Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/740508
20 www.bigrigowner.com N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 6 in mid-August, depart from current regulations governing glider emis- sions. Glider kits will now be required to meet the emissions standards of the model year of the truck's cab and chassis, rather than the year the engine block was cast. Fitzgerald, the country's largest glider kit maker, installs in-house remanu- factured Detroit Diesel 60 Series engines into new cabs and chassis, effectively meaning its gliders must meet many of the standards set by the Phase 2 rule. But major glider kit builders like Fitzgerald have the ability to meet the regulations, McLaughlin says, and continue to meet demand for their products. "Our plans for produc- tion are still in accordance with what we feel works for us and what sales trends in the past couple of years dictate," McLaughlin says. Smaller glider kit makers — those who assemble and sell only a few hun- dred gliders a year — will be the ones forced out by the new EPA standards, he says. Kit makers who aren't able to meet the new EPA standards will be capped at building 300 glider kits per year. Fitzgerald has already started research work to set its benchmark to begin working toward compliance with the new regs, McLaughin says. Fitzgerald has about 12 full-time en- gineers on staff. They're working on lightweighting and other advances to help Fitzgerald's Detroit engines meet EPA standards. New standards for engines begin in 2018 and gradually tighten until 2027, when engines will be required to achieve between 5 and 6 percent greater fuel economy when compared to 2017 benchmarks. "[The rule] clearly states they defi nite- ly anticipate kits to be built for years and years," McLaughlin says. "They just want them to be compliant. Glid- ers represent such a small percentage of truck sales, but within that small market, it would be a crushing blow to say 'no kits,'" he says. McLaughlin says it's unclear as to how the new standards will affect the prices of its glider kits, but there likely will be "updates" to the company's current pricing in accordance to meet- ing the new standards. • Simplify your life on the road. The FREE Truckers Tools smartphone app can help you locate truck stops, find the best fuel prices, track your route, and a ton more to make life on the road just a little bit easier. BROUGHT TO YOU BY OverdriveOnline.com Facebook.com/OverdriveTrucking