Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/59415
(Continued from Page 21) logbook Obama announces alt-energy plan at Daimler plant During a March 7 visit to the Daimler Trucks North America manufacturing facility in Mount Holly, N.C., President Obama announced a $1 billion National Community Deployment Challenge designed to spur use of clean, advanced- technology vehicles around the country. He also congratulated Daimler on the production of its 1,000th Freightliner natural gas truck and for adding 1,000 workers to the plant last year, many of whom had been laid off during the recession. The president says under his program, the federal government will help communities that buy vehicles powered by alternative energy to "cut through the red tape and build fueling stations nearby." The president chose to visit the Mount Holly plant in part because of DTNA's commitment to green technologies. DTNA is the only commercial vehicle manufacturer to be certified as GHG14 compliant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The company's complete portfolio of 2013 on-highway, vocational, and medium-duty vehicles received certification one year ahead of the mandate. The president also announced incentives to encourage the purchase of new, advanced-technology cars and trucks, including expanding the tax credit for such vehicles from $7,500 to $10,000, while allowing the credit to be applied to types of technologies not currently covered. In addition, the president announced a new research challenge that invests in technologies to make electric vehicles as affordable and convenient as gasoline-powered vehicles by the end of the decade. The North Carolina plant produces the truck maker's Freightliner Business Class M2 and severe duty product lines, including the M2 112 and 114SD natural gas vehicles, and the M2 106 hybrid vehicle. In 2011, the company hired more than 1,000 workers and added a second shift. Currently, the facility employs 1,450 and produces 25,000 trucks annually. — Linda Longton TRANSCORE'S North American Freight index rose 5 percent in January compared with January 2011. January's spot market freight volume slipped 8 percent from December, reflecting seasonal demand. APRIL 2012 OVERDRIVE 59 PRODUCTS & SERVICES Circle 182 on Reader Service Card or visit overdrive.hotims.com SHOR T HA ULS