OOIDA endorses CARS Act ahead of House vote

In an effort to reign in the Environmental Protection Agency’s overreach and protect consumer choice, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is encouraging lawmakers to support the CARS Act.

The bill, HR4468, which the House floor is expected to vote on this week, would prohibit the EPA from issuing any mandate that would require the use of a specific engine technology or limit the availability of new vehicles based on engine type. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., introduced the CARS Act in the House, while the Senate version was introduced by Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, in October.

OOIDA endorses the CARS Act and wrote a letter of support to Walberg on Monday, Dec. 4.

“This legislation would help ensure the continued availability of engine technologies that small-business truckers depend on for their livelihoods and are necessary to keep our supply chain functioning,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer wrote.

The EPA published a proposed rule in May with more stringent emission standards for light-duty and medium-duty vehicles. The standards would phase in over model years 2027 through 2032, marking a shift toward electric vehicles.

“The EPA has continued a regulatory blitz on small-business truckers in recent years and attempted to force truckers into purchasing costly alternative vehicles,” OOIDA wrote. “It’s baffling that the EPA has pushed forward with more impractical emissions timelines without first addressing the overwhelming concerns with electric commercial motor vehicles, such as the absence of a national charging infrastructure network for heavy-duty trucks.”

Walberg introduced the CARS Act in July.

“The Biden administration cannot continue to create regulations that limit consumer choice, hamper mobility, make vehicles more expensive for families and cede America’s auto leadership and jobs to China,” Walberg said in a news release. “Hardworking Americans have already experienced months of runaway inflation and high energy costs, and these efforts will only further increase the financial burden on Americans who cannot afford to purchase electric vehicles. This legislation would put a stop to this executive overreach, allowing consumers to have the freedom to decide what car works best for them and their families and preventing auto manufacturers from being forced to meet unrealistic mandates driven by the president’s Green New Deal agenda.”

OOIDA said that new technology can’t be forced on the public before it is ready.

“Clean air is a priority for everyone, but any new regulations must ensure that vehicles are reliable and affordable for professional truckers,” OOIDA wrote. LL