Washington, D.C. — As NHTSA and EPA today host a public hearing on increasing national fuel-efficiency standards for trucks and buses, the Consumer Federation of America’s director of public affairs and vehicle expert Jack Gillis issued the following statement:

“Consumers want trucks to go farther on every gallon of gas. The Consumer Federation of America’s recent poll found that found 71 percent of Americans favor requiring manufacturers to increase fuel efficiency for heavy-duty trucks.

“Americans understand that when big trucks that deliver goods or services guzzle expensive fuel, those costs are passed on to consumers, and that raising fuel-economy standards will save them money.

“Our research bears this idea out. The Consumer Federation of America has found that high fuel costs for trucks cost the average American family over $1,000 each year, and that making heavy-duty trucks more fuel efficient would save consumers tens of billions of dollars a year.

“I look forward to sharing the results of our research with the agencies at the hearing in Long Beach later this month and in the detailed analysis that will be filed in our formal comments in September.”

Contact: Jack Gillis 202-737-0766, Roxanna Smith 510-326-0390

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About the Consumer Federation of America:

The Consumer Federation of America, a national association of nearly 300 non-profit organizations working to advance the interests of consumers.

About the CFA poll cited in this statement

CFA commissioned ORC International to poll over a thousand Americans in mid-May about the Obama Administration’s proposed fuel-efficiency rules for heavy-duty trucks.