Most Fuel Efficient Trucks – Forbes

While US President Barack Obama has great plans for the future, including the reduction of oil imports and emission, global news provider Forbes reported that this will only be a possibility if drivers are able to afford fuel-efficient trucks, thereby enabling them to save more on gas.

“Each year for the past 10, more and more truckers are squeezed out of the option to buy new equipment because of ever increasing prices due to government requirements that are long on promises but way short on performance,” said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, a trade group of small business trucking companies and professional drivers.

“We’re not talking about some 60-watt light bulbs here where poor performance or premature failure is a minor inconvenience. Large trucks are vital tools, essential to our economy and our way of life, and most trucker operators are small-business people just getting by.”

OOIDA, which represents 150,000 owner-operators, leased operators and company drivers, says the standards will keep driving up the price of new trucks, forcing truck owners to hold on to older equipment longer and put off buying new trucks and trailers as long as they can. I doubt that’s the outcome Obama is looking for.

The report adds, however, that Obama is determined to ensure lower emissions for the US- a scenario which would be a great positive for the country but will result in a costly exercise- a bill which will ultimately rest on the drivers.