Trucking CEOs and leading economists are sounding the alarm over President Joe Biden’s administration’s efforts to push unrealistic electric vehicle requirements on the industry, warning that it will disrupt the delivery of everything, including food.
The Environmental Protection Agency regulations will kill off smaller trucking companies, leading to shortages of everything, as well as higher prices, they warn.
“People don’t understand how important trucking is,” Fox Business host Larry Kudlow told “America Reports” co-host Sandra Smith on Thursday.
“So, if you look at what the trade association is saying, or what some – most are small business trucks, these new greenie regulations and emissions standards perhaps cost as much as $45,000 per truck, and they can’t afford it,” Kudlow continued. “And they will go down, and if they go down, then you are not going to have deliveries.”
In May, Congress approved a resolution expressing disapproval of regulations that were 80% more stringent than the existing standards. However, President Biden vetoed the resolution, asserting that it “would take us backwards in our fight against air pollution.”
Critics, including economic and energy experts, have voiced concerns about Biden’s opposition to fossil fuel production, suggesting that it has contributed to increased energy prices.
In August 2022, Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, allocating $370 billion to address so-called ‘climate change.’ The trillion-dollar legislation is replete with provisions promoting green energy, such as a $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles, and it extends the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency over the energy sector in response to a Supreme Court decision, the Daily Caller reported.
“Despite Biden’s push for electric vehicles, the Environmental Protection Agency made a determination Jan. 31 that would block the mining of 1.4 billion tons of copper, gold, molybdenum, silver and rhenium in Alaska in order to protect salmon,” the outlet added.
KC Trucking Vice-President and Co-Owner Mike Kucharski told Fox News Digital the regulations will push small-to-mid-size trucking companies out of business and cause price inflation “worse than we have right now.”
The outlet noted further:
The EPA estimates the technology required to meet the new rule’s standards will cost between $2,568 and $8,304 per vehicle, but the American Truck Dealers Association (ATDA) estimates it is more likely a $42,000 increase per truck. In total, the ATDA projects the associated costs of this new regulation on the country could reach $55 billion over the lifetime of the program.
“A new clean diesel long haul tractor typically costs in the range of $180,000 to $200,000,” Kucharski said. “A comparable battery electric tractor costs upwards of $480,000, that’s about a $300,000 upcharge, [which] is cost prohibitive for the overwhelming majority of motor carriers.”
“This mandate is based on brand-new technology, number one, and they’re supporting green energy” above the economy, he added. “I support green energy, but it’s extremely frustrating because it’s this new mandate that they are forcing… truckers are nonstop overregulated.”
Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) told Fox News the Biden regime has launched a “regulatory blitz on small-business truckers.”
“It’s baffling that the EPA is pushing forward with more impractical emissions timelines without first addressing these overwhelming concerns with electric commercial motor vehicles,” he added. “The pursuit of this radical environmental agenda in conjunction with an anticipated speed limiter mandate will regulate the safest and most experienced truckers off the road.”
