If the regulations get too skewed against owner-operators you will see pressure to reverse it because .....
But a lot needs to be done to change the truck manufacturing industry, and some outfits, or at least one anyway, are attempting to go with the change, and the change is increased efficiency....
A more fuel efficient truck benefits everybody.
Yes it does cost more at first, but contrary to Mech's assertion I think that eventually the more fuel efficient models will become competitive, because they will have to.
Again, I cannot emphasize this enough apparently:
The days of super cheap and readily available liquid fuel are coming to a gradual close.
It's all uphill from here, so ALL vehicles HAVE to become more efficient. There's no way around it.
Trucks will HAVE to be able to generate that 500 horsepower and 1500 foot pounds of torque with less fuel one way or the other, or else the cost of shipping by truck will no longer be economically feasible.
I could be wrong but I happen to believe that implementation of some kind of diesel-electric powertrain can be an answer and I believe that eventually it will be implemented at a competitive price.
"...reverse regs ... Now that's something I'll never live to see !
"Change...industry..." Got a "Five-Year plan for that ? We've got a President with zero, zip, nil, nada business experience already advising the auto industry int insolvency, now you want to give truck manufacture/design go the government too ? !!!
Never claimed I was opposed to efficiency, CS. I am "opposed" to brands of thinking labeling gaining those increases is going to be as easy/cheap (as chip designers' reliance upon "Moore's Law" ) and peddling it as "doable reality" - if we just believe hard enough !
"Will have to.." IOW get more energy out of that gallon of diesel (as currently formulated), fuel than it contains...... Nopw that's a trick ! Maybe you can create a motor/generator able to run forever without an outside power supply, too ! Or have you been watching the Military Channel ? What works for the US Army in a point application is a long way from being proven durable/efficient enough for commercial trucking.
"cheap liquid fuel going" Since when ? The U.S. has the greatest energy reserves of any nation in the world ! Diesel would be a lot cheap if much of refinery output wasn't being wasted keeping mom's tootsies warm ! (which could be better done with gas or electricity) The U.S. has no "shortage of energy". It does, however, have a large - and growing - "shortage" of development and refining capacity. It also - thanks to generations of Congresses - lacks a long term comprehensive energy policy addressing both environmental and economic issues in time scales matching our investment/tax regulations.
So far, CS, all I'm reading is the equivalent of the stage magician's patter. But the public never seems to get to see the bunny whenever government gets involved. And I deeply distrust anyone supportive of pogroms restrictive of America's biggest assets - its people and their drive to succeed. >Mech
