Sen. John Warner (R-VA) introduced S. 3266, the Immediate Steps to Conserve Gasoline Act. This binding legislation calls on both the federal government and Congress to conserve gasoline by lowering their usage 3 percent for one year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will conduct a study to determine whether future reductions are technically feasible. The bill also asks the Energy Information Administration to study the effects of imposing a national speed limit of 60 miles per hour.

Letter from Sen. Warner to Secretary Bodman, urging him to examine how America faced rising gas prices in 1974-1975.

Download this Real World Vehicle Efficiency Report form and calculate your savings.

For a vehicle traveling at high speed, reducing its speed increases fuel economy. In general, at speeds over approximately 35 to 45 mph, if a vehicle reduces its speed by 5 mph, its fuel economy can increase by about 5 to 10 percent, because air resistance, or drag, increases exponentially as a vehicle goes faster. Conversely, air resistance diminishes more rapidly as a vehicle slows down, thus increasing its fuel economy. According to existing literature and knowledgeable stakeholders, there is no single speed that optimizes fuel economy for all vehicles. Optimal speed for fuel economy for individual vehicles ranges widely, but is generally between 30 and 60 mph, depending on a vehicle's characteristics. However, a vehicle's fuel economy also depends on other factors besides air resistance. Factors that enhance fuel economy include engine efficiency enhancements (e.g., fuel injection), electronic and computer controls, more efficient transmissions, and hybrid technology. However, other factors decrease fuel economy. In general, over the last 2 decades, fuel economy gains resulting from advances in automotive technologies have largely been offset by increases in vehicle weight, performance, and accessory loads. Specifically, vehicles are heavier than in the past, because they are larger and include more technologies. Further, increased accessory loads, such as air conditioning and electronics, have also reduced fuel economy. According to EPA, from 1987 through 2004, on a fleetwide basis, technology innovation was utilized exclusively to support market-driven attributes other than fuel economy, such as performance. Beginning in 2005, however, according to EPA's analysis of fuel economy trends, technology has been used to increase both performance and fuel economy, while keeping vehicle weight relatively constant. Lowering speed limits can potentially reduce total fuel consumption.

Politicians panic over declining gas tax revenue creating a shortfall for the (bloated) Highway Fund and the result on July 23, 2008 was H.R. 6532 is a short-term solution to a much broader problem ... and critics say congress can't act quickly when an emergency arises!

A 1995 EPA Memo outlining the impact of repealing the 55 MPH speed limit.

One page Drive 55 Conservation Project Action Plan.

Comments for the Joint California Energy Commission/Air Resources Board Staff Hearing on a California Strategy to Reduce Petroleum Dependence June 6, 2003 Docket# 1-SRPD-01