Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023:
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters this week released a guiding document for federal policymakers to address issues with autonomous vehicles AVs intended to prioritize workers and safety.
The framework, Autonomous Vehicle Federal Policy Principles, outlines key principles for Congress and federal regulators to follow for federal AV policy that the Teamsters said protects workers and enforces safety standards, including policy framework relating to:
"Hundreds of thousands of Teamsters turn a key for a living, so we are fiercely committed to working with Congress and federal regulators to get AV policy right," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien. "Strong federal AV policies must prioritize both workers and safety. Any legislation that puts workers and the general public at risk will be met with aggressive opposition by the Teamsters and our allies."
[Related: California Senate moves to ban driverless trucks]
ACT Research said in a new report released Tuesday that half of commercial vehicles will be “zero-emissions” vehicles by 2040.
"We forecast a relatively low adoption rate from 2024 through 2026, reflecting the fact that BEV sales of commercial vehicles are still in their early years," said Ann Rundle, vice president of electrification and autonomy at ACT Research. "This begins to change in 2027, in part due to the cost increases for diesels because of the increased stringency of U.S. EPA's 2027 low-NOx regulations. In addition, by 2027, eight states will have joined California in adopting Advanced Clean Trucks, resulting in moderate growth in adoption rates."
