Trucking celebrates Earth Day

Trucking suppliers have gotten into the spirit of today’s Earth Day festivities, unveiling green initiatives in an attempt to be more environmentally responsive.

Mack Trucks is sponsoring a community dialogue at the Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown, PA to raise environmental awareness. Entitled “Yes, in my backyard!” the discussion will speak of ways communities and individuals can improve the environment and will be followed by interactive activities for children this weekend.

Mack has also launched a new section of its website highlighting the truckmaker’s environmental footprint and improvements made at its North American production, development and administrative facilities, the company said.

“Being ‘green’ is a consideration in everything we do,” said Dennis Slagle, Mack president & CEO. “We’ve made significant advancements in our products and operations from an environmental standpoint. This new website is a great way to share what we’re doing with our customers, employees, public officials and neighbors in this community,” he added.

According to the company, the ‘Mack Trucks and the Environment’ subpage includes environmental activities and achievements of individual Mack facilities, an emissions calculator to compare new Mack engines and truck models to their predecessors, information on corporate environmental initiatives, and a look ahead at technological advances that will impact Mack in the future.

Navistar used Earth Day as the occasion to announce that American Electric Power (AEP) has purchased 18 new International hybrid utility trucks that will be operated in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. According to Navistar, the trucks can improve fuel economy by up to 60% while reducing emissions and greenhouse gases.

In addition, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. announced today it has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay Transport Partnership.

"We continue to do our part for the environment with our innovative technologies that reduce tire rolling resistance and energy use at all facilities and eliminate all waste disposal in landfills. We also offer solution-based business tools that calculate fuel consumption and help fleets lower their costs of operation, said Steve McClellan, Goodyear vp of commercial tire systems.

SmartWay is a collaboration between the trucking industry and the EPA aimed at increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Navistar also released a tip sheet of five things the public may not realize about the greening of the transportation industry, including:

• New technology gives trucks the in-cab power to not have to idle.

• Not all trucks are gas-guzzlers.

• Hybrid trucks are currently in production, with 100 Navistar hybrids in service at utility companies.

• School buses, through clean diesel technology, are more fuel-efficient while emitting fewer pollutants, with Navistar’s IC Bus currently producing a line of hybrids.

• Due to EPA emissions requirements, diesel engines burn cleaner due to Ultra Low-Sulfur Diesel (ULSD).

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