT driver show up and St. Peter makes the preachers step aside. This baffled the preachers so they asked. “ We’ve been preaching the good word our whole life, and you make us step aside and let these truckers in before us?” St. Peter replied, “In their first year of driving they have scared “the hell” out of more people then you ever preached to.”
Why Did JB Hunt Stop Running Doubles?
The top one kept falling off.
A JB driver was wandering around the truck stop scale in a panic. A Swift driver walks over and says what is wrong JB. The JB driver replies I am 2,500 lbs over gross and I only have to go 5 miles with it and there is a scale on the way. The Swift driver says well when you get up to the scale cut your lights off and coast on by. The JB driver replies thats a good idea so they part ways. the Swift driver is traveling down the road when he notices the JB driver pulled over by the DOT. The swift driver replies what happened JB the trick didn’t work. The DOT replies no but it would have if it would have been night time...
Well, duh! If they will only run on clean air, how would they be able to drive them in California?
Do you know how many JB jokes there are?
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NONE! Those stories are all true! LOL
China is to the west of California; Asia’s pollution and the globe’s weather patterns move West to East (just watch the storms over the Midwest head to the East).
Asia is called the Far East because of its relative location to the Old World (colonial powers Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands).
1 gallon of diesel fuel has the same energy
as 139 cubic feet of natural gas.
uh......no.
How does a truck driver know that a J. B. driver has been messing with his wife?
When he gets home, J. B. is still trying to back out of the driveway.
When the old man was alive....there were lots more...
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