Vice President Al Gore announced a new partnership between the federal government and the truck industry designed to make commercial vehicles safer and more fuel efficient. Gore was joined at the announcement by industry CEOs, union leaders, and federal officials such as Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson, Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, and EPA head Carol Browner. The partnership between the government and industry groups adds $47 million to an existing $95 million designed to make dramatic advances in fuel economy on four classes of commercial trucks and buses that account for more than 90 percent of all fuel used by such vehicles. The Diesel Technology Forum, a new organization formed to promote informed discussion of the technological, environmental, health, economic, and regulatory issues surrounding the use of diesel power, has announced its support of the “21st Century Truck Initiative.” Gore praised the “21st Century Truck Initiative” as “an important step toward a cleaner and stronger economy.” Within 10 years, the partnership aims to develop “production prototypes” that would triple the fuel economy of 18-wheelers and exceed emission standards by reducing air pollutants.