Earlier this year, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted new regulations that will eventually ban most forklifts with internal combustion engines from operating in the Golden State. With a few exceptions, companies will have to phase out their carbon-emitting trucks between 2028 and 2037. These regulations are designed to help clear the skies over California, even though lift trucks are responsible for a very small percentage of the state’s air pollution.
CARB has also begun to target drayage trucks that operate in California, with the goal of having only zero-emission models in use by 2035. It has offered incentives, such as grants and access to dedicated lanes at ports, to encourage the shift.
In both of these cases, the technology required for the transition to greener vehicles exists. Sadly, that is not the case with CARB’s proposal to transition the rail industry to clean locomotives. Essentially, CARB wants to do away with diesel engines in favor of electric-powered locomotives—and it wants this transition to happen by 2030.
While I support the overall goal of making transportation greener, there are some major problems with the proposed regulations for railroads. I believe they’re going too far too soon.
The main problem is that the shift will rely on electric technology that is not yet available for train operations. Trains can’t just pull over to a plug to recharge the way battery-operated cars and trucks can. We can’t expect a regulation to drive invention. It doesn’t work that way.
Unlike forklifts and drayage trucks, railroads also cross state lines in their daily operations. It is unreasonable to expect trains to switch locomotives when they enter California. So, in effect, California’s regulations will become the de facto standard for all states nationwide.
However, the biggest problem with these regulations is that they will actually defeat the goal of reducing pollution. Instead, more carbon will be released into the environment as freight is diverted from rail to less-fuel-efficient trucks. A single train can haul the equivalent of 200 truckloads while producing far fewer emissions. And trains don’t add to road congestion—no small consideration for a state notable for its endless traffic jams.
CARB’s regulations will result in more complexity, longer transit times, and higher costs for moving freight. If you agree, contact your senator or representative and lobby for federal intervention before it’s too late.
