The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a joint proposed rule that will establish better fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty vehicles. “Tractor-trailers, school buses, delivery vans, garbage trucks and heavy-duty pickup trucks” are among the vehicles covered by the standards, according to AP.

The standards would apply to vehicles manufactured from model years 2014 to 2018 and would require anywhere between a 7 and 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption and subsequent emissions. They are expected to “reduce GHG emissions by about 250 million metric tons and save 500 million barrels of oil over the lives of the vehicles produced within the program’s first five years,” according to EPA.

The Natural Resources Defense Council praised the proposal, but clean vehicles expert Luke Tonachel also said, “The National Academies have shown that cost-effective, clean-vehicle technologies exist that can go beyond the EPA and DOT proposal and more than double the pollution and fuel savings.”

The standards mark the latest accomplishment in a growing record EPA (with the help of DOT) has developed in regard to climate change. As detailed in OMB Watch’s September report, The Obama Approach to Public Protections: Rulemaking, EPA has finalized several rules that will limit greenhouse gas emissions, including one for light-duty, passenger vehicles and another for stationary sources like refineries and power plants.

In May, President Obama directed the agencies to develop the standards. He had support from the trucking industry which is expected to save big in reduced transportation costs. The agencies will accept public comment on the proposals for 60 days upon publication in the Federal Register.