LOUISVILLE. As the U.S. struggles with current economic issues, truck manufacturers and their suppliers need to “bring practical advice in advocating for the industry and our customers,” according to Daniel Ustian, chairman, president & CEO of Navistar International Corp.
Ustian, the keynote speaker at an annual Mid-America Trucking Show breakfast sponsored by the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Assn., pointed to the industry’s ability to deliver greatly reduce diesel emissions while also improving fuel efficiency as the kind of success it can achieve.
That success comes at a price – about $25,000 per tractor in 2010, he said. “We’re all in favor of protecting the environment, and given our achievements we should be part of (future) discussions about clean air,” Ustian told the HDMA group. Citing recent movement by states to individually regulate emissions, he added “government sometimes doesn’t understand the impact of these decisions.”
Other current hot issues, including health care, education, job creation and credit availability all have a major impact on truck manufacturing businesses and their customers, Ustian said. “These are key issues for all of us here,” he said. “We need to make it clear that business is not the problem, but that it’s the answer.”
