Where U.S. Trucking Fits in the Global Emissions Puzzle
Nothing like a mainstream “green” article to make you see red.
The article “Missing Piece in Global Vehicle Emission Puzzle: Heavy Trucks,” reports, “A global push to reduce vehicle emissions and create cleaner air for future generations has been underway for half a century now. However, while many governments around the world have introduced lower emission and higher fuel-efficiency standards for passenger cars, another large contributor to global emissions has mostly traveled under the radar. Those are heavy trucks or semi trucks.”
The story in Green Car Reports is about a new report from the International Energy Agency on global emissions. It notes that the trucking industry in China, the United States, and the European Union together account for one-fifth of global oil demand: 17 million barrels of oil per day.
The article says only four countries have energy efficiency rules for semi trucks. Yet it doesn’t point out that the U.S. is one of them.
You wouldn’t guess from reading this article about the huge strides the U.S. has made in emissions and GHG reductions.
As Allen Schaeffer with the Diesel Technology Forum said in the article’s comments section:
“Consider that heavy-duty diesel truck emissions in the U.S. have been regulated by EPA since 1987. Since 2010, new commercial trucks are near zero emissions and today about 30% of all commercial trucks in the fleet have that generation of technology in use on the road. Today in Southern California more fine particles come from brake dust and tire wear than from heavy-duty Class 8 trucks.
“Efficiency gains since 2010 are anywhere from 3-8% for an 80,000-lb truck, thanks largely to engine efficiency improvements. And additional improvements or on the horizon as a result of the Phase II greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy rules.
“Today in California municipal and private fleets …Read the rest of this story
