Move the most freight consuming the least amount of fuel. The
concept is simple, the benefits obvious and multiple, the value
irresistible. Even the theoretical path to achieving maximum
fuel efficiency in a truck is fairly clear. The problem is you
have to do it in the real world, a place where there are huge
variations in driver skills, road conditions, load
characteristics, and hundreds of other variables big and small
that all contrive to consume their extra little piece of the
fuel pie.  But if you believe it's a worthwhile goal, you need
to start somewhere. It might be a few decades behind fleet
owners, but the federal government now believes in that goal.
And it also believes it knows where to start — with the truck
itself. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have been
ordered to come up with performance standards that will push
truck fuel efficiency as much as 20% above today's levels in
graduated steps starting as soon as 2014.  The