Eight Steps Toward Greener Trucking

The transportation industry is one of the top polluters in the United States — accounting for 28% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to the EPA. Trucks alone make up 23% of that number. 

On top of that, road congestion costs the U.S. economy $179 billion each year — with the average commuter spending 54 hours in traffic, according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.

What can the transportation industry do to help lower emissions and move to a more sustainable environment? Some European countries will phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2030. In the U.S., California and Massachusetts are halting the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The EPA has created standards that reduce the sulfur content of diesel fuels, is cracking down on shops that sell and install aftermarket devices that defeat the emission control systems of diesel engines, and is awarding multi-million dollar grants to states working to support clean diesel projects.

“Greening" the transportation industry will involve much more than deploying fleets of electric trucks. Here are eight steps carriers can take now:

• Cut deadhead miles. Nobody wants an empty truck on a return trip. Fortunately, fleet matching systems enable truckers to find another load, so they don’t drive trucks empty. By optimizing driver routes and reducing deadhead miles, you can reduce wasted miles by 10% without impacting service quality. 
• Reduce idling. Trucks idling in rest-stops or at the dock generate significant pollution every minute. Bringing down idle time is an excellent way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Heavy-duty line-haul trucks idle about 30%-50% of the time the engine is running. While drivers are resting, they often idle their engines to keep on heaters or air conditioning. Engine idling also powers sleeper car accessories like refrigerators and televisions. Drivers waiting in line at a yard or distribution center will idle their trucks, often for hours as they wait. By scheduling appointments for deliveries and monitoring arrivals/departures of trucks at facilities, drivers can reduce idling time, which will decrease emissions and waste. 
• Encourage corporate/in-house sustainability. Encourage employees to participate in sustainability goals by operating in a 100% digital capacity, including electronic signatures on documents, email transmission of documents and virtual meetings over in-person meetings. Keep a supply of healthy snacks and food items free of charge to encourage office-bound employees to remain at the office instead of driving to restaurants for lunch.
• Connect to more devices. A high level of connectivity and data sharing supports visibility and track-and-trace functions, all of which help you better manage efficiency and costs. If a driver goes off route, a dispatcher will be alerted to the situation and can find out why. By ensuring drivers follow optimized routes, you can better meet sustainability targets. 
• Integrate with other industry solutions. When you choose to integrate with software or apps that lower gas mileage while filling trucks fuller, you’re doing your part to green your fleet. Apps exist that help truckers find fuel along their route lower in cost than other outlets. These include Google Maps, Trucker Path and Gas Buddy, among others. Factoring apps can help reduce paper usage by automating the invoice and payment process. Truckers upload documents via mobile devices, and payments go directly into their bank account, circumventing any need for paper. 
• Digitize paper processes. Integrating with partners in the transportation ecosystem who support the digital upload of documents can help reduce paper use. This includes proof of delivery, customer chain (cold chain), freight bills/invoices/payments, etc.
• Optimize routing. Use step-by-step instructions that incorporate the most direct path and reduce out-of-route miles. Smart trip plans and an optimized transportation route include where the driver can get gas along the existing route so that additional miles do not need to be added. Smart trip planning provides the most advantageous stops for fuel and rest and helps to lower mileage.

Shipments of U.S. goods are expected to grow 23.5% by 2025, according to the EPA. As the number of shipments increases, strategic investments in carrier efficiency and technology will be key to reducing carbon emissions.

Shaman Ahuja is head of Axele TMS.

Read more of SupplyChainBrain's 2022 Supply Chain ESG Guide here.