Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, June 26, 2024:
FMCSA names new acting boss
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday announced Vinn White will serve as Deputy Administrator, as well as Acting Administrator, of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
FMCSA Deputy Administrator Vinn White
Prior to Lawless being named Acting Deputy Administrator, Hutcheson had served administrator since September 2022 – the first full-time administrator in three years. She was appointed deputy administrator in January 2022 and became acting administrator when then-acting administrator Meera Joshi resigned to accept a post in the administration of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. FMCSA's top position has been fraught with turnover dating back to 2019. Ray Martinez stepped down in October that year and the job was then handed to a series of acting administrators before Hutcheson: Jim Mullen, Wiley Deck and Joshi.
A member of the Biden-Harris Administration since 2021, White also currently serves as the U.S. DOT’s Acting Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer, where he oversees implementation of White House Executive Order 14110 to advance and govern the development and use of AI in accordance with the Administration’s guiding principles and priorities.
“It is an honor to take on this role, and I thank Secretary Buttigieg for his trust and confidence in my ability to lead the important work of FMCSA,” said White. “Our agency is focused on enhancing safety for all roadway users, and I am committed to working with safety partners across the commercial motor vehicle industry to get this work done.”
Prior to joining FMCSA, White was responsible for coordinating U.S. DOT initiatives on emerging transportation technologies, including coordinating cross-departmental policies related to automated driving systems, drone and advanced air mobility systems, surface vehicle-to-everything connectivity, 5G integration with the nation’s critical aviation infrastructure and other sector-facing, innovation-related policy areas.
White’s appointment in 2021 marked a return to the DOT after previously serving as Acting Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary in 2016, where he was the chief architect for USDOT’s 30-Year Transportation plan, Beyond Traffic.
White’s experience and knowledge in transportation is vast, spanning more than 15 years, FMCSA said, including his tenure as a senior advisor to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. During that time, White worked on transportation and mobility policy and engaged closely with the NJ Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Commission, NJ TRANSIT, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to inform state strategies and approaches.
[Related: FMCSA admin Hutcheson stepping down after 16 months on the job]
Salem Carriers partner with Daimler for electric trucking hub
The new partnership provides an all-in-one Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) offering with a fixed and predictable monthly rate, DTNA said.DTNA
Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) and Salem Carriers Inc. (CCJ Top 250, No. 226) on Tuesday announced a collaboration to electrify DTNA’s inbound logistics operations at the Salem Carriers hub near Charlotte, North Carolina.
Daimler Truck Financial Services (DTFS) is also involved in the project, partnering with fleet electrification company Electrada. Together, they provide an all-in-one Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) offering with a fixed and predictable monthly rate. This service covers the development, operation and maintenance of the charging infrastructure, as well as the energy contract.
Salem Carriers, which services DTNA’s inbound logistics network in the Carolinas, plays a crucial role in connecting manufacturing sites, supply chain hubs, and supplier locations, DTNA said. They deployed DTNA’s Freightliner eCascadia vehicles for daily inbound logistics routes. These operations are made possible through the strategic partnership with Electrada and DTFS to provide a full-scale depot electrification effort, aligned with DTNA’s goal to implement electric mobility solutions throughout its operations.
The CaaS solution for Salem includes deployment, ownership, operation, and energy management of the fleet charging infrastructure at Salem’s Statesville, North Carolina, depot, complemented by en-route top-off charging at the unique Duke Energy/Electrada mobility microgrid in Mt. Holly, North Carolina.
DTFS serves as the catalyst by reducing entry barriers with the new CaaS solution, integrating the vehicle lease, electric service program, insurance, and other key components into a unified, predictable cost structure for Salem.
“Introducing battery electric vehicles to our operations was a new initiative,” said Dennis Giff, General Manager at Salem Carriers. “The DTFS/Electrada approach was unified, aligned with our operating needs, and set the stage to scale future electric vehicle integration into our services.”
New EV charging infrastructure funding application opening soon
A new funding opportunity for California fleets interested in deploying electric vehicle charging infrastructure for Class 2b-8 vehicles or off-road equipment will open in July.
Funded by the California Energy Commission and administered by Calstart, the Energy Infrastructure Incentives for Zero-Emission Commercial Vehicles (EnergIIZE) Project will open its EV Jump Start funding lane on July 16 at 9 a.m. Pacific, and will run through Sept. 10 at 5 p.m. Pacific.
The EV Jump Start funding lane is one of four standard funding lanes under EnergIIZE that focuses on equity-qualified projects on private, public, or shared use sites. It covers up to 75% of eligible infrastructure equipment and software costs for projects up to $750,000. Eligible costs include but are not limited to: Level 2 chargers, direct current fast chargers (DCFC), transformers, switchgear, charger accessories, utility service upgrades, and fleet and demand management software.
The application process is competitive, and applications are scored on criteria demonstrating operations and maintenance planning, cost effectiveness, and community benefit.
Those eligible for the funding include: Tribe or Tribal serving entities; small businesses as recognized by the California State Legislative Code; minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned, or LGBT-owned businesses; infrastructure installed in a designated disadvantaged or low-income community (DAC or LIC); public transit systems with at least 50% of routes in a DAC or LIC; public school districts serving economically disadvantaged students; and nonprofit organizations.
Calstart noted that EV Jump Start eligibility requirements have changed since the last round of funding. Previously, EnergIIZE only accepted one application per tax identification number (TIN). However, the new policy allows single entities, as identified by TIN, to apply for multiple unique project sites, but they cannot be awarded more than 25% of the total funding available for this lane.
"We are thrilled to open EV Jump Start once again to help advance the deployment of EV charging infrastructure across California with a particular focus on equity and community," said Alyssa Haerle, Director of Infrastructure Incentive Administration at Calstart. "We hope these incentives will enable more fleets to make the transition to zero-emission and clean the air in areas that need it most."
Applications will be accepted through an online Incentive Processing Center (IPC) the day the funding lane opens. Potential applicants are encouraged to view the resources on the EnergIIZE website for more information and schedule time with the project team to ask questions about EV Jump Start.
