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Truckers' Plan Curbs Fuel Use
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Published: May 9, 2008
WASHINGTON - Struggling with record diesel prices, the trucking industry's main trade group introduced a plan Thursday to reduce fuel consumption and emissions over the next decade mainly by having its members slow down.
The American Trucking Associations, whose members include FedEx, UPS and Con-way, says adherence to a handful of new proposals will reduce fuel consumption by 86 billion gallons and cut carbon dioxide emissions - thought to be the main culprit of climate change - by 900 million tons for all vehicles over the next 10 years.
The recommendations are:
•Limit the speed new trucks can travel to no more than 68 mph and reduce the national speed limit to 65 mph.
•Reduce engine idling.
•Increase fuel efficiency through participation in an Environmental Protection Agency partnership program.
•Ease congestion by improving highways through a fuel tax increase if necessary.
•Use more productive truck combinations.
•Support national fuel economy standards for trucks.
The ATA has said it costs more than $1,000 to fill a typical tractor-trailer, and that the nation's 3.5 million truck drivers are on pace to spend a record $135 billion on diesel fuel this year, up $22 billion from 2007.
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