Reg rollbacks far reaching for CVs, trucking

While tariffs and trade policy are adding to market uncertainty amid the longest freight recession in most folks’ memory, there’s one thing to be sure of: The Trump administration will roll back regulations. Your mileage may vary as to whether this regulatory shift for commercial vehicles and the trucking industry is good news or not.

These policy reversals and new initiatives, driven by a broad deregulatory agenda, promise to reshape the market for fleets and manufacturers alike, impacting everything from emissions standards to operational freedoms and the future of autonomous vehicles.

Key among these shifts are the proposed rescission of the 2009 Endangerment Finding, the official withdrawal of the contentious speed limiter mandate, the introduction of a comprehensive “Pro-Trucker Package,” and a complex legal battle over California’s clean air waivers.

EPA moves to undo GHG limits

At the forefront of the administration’s deregulatory efforts is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to rescind the 2009 endangerment finding, a landmark document that recognized public health dangers from global greenhouse gas pollution and laid the groundwork for GHG standards for trucks.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced this proposal, stating that its finalization would “end 16 years of uncertainty for automakers and American consumers” and eliminate “a trillion dollars or more in hidden taxes on American businesses and families.”

The finding, which deemed six specific gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride) a threat to public health, is considered essential for all carbon dioxide regulations, including those affecting truck manufacturers and California Air Resources Board waivers.

If successfully revoked, the endangerment finding would rescind all GHG standards for vehicles and engines, profoundly altering the market for fleet vehicles and components. The American Trucking Associations and the Clean Freight Coalition have voiced strong support, welcoming a “path of common sense” and opposing what they call “unattainable targets” that harm the industry and jeopardize the supply chain.

However, CARB—whose heavy-duty emissions regulations heavily rely on the finding—has denounced the move. Craig Segall, a former CARB official, argued that it “doesn’t help the trucking industry,” instead penalizing fleets that have committed to electric trucks and creating significant market instability.

The path to revocation is far from simple, however, involving the rulemaking process and numerous court challenges.

Should the revocation succeed, its repercussions would be significant across all U.S. commercial vehicle fleets.

Beyond the endangerment finding, the EPA is also working to lessen the consequences of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) issues. New guidance for MY2027 diesel engines will require them to avoid sudden and severe power loss, or de-rates, when running out of DEF, implementing a tiered power loss system. This allows for no performance changes for up to 650 miles or 10 hours, a mild de-rate after 4,200 miles or 80 hours, and a 25 mph limit only after 8,400 miles or 160 hours.

Speed limiter mandate dropped

The Department of Transportation has officially withdrawn its proposed speed limiter mandate for heavy vehicles. This move concludes a contentious, decades-long debate.

FMCSA and NHTSA justified the withdrawal by citing “significant data gaps” in previous rulemakings regarding potential safety benefits and economic impacts, concluding that the mandate could have constituted federal overreach. They also pointed to advancements in other crash avoidance technologies and the negative impact of speed differentials.

The federal government’s interest in CMV speed limiters dates back to the 1980s, with a 1991 study supporting the idea but questioning the magnitude of benefits. Federal interest was renewed in 2006 by petitions from groups including the ATA. However, the current withdrawal was met with widespread applause from industry groups like the ATA, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, and the National Private Truck Council.

Pro-Trucker Package launched

The withdrawal of the speed limiter mandate is a key component of the DOT’s new “Pro-Trucker Package,” announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

This package is part of President Trump’s executive order on “Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers” and aims to improve the lives of truckers.

Key actions in the Pro-Trucker Package include:

• Expanding truck parking: Advancing over $275 million in funding and opening new grant programs.
• Removing certain mandates: Officially withdrawing the speed limiter proposed rulemaking.
• Modernizing driver resources: FMCSA launching user-friendly digital assets, updating the Consumer Complaint database, and making the DataQ system more transparent.
• Removing red tape and addressing bad actors: FMCSA proposing to eliminate 1,800 words from federal regulations and renewing focus on unlawful double brokering.

Industry leaders Chris Spear (ATA) and Todd Spencer (OOIDA) lauded the package, emphasizing its role in reducing regulatory burdens, enhancing safety, and addressing long-standing issues like truck parking shortages and hours of service flexibility.

CARB sues EPA, OEMs sue CARB

A highly complex and contentious legal battle is unfolding regarding California’s authority to set its own stringent emissions standards.

President Trump used the Congressional Review Act to overturn three of the U.S. EPA’s decisions to grant California waivers, including its Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), and Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Omnibus regulations. This action immediately led to a lawsuit by California against the EPA, known as California v. EPA, which is expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

In the wake of Trump’s actions, four major North American truck makers—Daimler Truck North America, International, Paccar, and Volvo Group North America—filed their own lawsuit against CARB, titled Daimler Truck North America LLC et al v. CA Air Resources Board et al.

These OEMs claim they are “caught in the crossfire” between conflicting federal directives to ignore California’s standards and California’s insistence that they honor commitments made under the Clean Truck Partnership (CTP). The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered the OEMs to cease compliance with CARB, while California, challenging the legality of the CRA resolutions, insists the CTP must be honored.

The OEMs argue that California demands they follow “preempted laws” and has threatened sanctions for non-compliance, while they face practical challenges like sluggish battery-electric vehicle adoption, inadequate charging infrastructure, and rising electricity costs. They seek a court declaration that CARB’s recent waiver submissions are invalid and to be released from their CTP commitments.

However, environmental advocates and former CARB officials were sharply critical of the OEMs. Guillermo Ortiz of the Natural Resources Defense Council called the lawsuit a “cynical reversal of course” and “bad faith,” injecting instability into the market. Craig Segall of CARB expressed incredulity, questioning whether companies understood how to “sell their own products” by “burning your regulators and destroying shareholder value.”

The two central CARB rules in dispute are the Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus (tightening NOx standards for diesel engines) and the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation (requiring rising sales of zero-emission trucks, targeting 40% of new Class 7/8 sales as ZEVs by 2032).

CARB had also sought a waiver for Advanced Clean Fleets, which would mandate 100% ZEV for certain fleets by 2035 or later, but this request was withdrawn after Lee Zeldin became EPA administrator.

FTC closes OEM investigation

Complicating matters further, the Federal Trade Commission recently closed its antitrust investigation into the four plaintiff OEMs for joining the CTP. The FTC had raised concerns about the OEMs (which control 99% of U.S. heavy-duty truck sales) potentially being forced to produce ZEV engines despite invalidated regulations, lacking competitive abuse provisions, and having terms with limited political oversight.

In response, the OEMs stated the CTP is “unenforceable” and pledged not to enforce its terms against competitors or enter similar agreements. The FTC’s Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition declared that CARB’s “regulatory overreach posed a major threat” and that the CTP is now “squarely in the rearview mirror.”

The CTP was initially a deal where OEMs received concessions (like aligned 2027 NOx standards and charging infrastructure support) in exchange for agreeing to follow CARB’s emissions and EV sales goals and, critically, not challenging its regulations or authority. This “diesel détente” was met with initial criticism from groups like the ATA.

Autonomous vehicles and the road ahead

In another area of future-forward regulation, NHTSA has released new steps to develop a unified regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles (AVs), emphasizing principles of prioritizing safety, unleashing innovation, and enabling commercial deployment.

These steps include easing crash reporting requirements under the Standing General Order for Crash Reporting and expanding eligible vehicles under the Automated Vehicle Exemption Program.

While the outcome of many of these changes, particularly those facing legal challenges from California and environmental groups, remains uncertain, they represent a significant departure from previous policies and will continue to shape the commercial vehicle market for years to come.