Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/588192
FUEL FACTOID 36 // OWNER OPERATOR // NOVEMBER 2015 in a $10,000 to $12,000 increase in the cost of a new truck. However, buyers of long haul operation trucks in 2027 would re- coup the extra cost of the technology with- in two years through fuel savings. Phase 2 would save U.S. vehicle owners collective- ly about $170 billion in fuel costs over the lifetime of the vehicles sold between 2021 and 2027, according to a report from the agencies. The American Trucking Associations weighed in on the issue, supporting the di- rection the standards are going. "Fuel is an enormous expense for our in- dustry – and carbon emissions carry an enormous cost for our planet," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "That's why our industry supported the Obama Ad- ministration's historic first round of green- house gas and fuel efficiency standards for medium and large trucks and why we support the aims of this second round of standards." The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, however, questions the rule. "Truckers already have every incentive to be efficient since fuel is the highest operat- ing cost for an owner operator," the group said in a statement. "We are reviewing the proposal to see if the input from small business truckers was truly taken to heart. Based on re- views of initial summaries, we do have concerns that the rule will push truck- ers to purchase technology that is not fully tested and may lead to costs such as increased maintenance and down time that will eclipse the potential savings esti- mated in the proposal." ATA, despite its soft ap- proval, also voiced concern that certain technologies could be deployed on trucks before they could be fully tested. For the first time, emissions regulations will also be put on trailers, set to begin in 2018. The EPA and NHTSA said they are proposing to regulate trailers because they significantly contribute to fuel consump- tion and subsequent carbon pollution emis- sions. The agencies said components like aerody- namic devices, low rolling resistance tires and automatic tire inflation systems could offer "significant carbon emissions and fuel use reductions for the vehicle." According to he Department of Transportation …