Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Feb. 19, 2024:
New electric truck charging service launching in California
Renewable Properties, a developer and investor in small-scale utility and community solar projects, has launched a new electric vehicle (EV) fleet charging service for medium- and heavy-duty truck and bus fleets.
The service will leverage the company’s extensive community solar development, land acquisition, and electrical infrastructure expertise to provide a turnkey charging solution for companies transitioning their truck fleets from fossil fuels to electric power.
Renewable Properties has selected global engineering and construction company Black & Veatch to design the first EV charging station on land that Renewable Properties recently acquired in Vacaville, California, a Bay Area transportation and distribution hub for major retail brands. This first station will act as a model for deploying more private charging depots for medium and heavy-duty electric truck and bus fleets on the West Coast, the company said.
Charging at Renewable Properties’ depots will be offered via a charging-as-a-service agreement similar to a power purchase agreement (PPA), with no upfront costs to fleet owners and operators. Renewable Properties will site, build, own, operate and maintain the gated depots, with customers paying only for the kilowatt-hours used to charge their EVs.
The charging depots will feature reserved electrical capacity, secure yards, vehicle storage and EV chargers that will be compatible with most EV truck brands.
“The already-growing need for EV fleet charging is now more urgent with California’s new requirements for fleet electrification,” said Aaron Halimi, Founder & CEO of Renewable Properties. “With our simple, straightforward charging-as-a-service solution, our work with Black & Veatch, plus our deep experience in distributed electrical infrastructure development and land acquisition, Renewable Properties is uniquely positioned to relieve fleet owners of the burden of navigating the complex implementation of EV charging infrastructure.”
[Related: Zero-emission truck deployments reach every state, surge over 200%]
Hawaii gets CDL testing exemption for lack of infrastructure
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a waiver to the state of Hawaii allowing the state to waive specific portions of the CDL skills test for applicants who take the skills test on the islands of Lanai and Molokai and issue these drivers a restricted CDL.
The agency granted the exemption because the islands of Lanai and Molokai do not have the highway infrastructure to support a demonstration of certain on-road safe driving skills required by the CDL skills test requirements, FMCSA said.
The waiver is effective Feb. 20, 2024, through Feb. 20, 2026.
In requesting the exemption, Hawaii asked for a waiver from the requirements to test for the ability to signal appropriately when changing direction in traffic; and the ability to choose a safe gap for changing lanes, passing other vehicles, and crossing or entering traffic. The state said the islands of Lanai and Molokai do not have at least two miles of a straight section of urban business street and at least two miles of an expressway or highway section with multiple lanes going in each direction to allow the ability to legally change lanes.
The state proposed to establish a new CDL restriction “R,” limiting the CDL’s validity to the islands of Lanai and Molokai only and would be applied to these drivers who pass a CDL skills test without demonstrating those two skills. Hawaii added that if it stopped offering CDL road tests on both islands, it would be a significant barrier for CDL applicants to meet all of the required skills test standards and obtain a CDL. There would also be a negative economic impact on the communities’ livelihood, the state said.
[Related: FMCSA grants training exemption to Alaska]
Michigan lifts spring weight restrictions across much of state
Michigan's spring weight restrictions have been lifted on all state highways south of the Upper Peninsula, effective Feb. 16.Michigan DOT
The Michigan Department of Transportation has adjusted its spring weight restriction areas in an annual move to protect roads.
Effective 6 a.m. Friday, Feb. 16, weight restrictions were lifted on all state trunkline highways from the southern Michigan border north to and including US-2/US-141 at the Menominee River bridge west of Iron Mountain then east on US-2 to St. Ignace.
Frost restrictions are still in effect for the remainder of the state and will be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways north of US-2 and on M-185 on Mackinac Island. State routes typically carry M, I, or US designations.
In the restricted areas, the following will apply:
- On routes designated as "all-season" (designated in green and gold on the MDOT Truck Operators Map), there will be no reduction in legal axle weights.
- All extended permits will be valid for oversize loads in the weight-restricted area on the restricted routes. Single-trip permits will not be issued for any overweight loads or loads exceeding 14 feet in width, 11 axles, and 150 feet in overall length on the restricted routes.
- On routes designated as "seasonal" (designated in solid or dashed red on the MDOT Truck Operators Map), there will be a posted weight reduction of 25 percent for rigid (concrete) pavements and 35 percent for flexible (asphalt) pavements, and maximum speed of 35 mph for some vehicles.
