WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today introduced the bipartisan Supporting Trucking Efficiency and Emission Reductions (STEER) Act, a bill that would create a Department of Energy (DOE) voucher program to assist truckers in purchasing and installing fuel-saving, emission-reducing technologies on their trucks. Specifically, the voucher program would cover costs associated with adopting fuel-efficient technologies on Class 8 trucks, significantly reducing the up-front cost of materials and installation.

“The trucking industry is a vital part of our economy, and it’s critical that we take steps to help make these vehicles more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective,” said Senator Peters. “The STEER Act is a commonsense solution that will help us modernize the trucking industry, reduce emissions, and create jobs.”

The STEER Act would provide vouchers to truckers who install fuel-efficient technologies on their trucks, such as aerodynamic improvements, tire pressure monitoring systems, and waste heat recovery systems. These technologies can reduce fuel consumption by up to 15% and can cut national fuel consumption by 4.5 billion gallons a year, saving truckers money and reducing emissions.

“The bipartisan STEER Act is an important bill that achieves two goals simultaneously. The legislation will have an immediate, dramatic reduction on carbon emissions for the current generation of diesel trucks, while also speeding up the transition to tomorrow's alternative fuel vehicles through an investment in American technologies. By gaining better aerodynamics, trucks can increase range while also lowering emissions, helping truckers and fleets save time, fuel and money. This legislation is a true win-win-win for the trucking industry, the environment, and the American economy and I congratulate Senator Peters and Senator Ricketts for their leadership on this issue,” said Daniel Burrows, founder and CEO of TruckLabs. 

“The ICCT is very encouraged to see the STEER Act advancing through the legislative process in Congress. This voucher program for trucking fleets can accelerate market penetration of emission reducing technologies for trucks by creating a program to significantly reduce the up-front cost of installing these technologies. This legislation can help enable the trucking industry to cost-effectively install these systems on both new and existing trucks. Perhaps the most attractive aspect of this program is that the technologies can have energy and emissions savings benefits no matter what the truck is powered by – be it diesel, natural gas, or even electricity. The STEER Act is a clear win for both industry and the environment, and we look forward to hopefully seeing it fully enacted very soon,” said Ben Sharpe, a regional lead at the International Council on Clean Transportation.

The STEER Act is supported by a broad coalition of industry and environmental groups, including the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE), International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), Clean Fuels Alliance America, Western Express, Covenant Logistics, Hexagon Agility, TruckLabs, Aperia Technologies, and Derive Systems.

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