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By now, you’re well aware of President Obama’s announcement that he will direct the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation to set the next — i.e., the post-2018 — round of medium- and heavy-truck fuel economy and emissions standards.

Reaction to President Obama’s call for tighter carbon dioxide emissions rules for trucks poured in quickly with the first wave of comment generally offering approval, although there were also calls for caution, including from American Trucking Associations.

The United States wants to do business with truck fleets that are more fuel-efficient, better for the environment and cheaper to operate.

California legislators have approved a pair of bills that would provide funding to help fleets purchase low-emission trucks and encourage the development and use of alternative-fuel trucks.

Less-than-truckload carrier Central Freight Lines Inc. has added 100 Freightliner compressed natural gas-powered tractors to its fleet of more than 1,600 trucks, the companies announced.

The Maryland Motor Truck Association will oppose a transportation funding plan put forth by Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) that includes a new sales tax on motor fuel and a 5-cent reduction in the gasoline tax but not in the diesel tax.

Trucking fleets wasted some $27 billion on fuel and wages as their vehicles sat in traffic jams around the country during 2011, according to a new report from Texas A&M University’s Transportation Institute.