Making Trucks Great Again
I have to admit that I know next to nothing about trucks. But apparently they have been so highly regulated in recent years that their prices have become exorbitant.
Trump is attempting to improve that situation:
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained that Trump is not entirely rolling back the CAFE standards, which were enacted into law by Congress in 1975. Instead, Trump is getting rid of the Biden-era rules that added to the law, forcing automakers to spend billions on technology that no one wants or can afford.
What is done by executive order can be undone by executive order – unless some district judge in Hawaii decides it can’t. But then it’s also the case that it can be undone once again by a subsequent president of the opposite persuasion. And on and on it goes.
But enjoy, for now.
Count me among those that think legislating via Executive Order is an abomination. But I do support reversing executive orders via executive order. All these rules and regulations and policies are rightfully the purview of Congress, not the Executive, not the Judiciary, and not unelected bureaucrats in so-called independent agencies.
On the other hand, I just might send a note to POTUS asking him to write an order requiring the auto manufacturers to permanently disable/turn off the auto idle stop “feature” in my truck. That thing is useless at conserving fuel and supremely annoying.
It’s getting too the point where increasing the CAFE standards are wishful thinking, on the part of twenty-somethings* who don’t understand physics, and the laws of mechanics.
And it’s twenty-somethings who do everything in Washington: the imperious legislators turn all the work over to interns.
@steve walsh, send him a ‘Thank You’ note instead. And then write a nasty note to your Congressmen, asking them why they haven’t codified all these Executive Orders into law, yet? You might even ask them what their progress is, on submitting bills for these…
I live in truck country and drive one myself, a fairly modest one. The CAFE rules don’t have all that much to do with the exorbitant cost of new trucks. These have become huge, luxurious, powerful vehicles seating at least four people in SUV comfort. Go stand beside one of the full sized ones. Check out the interior and the features and power. It’s a tribute to the engineers that they get more than ten mpg.
Vehicles in general have gotten incredibly expensive in recent years. This E.O. strikes me as typical Trump “this is simple, I’ll fix it by decree” grandstanding. And I voted for him so don’t accuse me of TDS.
Here is another post on the subject:
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/preview/2667332
Note the dollar value in the headline. My comment was, “That’s all?”
If Chevy put the LUV Truck back into production, they wouldn’t be able make them fast enough to meet the demand.
@ Watt — yes, a $1000 drop in price on a “F-150® Starting at $38,8101: (their website) doesn’t seem like much.
In re the “legislating” observation (which is true, and applies to far too much of what passes for “law” in America), a commenter at the TH link notes that Ted Cruz has introduced a bill to codify the change, and points out that Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill already reduced the penalty for noncompliance with CAFE rules to 0.
Another one says the real savings would come from repealing the CARB rules, which I had to look up.
https://www.servicetruckmagazine.com/news/california%E2%80%99s-carb-rules-no-certificate-no-operation/
“California’s push for cleaner air has led to some of the strictest emissions regulations in the country, and truck operators are squarely in the crosshairs. Under the California Air Resources Board (CARB) rules, any diesel-fueled truck with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 14,000 pounds must be CARB-compliant to legally operate within the state.”
More details at the post, but anything requiring re-engineering and retooling for new trucks, and outright banning any older truck that can’t be brought into compliance, will raise the prices of the “legal” vehicles
.
California is the tail that wags the dog in a lot of areas.
Town Hall is really on a roll.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/amy-curtis/2025/12/06/nyt-auto-regs-sat-n2667373
“Trump Was Right to Slam the Brakes on Fuel-Efficiency Standards”
SCOTTtheBadger,
I agree. And those little Toyota trucks also, or the Subaru Brat. It seems obvious, but no manufacturer does this.
A small, stripped down, cheap, rear wheel drive pickup. Americans would eat them up.
My wife had a Chevy Luv PU when I married her, it was a rebadged Isusu.
I love my 25 year old Ford Ranger – diesel – a reliable, economical, dependable friend. Here in Greece, an individual is not allowed to have a pick up, as a farmer, I am allowed to have my baby,
I’ve been holding out the hope that Slate will succeed, and foster a rebirth of U.S. car manufacturers giving some attention to the market segment that likes to tinker, customize and do their own repairs.
This reviewer does not think it will happen: https://insideevs.com/news/773876/slate-truck-live-impressions-china/
His review is interesting in that he comments on how much the “customization” philosophy is a part of Chinese car culture and Chinese manufacturers lean into that. That was always a big part of U.S. automotive culture through the 1970s. Boys (it’s mostly a male thing) want to repair their own vehicles and add personal touches.
Mac on December 6, 2025 at 6:53 pm said:
I live in truck country and drive one myself, a fairly modest one. The CAFE rules don’t have all that much to do with the exorbitant cost of new trucks. These have become huge, luxurious, powerful vehicles seating at least four people in SUV comfort. Go stand beside one of the full sized ones. Check out the interior and the features and power. It’s a tribute to the engineers that they get more than ten mpg.
Vehicles in general have gotten incredibly expensive in recent years. This E.O. strikes me as typical Trump “this is simple, I’ll fix it by decree” grandstanding. And I voted for him so don’t accuse me of TDS.
Regulation has done much harm to diesels, and EVs have been cost shifting to ICE vehicles (EVs get carbon credits paid for by those buying ICE).
CAFE rules have long fucked up small trucks and cars. That is part of why people moved to large trucks and SUVs. Personally I like the smaller Toyota trucks of yesteryear. CAFE rules have tended to restrict the smaller trucks more than the larger ones.
https://images.hgmsites.net/hug/light-truck-fuel-economy-targets-under-cafe-standards-by-year-graph-john-briggs_100617043_h.jpg
I agree. And those little Toyota trucks also, or the Subaru Brat. It seems obvious, but no manufacturer does this.
Because of the CAFE standards, which I posed above for light trucks.