Today, President Obama announced the “first of their kind” fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas pollution standards for work trucks, buses, and other heavy duty vehicles. According to the White House statement, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the standards following requests from companies to develop this program.
By the 2018 model year, the program is expected to achieve significant savings relative to current levels, across vehicle types. Certain combination tractors – commonly known as big-rigs or semi-trucks – will be required to achieve up to approximately 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by model year 2018, saving up to 4 gallons of fuel for every 100 miles traveled.