The Trump administration wants to roll back federal environmental regulations governing the transportation industry while working with Congress to limit how states can impose powertrain mandates.
After making little deregulatory impacts during his first term, Trump 2.0 came into office with a multifaceted strategy to tear down what the administration considers burdensome environmental rules and goals.
See also: Clean Freight Coalition sees light at end of Trump’s deregulation tunnel
“It’s sort of been fast and furious. I think one thing that has really stood out to me, and this is really in comparison to the first Trump administration, is that we’re really seeing kind of a multipronged approach to getting after these rules,” Lydia Vieth, an ACT Research analyst, told FleetOwner during the latest “Market Pulse” episode on the FleetOwner YouTube channel.
The trucking industry could feel some regulatory relief and an opportunity to seek realistic decarbonization goals with alternative fuels such as natural gas, which were left out of Biden Era rulemaking that aimed to push the trucking industry into cleaner, yet unproven technology.
Vieth shared a 30-year regulatory timeline—dating back 15 years to 2010 and out 15 years to 2040—that shows what’s at stake with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s plans to dismantle years of federal rulemaking.
The Trump administration targets heavy-duty focused Greenhouse Gas Emissions Phase 3, amending EPA 2027 rules and California Air Resources Board federal waivers. It’s working with Congress on the Transportation Freedom Act.
What does this mean for the future of trucking companies, manufacturers, and suppliers in 2025 and beyond? Watch the entire discussion on FleetOwner’s YouTube channel. Please take the time to like the video and subscribe so you don’t miss future Market Pulse episodes and other FleetOwner multimedia content.
