WinWin Trucking
Lower fuel costs, lower emissions
Photo (© Kennedy) - Chicago
August 9, 2011
Partner with Society – Collaborate vs. Conflict
Partner with Government – Preempt Regulatory Drives
It was interesting to read a Wall Street Journal headline which relayed that President Obama was announcing higher fuel efficiency standards for truck engines. A couple of thoughts might immediately jump to your mind: “I thought were focused on jobs.” And, “Regulations are not usually a driver of the economy.”
Yet in this particular case, the trucking industry actually embraced these new standards, because they reduced the industry's costs and improved their competitive position with other forms of freight transportation, like railroads. As the WSJ reports, “Unlike many other regulations being considered by the administration, these rules enjoy support because they are expected to save the trucking industry money, rather than impose new costs.”
Clearly, there are times when regulatory efforts are without merit, but it is hard to fight something with nothing. If is essential for businesses to evaluate pushes for increased regulation in a clear headed manner, seeking mutual interests and opportunities to self-regulate in order to address government's legitimate concerns.
I will continue to reach out to my trucking and truck manufacturing contacts to determine whether there are kinks in the collaborative approach; lacking that information it appears that this may be an example of how collaboration may be more fruitful than conflict.
