Proposal Pending on Mileage for Heavy-Duty Vehicles

For three decades, the federal government has calculated the fuel economy of cars and other “light-duty vehicles” and periodically tightened mileage standards. For the first time, it is preparing to do the same with heavy-duty vehicles, which could greatly reduce their consumption of diesel fuel. The Obama administration could announce a proposal as early as this week for new mileage standards for heavy-duty vehicles beginning in the 2014 model year. Separately, the administration is readying new fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles in the 2017 model year and beyond, after tightening standards last year for 2012 through 2016 models. The new standards would make it likely that technologies used in cars — aerodynamic bodies, low-rolling-resistance tires, variable valve timing and hybrid electric propulsion — would be introduced in box trucks, garbage trucks, cement mixers, school buses and tractor-trailers. But since heavy trucks are so varied, each of the technologies would be useful only in some types of vehicles...more

For the children - environment trumps safety.