Rolling Smokestacks: Cleaning Up America’s Trucks and Buses

The Union of Concerned Scientists report points out that although trucks account for just under 6% of the miles driven by highway vehicles in the U.S., they account for a tenth of all U.S. oil consumption and are responsible for a quarter of smog-causing pollution, over half the soot, and the majority of the cancer threat posed by air pollution in some urban areas. It lays out a design for a cleaner big-rig that slashes air emissions tenfold while doubling efficiency. It also maps the way to eliminate diesel from urban areas through the use of alternative fuels and advanced technologies.