Industry Opposes Proposal Requiring Tank Trucks to Purge Pipes

ndustry leaders unanimously decried a proposed federal rule that would require thousands of tank trucks to be retrofitted with equipment to purge the pipes used for the unloading and loading of flammable liquids.

Critics, in comments filed with the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, said the government overstated the safety risk posed by “wetlines,” overestimated the benefits of complying with the proposal and underestimated the costs.

National Tank Truck Carriers, one of the most vocal opponents of the proposed rule, questioned the data used by PHMSA and its predecessor, the Research and Special Projects Administration, in issuing the rule.