Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

President’s Plan Looks Beyond 2018 Heavy Truck Emissions Levels

In a speech Tuesday calling for tougher emissions for coal-fired power plants, President Obama also laid out what he wants when it comes to emissions from heavy trucks and the future of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Evan Lockridge
Evan LockridgeFormer Business Contributing Editor
June 25, 2013
President’s Plan Looks Beyond 2018 Heavy Truck Emissions Levels

Photo: Evan Lockridge

3 min to read


In a speech Tuesday calling for tougher emissions for coal-fired power plants, President Obama also laid out what he wants when it comes to emissions from heavy trucks and the future of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Photo: Evan Lockridge

Speaking at Georgetown University, he outlined a series of proposals he intends to push through with executive action, sidestepping Congress, to limit what he says are climate-changing carbon emissions.

Ad Loading...

“The President’s Climate Action Plan,” as it is called, calls for further increasing heavy truck fuel economy standards, which the administration says are “the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions within the transportation sector.”

It plans to partner with industry leaders and other key stakeholders to develop post-2018 fuel economy standards for heavy-duty trucks to further reduce fuel consumption, though it does not say how much of a cut the President is aiming for. It calls for using “cost-effective technologies.” The U.S. EPA is expected to issue draft rules in about a year.

In 2011, the Obama administration finalized the first-ever fuel economy standards for 2014-2018 model year heavy-duty trucks, buses, and vans. It says these standards will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 270 million metric tons and save 530 million barrels of oil.

Ad Loading...

The fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards introduced earlier have been lauded by larger fleets, who say they will save money in the long run by cutting fuel costs. Critics claim the regulations will increase truck prices, outweighing any fuel savings.

The administration has already established the toughest fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles in U.S. history. These standards require an average performance equivalent of 54.5 mpg by 2025, which the government says will save the average driver more than $8,000 in fuel costs over the lifetime of the vehicle and eliminate 6 billion metric tons of carbon pollution, more than the United States emits in an entire year.

Also on Tuesday the president spoke about the Keystone XL pipeline, saying it should be approved but only if it would not “significantly exacerbate” greenhouse gas pollution.

The pipeline is designed to transport oil sands bitumen from Alberta, Canada, to Gulf Coast refineries. The company building it, TransCanada, needs a permit from the U.S. State Department because it crosses an international boundary.

Earlier the administration denied a permit for building the pipeline, but said TransCanada could apply again, which it has done. The State Department said in a March draft environmental review that the proposed Canada-to-Texas pipeline wouldn't significantly boost greenhouse gas emissions.

Ad Loading...

Proponents of Keystone XL say it would help reduce U.S. dependent on foreign oil. Those against it claim there is no guarantee fuel refined from the Canadian oil sands would remain in the U.S., along with expressing concerns about its environmental impact. 

More Drivers

Man seated in front of computer with inset of insights generated for a truck driver

Netradyne Intelligence Uses New AI Agents to Automate Response to In-Cab Camera Data

The company called the next-generation in-cab camera safety platform "a fundamental shift from systems that report on what happened to systems that actively drive what should happen next."

Read More →
Illustration of hourglass and trucks backed up to a dock
DriversJune 15, 2026

Why Truck Detention Keeps Costing Fleets Time and Money

A 2024 ATRI study found detention affects nearly 40% of truckload stops and costs the industry more than $15 billion annually. Despite the toll on drivers, fleets, and supply chains, the problem remains stubbornly persistent.

Read More →
Artist rendering of dealership with trucks and trailers parked outside
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseJune 2, 2026

Prime Inc. to Open $7.9M Flagship Used-Truck Dealership

A new driver-focused facility to sell Prime Inc's used trucks and trailers will be the first purpose-built location in the company's history.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Thumbnail for podcast episode
Safety & ComplianceMay 28, 2026

Short Takes: Inside K&B’s Truck Safety Tech

Listen to learn how K&B Transportation uses cellphone-blocking technology, speed management systems, weather geofencing, bridge avoidance tools, and more to improve driver safety.

Read More →
Nussbaum driver pay.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 27, 2026

Nussbaum Expands Driver Compensation with Pay Raises, Profit Sharing

Nussbaum Transportation said its latest compensation package could push first-year driver earnings above $90,000 in key hiring markets.

Read More →
Lance Evans, Director of Safety at K&B Transportation.
Safety & ComplianceMay 13, 2026

Listen: Inside Modern Fleet Safety: AI, Cameras & Speed Control at K&B Transportation

Fleet safety is evolving fast—and technology is at the center of it. Learn how a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Maverick Transportation Freightliner Cascadia.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 12, 2026

Maverick Announces 2026 Driver Pay Raises

New raises for Maverick Transportation drivers will take effect on May 31, 2026.

Read More →
Alleged Ohio toll evasion truck.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 5, 2026

Illinois Trucker Indicted for Nearly $22,000 in Ohio Turnpike Toll Evasion

Authorities say an Illinois trucker avoided paying tolls for two years, and now faces felony charges, possible prison time, and forfeiture of his Freightliner tractor.

Read More →
Illustration with trojan horse and lock with inside of cargo container in background
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 23, 2026

New Trojan Driver Cargo Theft Scam Bypasses Carrier Vetting Systems

Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Female truck driver.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseApril 21, 2026

WIM, Trucker Path Name Top 3 Women-Friendly Truck Stops

ATA’s Women In Motion Council and Trucker Path highlight three truck stops that meet all seven safety-focused criteria and rank highest among female drivers.

Read More →