SUVOA reacts to the CAFE mark up

Barry W. McCahill, president of SUV Owners of America (SUVOA), reacted negatively on the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

In his statement, he said the Senate Committee is in a hurry to do something to minimize the country’s foreign oil dependence and lessen greenhouse effect in the atmosphere, but is actually doing something to hurt more consumers.

This week, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved the CAFE, which according to McCahill, would dramatically increase fuel economy standards for several types of vehicles including SUVs. For the first time, the legislation would affect the fuel economy mandates to heavy tractor-trailers and buses.

With the goal of minimizing oil dependency on foreign countries, fuel economy requirements, which were initiated more than 30 years ago, are put back in place. McCahill recalls in 1975 America got 35 percent of its oil from other countries. And today, the country’s oil import value increased by almost 50 percent. With this, he pointed that it is an energy policy which did not succeed. He asserted the failed legislation will be implemented once again. He firmly said that the CAFE is a tired horse with a not so good performance.

Definitely, because of the high prices of gas, Americans, especially SUV and light truck owners, would want to get the excellent fuel economy. Consequently, to lower the gas price, the US needs to lessen foreign oil dependency.

MaCahill further stated family needs, business uses, leisure, and lifestyle are also factors taken into consideration in deciding a vehicle to buy. These, according to him are factors apparently being taken for granted by the Congress when talking about the auto mobile industry.

McCahill thinks CAFE will certainly increase prices of new vehicles, thereby limiting consumer choices. He reacted that the proposal to apply CAFE standards to medium- and heavy-duty trucks with 4 percent annual increases is beyond the human reason and will, with great certainty, result in large increases in the prices of commodities delivered by truck to different communities all over the country.

He suggested that US should not anymore use oil, rather bio-fuels to lessen foreign oil dependency. He further suggested that new technologies like highly fuel-efficient clean diesels be given incentives. According to him, only then will America be in progress towards cutting oil use. A clean environment is a bonus.

German auto makers like Daimler Chrysler, since they have US markets, are expected to react on the said legislation. Daimler Chrysler is maker of durable Mercedes Benz fuel pump.

A non-profit educational organization, SUVOA, is aimed at supporting the rights and serving the interests of 85 million SUV and light truck owners.

Dwyane Thomas is a part time cook and full-time auto-enthusiast. This 31-year old Civil and Environmental graduate is a consultant at one of the engineering firms in Pennsylvania.