Trucks Sell Despite Polls

A new poll says a majority of pickup owners
support higher federal fuel economy standards,
even though those higher standards could make
trucks more expensive and less available.
Dustin Dwyer reports:

Transcript

A new poll says a majority of pickup owners
support higher federal fuel economy standards,
even though those higher standards could make
trucks more expensive and less available.
Dustin Dwyer reports:


Kevin Curtis of the National Environmental Trust says 83%
of truck owners in the poll support stricter fuel standards.


“Pickup owners really, when faced with the arguments that my pickup will
be more expensive, or, heaven forbid, my pickup won’t even be
available to me, they just didn’t believe it.”


But it’s a different story when people reach the dealer show
floor.


There, Charles Territo of the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers says more than half of all buyers still choose
trucks, SUVs and minivans that burn more gas.


“And until there’s a reason for consumers to make decisions other
than the decisions they’re making now on vehicle choice, it’s
going to be very hard to change the fleetwide fuel economy.”


For the Environment Report, I’m Dustin Dwyer.

Related Links

Drivers Worry About Fuel Consumption

A survey of automobile drivers found many people complaining about higher than expected fuel consumption. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:

Transcript

A survey of automobile drivers found many people complaining about higher than expected fuel
consumption. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:


The JD Power and Associates 2003 Initial Quality Study found that one of the top complaints of
drivers was fuel consumption. Perhaps not surprisingly, it was the number one complaint about
the massive military-modeled Hummer H2. But it was also a complaint about the hybrid models
such as the Toyota Prius, one of the most fuel efficient cars on the road. A JD Power and
Associates spokesperson didn’t want to be recorded, but in a statement indicated that drivers were
probably more aware of fuel consumption because of higher gasoline prices this past year. He
suggested the complaints about the hybrid and other compact cars likely came because drivers
found the cars didn’t always get the kind of mileage suggested by the Environmental Protection
Agency window sticker. That’s been the case in past years, but this year more drivers noticed the
difference.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.

Stricter Rules for Heavy Equipment Emissions?

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new clean-air standards for some diesel-powered equipment. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:

Transcript

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new clean-air standards for some diesel
powered equipment. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:


The EPA’s new rules would cut the soot and pollution that’s belched by off-road diesel vehicles
such as bulldozers and farm tractors. Frank O’Donnell is with the environmental group Clean Air
Trust.


“Currently there are very minimal controls on big diesel heavy equipment and the fuel itself is
extremely dirty. It’s virtually unregulated. And this EPA proposal will go a long way, over time,
making a significant reduction in the diesel pollution coming from heavy equipment.”


The EPA projects the new rules will prevent almost ten-thousand premature deaths each year
once the standards are fully phased in. But, that’ll take a while with the last of the dirty vehicles
probably taken out of service around the year 2030.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.

Proposed Fuel Efficiency Standard Criticized

Environmental groups have been critical of the White House for not going far enough in requiring the auto industry to make light duty trucks, such as SUV ’s, more fuel-efficient. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham has this report:

Transcript

Environmental groups have been critical of the White House for not going far enough in
requiring the auto industry to make light duty trucks, such as SUV’s, more fuel-efficient.
The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:


Many of the big environmental groups said the Bush administration’s plans to increase
the fuel economy standards for SUV’s by a mile-and-a-half a gallon wasn’t enough. The
environmentalists say the proposed standards will do almost nothing to make the nation
less dependent on foreign oil. Chris Struve is a market analyst for Fitch Ratings. He says
if the environmental groups want real results, they should turn their attention from trying
to regulate the auto industry’s behavior and instead try to change public opinion:


“It all comes down to consumer preference and frankly the U.S. consumer has
not demonstrated that they have a concern for fuel economy and until the
environmentalists can demonstrate otherwise, I think, you know, you’ve got to be very
careful what you do.”


Struve says few environmental groups are willing to push the hot button issues that would
change consumers’ behavior, such as higher gasoline taxes to make drivers think before
they buy a gas-guzzling vehicle.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.