The American Trucking Associations (ATA), the Colorado Motor Carriers Association (CMCA) and Penske Truck Leasing are among nine recipients of the 2017 SmartWay affiliate challenge award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“We take tremendous pride in receiving this award for the seventh time and for the sixth consecutive year. It is a testament to the remarkable progress our industry has made toward energy efficiency and environmental sustainability,” noted Chris Spear, ATA’s president and CEO, in a statement.
“Our federation is fully committed to reducing fuel use and emissions, setting our industry on a road to a sustainable future that shrinks our environmental footprint and boosts our bottom line,” he added.
EPA praised ATA in a statement for helping to advance freight efficiency policies through its work with state partners, outside stakeholders and international groups such as the Japanese Trucking Association.
“EPA commends the SmartWay Affiliate Challenge honorees for their extraordinary level of commitment and enthusiasm in supporting more efficient and sustainable business practices in moving goods,” noted Christopher Grundler, director of EPA’s office of transportation and air quality.
“These organizations represent diverse industry sectors and stakeholders who are showing that American prosperity and protecting the environment can go hand in hand,” he said.
EPA honored CMCA for using SmartWay criteria in a statewide awards program, offering assistance to small fleets interested in becoming SmartWay partners and educating state legislators on the benefits of developing a preference in contract awards for freight companies that demonstrate sustainability practices.
Penske was singled out for enrolling three new carriers into the SmartWay program, helping customers establish fuel economy benchmarks and completing a SmartWay tractor logo campaign for a customer.
"Being recognized as a five-time honoree is quite an accomplishment," stated Drew Cullen, Penske Truck Leasing’s senior vice president of fuels and facility services. "We appreciate the opportunity to consistently provide our customers with the means to enhance, or to create, quality sustainability programs that support their business models."
The other winners are the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA), North Central Texas Council of Governments, the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association and Wisconsin Clean Cities.
The voluntary SmartWay program, launched in 2004, is credited for saving more than $25 billion in fuel costs and cutting carbon emissions by 73 million metric tons according to EPA data.
