Keeping Freight Emissions Plans on Track Through Policy Uncertainty

In February 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the rescission of the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding and repealed all subsequent greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty on-highway vehicles and engines.

Legal challenges are already underway, so the ultimate timeline and scope of this change remain unsettled. 

What is clear is that federal GHG vehicle standards, as they previously existed, are no longer in effect at the federal level.

For shippers, the key questions are simple: does this change reporting, carrier expectations, or emissions planning? In most cases, the answer is no. Here is what you need to know.

Five Practical Questions for Shippers

1. Does this change Scope 3 freight emissions reporting?

For most shippers, day-to-day reporting does not change. Demand for freight emissions data comes primarily from customers, investors, and voluntary reporting frameworks, not from EPA vehicle GHG rules. Those expectations remain in place.

What matters most is consistency. Maintain the same methodology year to year, including boundaries, data sources, and assumptions, and document any changes.

Policy shifts may affect how quickly lower-carbon options scale, but they do not remove the need to measure and report freight emissions.

2. Does it change carrier requirements, or what should I expect from them?

Federal GHG vehicle rules have changed significantly. Traditional air quality rules, covering pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, have not. 

The EPA has explicitly stated that this action is limited to GHG emissions and does not affect criteria pollutant regulations. Engines will still need to meet those standards.

Fuel efficiency is also governed separately. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) operates its own fuel consumption standards program for heavy-duty vehicles. Fuel economy remains a key operational driver and typically reduces emissions intensity regardless of EPA GHG rules.

Ultimately, expectations for carriers should be driven by your business goals, not just regulatory minimums. If credible emissions reporting and efficiency progress matter to your organization, those expectations should be part of your carrier conversations.

3. Could state rules create a patchwork that affects my lanes or equipment?

Potentially, yes. Several states, including California, have historically maintained more stringent vehicle emissions programs. 

Whether and how those programs continue to operate alongside or independently of federal rules is still being sorted out legally and administratively.

The more immediate risk for shippers is inconsistency. Different carriers may face different requirements depending on where they operate, which can affect equipment investment timelines and documentation quality across your network.

4. What should I request from carriers to support consistent emissions reporting?

Ask for transparency, not just a number. Good documentation should clearly explain what the estimate is based on, which methodology was used, and what assumptions were made. 

Three key elements to request:

• Method transparency: Clear explanation of how emissions are calculated
• Continuity: Visibility into any year-over-year changes
• Documentation: A summary of the time period, assumptions, and approach

5. What should I watch next: courts, EPA actions, or state rules?

Start with the courts. Legal challenges to the rescission are already underway, and any court-ordered stays could pause or alter the rule’s implementation. 

Next, watch state-level programs. If states with existing clean vehicle rules continue independently, operational and reporting complexity is likely to increase.

Finally, monitor customer expectations and reporting frameworks. Market-driven demand for freight emissions data has been growing for years, largely independent of federal regulation.

How A. Duie Pyle Is Supporting Customers

Regulatory changes do not change how emissions data is measured, reported, or supported across the Pyle network.

Customers can expect:

• Consistent emissions reporting
• Clear, audit-ready documentation 
• Access to lower-carbon options, including renewable diesel

Pyle also participates in third-party evaluations as part of its broader sustainability efforts, including EcoVadis and CDP, providing independent, comparable sustainability data.

For questions about how these changes may affect your reporting or planning, contact [email protected].

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