Truckers should love "cash for clunkers"

While pretty much everything America needs-- and wants, at least in good times!-- moves by truck, few business segments drive trucking like the auto industry.

So, if you ask me, pretty much anything that can boost the sale of new cars, domestic and imported, should be welcomed by the trucking indsutry. And so much so that fleet owners and indvidual truckers alike should lobby their U.S. Senators and Representatives to make whatever that is so.

What that is right now is legislation that would pay consumers "cash for clunkers" as a means to stimulate the sale of some one-million cars over a one-year period.

If the measure becomes law, consumers could receive $3,500 or $4,500 in government vouchers to use toward the purchase of new cars that get gas mileage exceeding that of their old cars by at least four miles per gallon, stated a news report posted today on CNNMoney.com.

Clunkers are romantic when they're in Havana. Here they may soon add up to something we can bank on.

The goal of the bill is actually twofold: Make it more affordable for Americans to buy brand-new cars and get less fuel-efficient older cars off the road faster-- to reduce our national dependence on foreign oil and our carbon footprint to boot.

The legislation appears to be moving forward as the Obama administration has signaled its support, according to CNNMoney.com, which quoted Ziad Ojakli, vp of government relations at Ford, as saying: "We are encouraged that President Obama and Congress have reached a compromise on consumer incentive legislation that will help jumpstart auto sales and the U.S. economy, while also providing environmental benefits and increasing energy security."

I'm encouraged, too, and hope they make this happen soon.