The Reason Why Are Trucks Getting Bigger

This feels more like a political statement than a researched perspective. Is there proof that the F-150 of perhaps 2007 is smaller than that or 2012? Did the truck sizes change to become smaller once the emissions rule was revoked?

I volunteer to help manage parking lots and I've definitely noticed that vehicles are getting larger and larger.

The emissions rule was relaxed/revoked by Trump, however California maintained the higher standard (and the auto manufacturers sided with California). So because California has those standards and manufacturers want to be able to sell in California, nothing changed.

Even if the rule was revoked and manufacturers could make cars smaller again, they wouldn't because of marketing. Who would want to buy a new truck that is smaller than the last?

F-150 11th gen (2004-2008) SuperCrew 6.5' length: 5,989 mm, width 2004 mm

F-150 13th gen (2015-2020) SuperCrew 6.5' length: 6,190 mm, width 2029 mm

CAFE is a huge driver of truck sizes and this has been known for many years. There is consumer demand in there as well, and once one of the big three go bigger the rest have to follow, but if the CAFE rules didn't take size into account it would be far, far harder for auto makers to increase the size since there is a fuel consumption penalty for more mass and frontal area.

One of the big differences between pickups like the F-150 of the mid 2000's and now, is almost every truck now is a 4-door. Back then, they were 'extended cab' trucks with a very, very small bench in the back. And then for a few years (up till around 2006 or 07, they were uncommon, but had a small set of doors for the back seat (sometimes opening backwards so there was no pillar between, giving more room to climb in)

Feels very, very much like a clumsy attempt at a gotcha attack on Obama.

The truth, of course, is that ALL car and truck sizes in the US have been rapidly increasing for several decades now, and Obama had absolutely nothing to do with that. Pickup-truck culture had a lot to do with it, but isn't entirely to blame: look at the current Honda Civic vs. a 1980 model or a 1990 model.

most "1/2 ton" trucks like the F-150 have been near the legal max width (80") without needing extra lights for a long time, so that won't ever grow much bigger. Length looks to be very similar throughout the 2000s but generally it grew by a couple of inches depending on the config. Weight is also not hugely different. You would probably see a trend towards 4-door trucks that would elongate them on average and there has been a very clear trend towards increased frontal area and worse forward vision.

That said, this is the same time period where the old Ranger died which was one of the few compact pickups left. when it came back it grew to a midsize and it wasn't until a decade after the ranger died that Ford release the Maverick, which is compact but doesn't have the towing capability or long bed options of the decade old ranger.

So point being, I think there is a grain of truth to what the author is saying, but the evidence isn't well laid out and he should have presented more data about the various trucks available across the 2010's to make a stronger point.