Accelerating Opportunity through our Trucking Program
New emissions standards in 2010 required many of California’s older big rigs to be upgraded or replaced with new, cleaner models. This law, while enormously beneficial to public and environmental health, meant that many independent truck drivers would have to cease operating if they could not afford to retrofit or replace their trucks. We launched a campaign to finance truck retrofits and purchases for drivers that had few other options, and our commercial vehicle loan program has been going full steam ever since.
These loans do more than finance cleaner-burning trucks, they promote equity for independent truck drivers who literally drive our economy. Despite the challenges of market fluctuations and future automation, becoming an independent owner-operator enables a driver to build greater earning potential than they would have working for a company. This independence also promotes a greater quality of life; instead of abiding by a set schedule, owner-operators have greater autonomy to decide which routes to
take — and when to be home with their families.
The impact of these loans stretches well beyond our borrowers. It ripples through the economy, the air we breathe, and the communities that you and I call home. We hope this report leaves you with a thorough understanding of the multi-faceted impacts of our trucking loan program and why we chose to call this publication “Accelerating Opportunity.”