The Trump administration has given truck drivers another gift. This time, it is addressing concerns about diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).
Rules for DEF, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems and vehicle speeds will start for model year 2027 trucks. Yet, manufacturers have been derating engines since DEF became mandatory in 2010.
Truck drivers, farmers and ranchers have complained about sudden speed reductions for years. Now, the federal government is doing something about it.
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced guidance for engine and truck manufacturers. This guidance urges them to update DEF system software in current vehicles. The goal is to prevent sudden shutdowns in trucks and other diesel-powered vehicles.
“We have heard loud and clear from small businesses across the United States that the current DEF system is unacceptable,” Zeldin said. “It is unacceptable that farmers, truckers, construction workers and many other small businesses continually experience failures of diesel-powered equipment when they need it most – costing millions of dollars in lost productivity. Today, we are responding to those concerns by calling on manufacturers to take action to update their software and eliminate the unnecessary sudden loss of power and frustrating shutdowns that too many Americans have experienced.”
Trucks can be forced to suddenly crawl at 5 mph if a DEF issue is not resolved within four hours. The agency is advising manufacturers to give drivers more time to fix an issue before slowing a truck down.
Specifically, the EPA is urging manufacturers to inform truck drivers about a DEF problem with a warning light and nothing more for 650 miles or 10 hours. This will allow long-haul drivers a full workday to fix the problem.
After that, engine torque will drop by 15%. This small reduction should not significantly affect a truck’s top speed. If the problem remains unresolved after 4,200 miles or 80 hours, the engine will be derated by 30%. After 8,400 miles or 160 hours, the truck’s maximum speed will reduce to 25 mph.
Truck drivers applauded the changes. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said the new “commonsense” schedules will help drivers maintain safe control of their vehicles as they fix a faulty DEF/SCR system.
“More flexible inducement speeds and times will help truckers finish their trips, plan for necessary maintenance and avoid parking their truck for an extended period simply because of a false alarm,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a statement. “Nonsensical inducement rules have sidelined small-business truckers for too long, and this accelerated relief shows what can be achieved when regulators hear directly from the people doing the job. We look forward to continued engagement with Administrator Zeldin and his staff to implement additional emissions solutions that better reflect the realities of trucking.”
According to the EPA, the new guidance was created in collaboration with manufacturers. No additional approvals are required, eliminating delays caused by bureaucratic red tape.
DEF/SCR inducement schedules
The EPA’s DEF guidance does not change the inducement schedule for trucks model year 2027 and beyond.
Regulations that require engine derating for those trucks come from the 2022 heavy-duty NOx rule. To ensure compliance, trucks must gradually reduce speeds if DEF quantity or quality is low or if tampering is detected.
A truck must alert the driver to DEF issues as soon as any of these conditions occur:
- Low DEF levels – DEF supply falls under 2.5% of tank capacity or a level corresponding to three hours of engine operation
- Poor DEF quality – Quality fails to meet concentration specifications
- SCR tampering – Open-circuit faults related to the following: DEF tank level sensor, DEF pump, DEF quality sensor, SCR wiring harness, NOx sensors, DEF dosing valve, DEF tank heater, DEF tank temperature sensor or aftertreatment control module
When any of these “inducement triggering conditions” are found, the driver is alerted. The truck’s maximum speed is then gradually reduced until the issue is resolved. This process is known as the inducement or derate schedule:
Trucking stakeholders opposed these rules. OOIDA raised concerns about costly and unproven technology needed for compliance. It accused the EPA of using truck drivers as guinea pigs.
During a public hearing, OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh warned the EPA about past costly mistakes.
“My 2012 truck with all the latest EPA-compliant technology was in the shop for repairs more than the other four trucks I owned prior to this one combined,” Pugh said. “In a period of 250,000 miles, or two and a half years, I had to have the entire DPF system completely replaced at a cost of $6,000 each time.”
The 2022 heavy-duty NOx rule was the first of three rules under the EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan. Next came a rule for light- and medium-duty vehicles. Last year, the EPA issued the strictest truck emission standards ever at the federal level, marking the final step of the plan. But the EPA later withdrew the legal basis for that rule, putting it on the chopping block.
Although the model year 2027 rules remain in place, the EPA has said it is looking into the 2022 NOx rule. In March, the agency said it is “reevaluating” the 2022 rule. LL
Land Line Senior Editor Mark Schremmer contributed to this story.
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