It hardly came as a surprise to the trucking industry when the Obama administration finalized new fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles on Aug. 16, 2016. The president made history in 2012 when he mandated the nation’s first-ever fuel-economy standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
The latest round of requirements for vehicles that must cut their carbon emissions and fuel consumption 25% by 2027 include:
- Long-haul tractor-trailers
- Delivery trucks
- School buses
- Garbage trucks
- Passenger vans
While environmentalists have hailed the Commander in Chief’s efforts to lower greenhouse gases and wean America off its fossil fuel habit, his initiatives have also been generally embraced by the trucking industry. In no small part because, regardless of the current dip in oil prices, fuel costs are always one of the biggest expenses for companies with fleet vehicles. According to the American Trucking Association:
- The trucking industry spent $150.4 billion on diesel fuel in 2012.
- Diesel fuel can be as much as 20% of total operating costs.
The battle cry “Think globally but act locally” has long been used by environmentalists to remind people that they have a personal responsibility to preserve the environment.
Personal responsibility is nothing new to fleet managers and diesel mechanics. And while going forward, these latest emission standards will be achieved largely through emerging technologies and materials. There are many preventive maintenance improvements that can be done on existing vehicles right now that not only reduce emissions…but improve fuel economy.
Information provided by: Tracerline: (www.tracerline.com)
