Editorial: Eye on gas guzzlers

Monday, Dec. 29, 2003 | 9:30 a.m.

It seems now that every other car passing by on the roads is a large pickup truck or SUV. Most of them have a driver, but no passengers. And the pickup trucks, which began life decades ago as essential vehicles out on the farm or ranch, are clean as a whistle -- that highway commute to and from work doesn't really give them much of a challenge.

With larger vehicles now a top choice among consumers, whether they're needed or not, the federal government is finally waking up to the fact that they should meet federal fuel economy standards, which are imposed on regular cars. Most SUVs and pickup trucks are exempt from any standards for gas mileage.

Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta is one of the top officials in the Bush administration supporting the idea of setting standards for SUVs and pickups. So far, however, all we've heard is talk. The administration's energy bill does not address the issue and President Bush has said that new or higher fuel standards will cost jobs. It's about time that larger family vehicles were considered for fuel standards. We hope this talk translates into action.