| January 2012 | Past Issues/Subscribe | Printer-Friendly | Advertise |
UPCOMING EVENTS
January 17-19, 2012 VENDOR NEWS
 Royal Business Forms would like to announce the retirement of our longtime outside sales representative, Duane Day. After more than 25 years of representing Royal Business Forms, Duane has earned the opportunity to retire and enjoy time and travel with his wife Lorraine and family. Duane was very dedicated to his customers and will miss them all very much. Royal Business Forms owes a lot of its success to the efforts of Duane. His friendly face and voice will be missed.
Learn More...  Golden Pacific Systems, Inc. is a new CRA Service Valued Provider offering CRA member benefits on rental contracts, equipment tags, toner and office supplies, and more. Golden Pacific recently offered CRA members a 25 percent discount on rental contracts and a special rate of $49.00/m on rental tags. The company is extending this offer through February 29, 2012. Click on "Learn More" for more information on this special offer.
Learn More...
 The Grand Award in the 2011 RER Innovative Product Awards competition went to Multiquip’s H2LT hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered light tower, which also took the top prize in the Light Towers category......
Learn More...  Husqvarna has sold two of the company’s top modern, remote-controlled demolition robots to Takenaka Construction, the company put in charge of the clean-up of the fourth reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant......
Learn More... BUSINESS NEWS
Submitted by one of CRA’s members, the following pending bill will extend the Redevelopment agencies for a short period of time which might allow the affected cities to reorganize and plan for the future expecting a new system. Temporarily postponing February 1 deadline for dissolution of agencies will ensure the state and education receive the funding Intended by the Legislature, and allow time to develop a new job creation and neighborhood renewal program.
Learn More... The California Chamber of Commerce Alert newsletter announced that a California Chamber of Commerce-opposed bill that would have increased unjust litigation failed to pass the Assembly Judiciary Committee on January 10. AB 1207 (Furutani; D-South Los Angeles County) would have increased litigation exposure for property owners, developers, contractors, architects, engineers and other service providers by removing the statute of limitations for civil claims stemming from property damage caused by exposure to a pollutant or hazardous substance.
Learn More... According to a January 13th article on foxandhoundsdaily.com by Charles Crumpley, editor of the Los Angeles Business Journal, completely banning "fracking," the extraction technology of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas production, is simply not reasonable. According to Crumpley, "Ever since the first Arab oil embargo in 1973, we’ve heard a line of reasoning that goes something like this: The United States is running out of oil and natural gas. We need to import ever-increasing quantities of oil from other countries, many of which hate us. That means we are slowly enriching our enemies. We’re doomed."
Learn More... After falling steeply from its 2007 peak, U.S. motor gasoline consumption will likely continue to decline in 2012 and 2013, albeit at slower pace, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) newly released Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), released January 11. There may be more downside than upside uncertainty in the forecast, however, as the strong rate of recovery expected for new car sales in 2012 and their higher fuel efficiencies could lead to greater-than-expected improvements in average fleet fuel efficiency.
Learn More... CARB
Truck & Bus Regulation - CARB Announces Additional Training Dates for Reporting & Compliance Courses
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is conducting a series of courses to help truck & bus owners learn how to comply with the Truck & Bus Regulation and how to use the on-line reporting system. Requirements for the regulation began January 1, 2012 and are phased in through January 1, 2023. To take advantage of alternate compliance schedules or other flexibility in the regulation, fleets must report by January 31, 2012. There is no cost to attend the training course.
Learn More... The Truck and Bus reporting system now gives fleet owners the ability to upload their vehicle information all at once. Larger fleets can enter and save fleet vehicle information into an Excel spreadsheet available at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/upload.htm, and can copy the information from the spreadsheet into your online account. Please refer to the Truck and Bus Regulation User Guide for a description of how to use the spreadsheet and upload your data. The User Guide is available at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/reportinginfo.htm. Click on "Learn More" for further information about reporting, training, or compliance tools at the ARB website or call 866 6DIESEL (866 634-3735).
Learn More... The Air Resources Board announced recently settlement payments of $383,375 for 53 air quality violation cases in the third quarter of 2011. Settlements from the cases will benefit California community colleges and help fund air quality research and clean-air projects. The majority of the violations involved truck and bus fleets that failed to conduct the annual emissions tests that ensure clean-running engines, as required by law.
Learn More... Owners or operators of portable engines and certain other types of equipment can register their units under the Air Resources Board's (ARB) Statewide Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP) in order to operate their equipment throughout California without having to obtain individual permits from local air districts. Recently, there were revisions made to the PERP Regulation and Portable Engine ATCM. These revisions became effective on Feb. 19, 2011, and all holders of PERP Registrations are now subject to the new requirements. Updated operating conditions reflecting the new requirements will be issued upon renewal for all existing registrations.
Learn More... The Construction Industry Air Quality Coalition (CIAQC) has managed, on behalf of their members, which includes CRA, to get CARB to postpone the Truck/Bus Regulation filing from January 31, 2012 to March 30, 2012! CIAQC was founded in 1989 by four trade associations to help their members understand and navigate the ever-increasing web of government environmental regulation under which they operate their businesses and build our communities, our infrastructure and the environmental systems that will enhance California's future. CIAQC works with state and local agencies to make sure the regulations they propose are achievable and workable in the real world of construction. Click on "Learn More" to see a memorandum regarding their recent activity.
Learn More... On July 26, 2007, the Air Resources Board (ARB) adopted a regulation to reduce diesel particulate matter (PM) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions from in-use (existing) off-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles in California. Such vehicles are used in construction, mining and industrial operations. The regulatory language and information on reporting and compliance tools can be accessed by clicking the quick links buttons above. For more information, please call the diesel vehicle information hot line at (866) 6-DIESEL or (866) 634-3735. Enforcement Delayed: On February 11, 2010, ARB issued a delay of the regulation's NOx and PM requirements pending further notice. Reporting, labeling, idling and disclosure requirements are still in effect. For more information, please see the enforcement advisory.
Learn More... The ARB's Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection Program and Periodic Smoke Inspection Programs were adopted in 1988. The HDVIP program requires heavy-duty trucks and buses to be inspected for excessive smoke and tampering, and engine certification label compliance. Any heavy-duty vehicle traveling in California, including vehicles registered in other states and foreign countries, may be tested. Tests are performed by ARB inspection teams at border crossings, CHP weigh stations, fleet facilities, and randomly selected roadside locations. Owners of trucks and buses found in violation are subject to minimum penalties starting at $300 per violation.
Learn More... This area of the Off-Road Mobile Sources website pertains to off-road large spark-ignition (LSI) equipment greater than 25 horsepower, including farm, construction and industrial equipment, powered by gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and other alternate fuels. Typical applications that use LSI engines include forklifts, specialty vehicles, airport service vehicles, large turf care equipment, portable generators, and a wide array of other agricultural, construction and general industrial equipment. The U.S. EPA has sole authority to control new farm and construction equipment under 175 horsepower. To find out more about the regulatory activities and related information, click on "Learn More."
Learn More... The On-Road Light-Duty Certification Section is responsible for the certification and production audit of new passenger cars (PC), light-duty trucks (LDT), medium-duty vehicles(MDV), on-road motorcycles (ONMC), off-highway recreational vehicles (OHRV) including off-road motorcycles (OFMC), all-terrain vehicles (ATV), off-road utility vehicles (UV), off-road sport vehicles (SV), and cars (SCAR), and electric golf carts (eGC). The Compression Ignition and Heavy-Duty Certification Section is responsible for the certification and production audit of new heavy-duty engines (HDE) and vehicles (HDV), including urban buses (UB), and new off-road compression ignition (OFCI) engines. Vehicles and engines (hereinafter, vehicles) are not legal for sale in California until certified. Violation of the requirement for certification can subject the vehicle manufacturers and/or selling dealers to enforcement actions including a fine of up to $5,000 per vehicle.
Learn More...  Driving Toward a Cleaner California (DTCC) is a coalition of owners-operators, farmers, construction contractors and other business and community leaders committed to working with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to craft a sensible truck and bus replacement rule that both cleans the air and keeps California's economy moving forward.
Learn More... |
|
Volvo Rents has acquired SoCal Rental-Equip Rent, a single-location construction equipment rental company in Glendora, Calif., east of Los Angeles. The Glendora Volvo Rents gives the company six branches in California -- Glendora, Bakersfield and Temecula in southern California, and Merced, Modesto and Sacramento in the north central part of the state. Previous owner Peter Maginnis will remain with the Glendora branch as general manager. "I purchased Equip Rent in November of 2009 with the idea of bringing a higher level of customer service to the Southern California equipment rental industry," said Maginnis, who added that Volvo Rents is a natural fit for SoCal.
| calrental.org |  |
