Fact Check

Bernie Sanders Isn't Planning to Ban Trucks in the United States

While Bernie Sanders has said he plans to improve the United States' rail system to combat climate change, he has not called for a ban on trucks.

Published March 15, 2016

 (Wikipedia)
Image Via Wikipedia
Claim:
Bernie Sanders plans on banning trucks in the United States.
What's True

Bernie Sanders said that an improved rail system could "take trucks off the road."

What's False

The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate plans on banning all trucks in the United States.

On 10 March 2016, the Facebook page Trucks Chicks And Funny Pics posted a short video of Bernie Sanders saying that he wanted to "take trucks off the road":

Bernie wants all trucks off the roadTaylor

Posted by Trucks Chicks and Funny Pics on Wednesday, March 9, 2016

The above-displayed video, which was viewed hundreds of thousands of times within five days of its initial posting, led some people to believe that the Democratic presidential candidate wanted to ban trucks and trucking in the United States.

While it's true that part of Sanders' campaign platform is focused on improving the rail system in the United States and reducing the number of trucks on the roads, he has not called for a complete ban on trucks. The video was taken from a campaign speech that Sanders delivered in Miami on 8 March 2016. Sanders made his comment about "taking trucks off the road" while discussing his proposal to combat climate change:

Sanders further explained his proposal on his web site. In neither the video nor the proposal published on the candidate's web site does Sanders call for any kind of "ban" on trucks. Instead, Sanders' proposal includes creating "clean, domestic alternatives" to fossil fuels and improving the nation's rail system:

Build electric vehicle charging stations. In a country where nearly 30 percent of carbon pollution emissions come from the transportation sector, it is imperative that we end our dependence on gasoline. Vehicles that run on electricity are more efficient than internal combustion engines and can be powered with renewable energy resources like wind and solar. We need to support the development of vehicle charging stations that will allow us to drive cleanly and sustainably.

Build high-speed passenger and cargo rail. Our nation’s rail system is largely obsolete, even though our energy-efficient railroads move more freight than ever, and Amtrak’s ridership has never been higher. While Amtrak’s fastest train travels at an average speed of just 65 mph, high-speed rail now crisscrosses most of Europe, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and China with trains that run up to 200 mph. Once we have a state-of-the-art rail system, we will not only be able to move passengers and cargo faster and more efficiently, we will make significant cuts in carbon pollution emissions that cause climate change and create millions of permanent family-wage jobs for electricians, pipe fitters and sheet-metal workers.

While it's true that Bernie Sanders has proposed to create a state-of-the-art rail system that would potentially take many trucks off the roads, the Democratic candidate has not proposed an all-out ban on trucks in the United States.

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.

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