Truckers plan to sue engine makers

NEWPORT, Calif. (April 9) — Nearly 500 truck owners plan to sue six engine manufacturers over last year’s multi-million-dollar settlement with the federal government on emissions, according to an attorney hired by the group.

The truck owners, ranging from owner-operators to medium-sized fleets, claim the engine builders should compensate truckers for extra costs associated with operating “defective” engines, as well as reduced resale value, explained lawyer Mark Algorri.

The engine companies, Caterpillar Inc., Cummins Engine Co., Detroit Diesel Corp., Mack Trucks Inc., Navistar International, and Volvo Trucks North America, last fall agreed to spend nearly $1 billion (US) to settle allegations by the U.S. government that their engines were designed to circumvent federal pollution controls.

The truck owners say they’re the ones who will have to pay the price.

“Apparently there was great consternation in the trucking business that they had not been asked to participate” in the negotiations leading to the consent decree, Algorri said.

“The deal was struck without the participation of the most important parties, the truck consumers.”

Although 1999 engines appear to have suffered no discernable loss in fuel efficiency, there are concerns about the amount of soot going into the oil.

“It’s our understanding that we’re going to have vehicles with impaired resale value,” Algorri said. “They’re going to run hotter, with less fuel efficiency, and I’m sure there will be other damages. [Truckers] will be shouldering the entire cost of this deal through passed on costs.”

The suit has not been certified as a class action.