Proposed CAFE standards for Light Trucks
The livelihood, safety and lifestyle of millions of Americans would be seriously jeopardized by a federal government proposal calling for increased CAFE standards for light trucks. The U.S. Department of Transportation is considering increasing CAFE standards for these vehicles by as much as 40 percent.
CAFE standards for light trucks, a category that includes minivans, vans, pickups and sport-utility vehicles, are set at 20.7 mpg for MY 1996-97 vehicles. In 1994, the DOT issued an "advance notice" that suggested raising light truck CAFE requirements to as much as 26-28 mpg for Model Years 1998-2006. Of the hundreds of light truck models sold today, only a handful (lightweight compact pickups and utility vehicles with 4 cylinder engines) are CAFE-rated at or above 26 mpg.
Hundreds of concerned light truck users wrote to DOT in 1994, expressing vigorous objections to higher CAFE standards which would have restricted their vehicle choice. Congress blocked DOT from increasing standards for MY1998 and 1999, but DOT may still push the idea for later years. The 1994 notice is a continuing reminder of the risks from government officials who want to impose their own views on millions of American motorists.
With few affordable technologies available to increase fuel economy, vehicle manufacturers would be compelled to meet the dramatic new demands by substantially reducing truck size, weight and power and/or restricting the sale of full-size trucks. This would have a stunning effect on people in all walks of life. Light trucks are essential tools for construction, farming, and countless other trades. Commenting on the prospect of increased CAFE standards, the American Farm Bureau Federation notes that, "Fuel efficiency is one thing. Getting a job done is an altogether different matter."
Increased CAFE standards would also lead people to hold onto older trucks with the result that new truck sales would suffer. Consumers now buy more than five million light trucks a year, amounting to more than 40 percent of all new vehicle sales. These vehicles, for example, are essential tools in the construction and farming industries, in towing and hauling boats, camping trailers and RVs and for off-road or bad weather driving conditions. With ninety percent of those trucks built in North America, it is highly conceivable that an increase in CAFE standards for light trucks would result in employment losses and plant closings.
The millions of Americans who count on these vehicles for recreational purposes would also be affected. Eight million RVs are in use today. This can be credited in large part to the decrease in towing capabilities of passenger cars that resulted from the enactment of CAFE standards that have increased from 18 mpg to 27.5 mpg today. Many people depend on light trucks and sport-utility vehicles for their cargo carrying, towing and off-road capabilities afforded by more powerful engines, heavier structures, and rear and 4-wheel drive.
Passenger safety is also threatened by the government's proposal. As in the case of passenger cars, lighter weight, smaller trucks are simply not as safe as larger, heavier ones.
The DOT proposal to raise light truck fuel economy is a bad idea for many reasons. While the benefits of higher CAFE standards are few, it is apparent that the downsides can be substantial in terms of cost, vehicle utility, affordability, safety and choice.
The bottom line: the trade-offs required to accommodate DOT's proposed increases in light truck CAFE standards cannot be justified to the American people.
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updated: 8/24/97 |
