Transplace, a provider of transportation management services and logistics technology, along with PepsiCo, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and carriers including J B Hunt, Con-way, Western Express, Smith Transport, and Dart Transit, recently announced the results of a survey conducted of more than 65 transportation carriers. This survey was designed to gain insight into the implementation of EPA’s SmartWay program and other fleet fuel efficiency initiatives.
The survey results, presented during the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ (CSCMP) annual conference recently, detailed which fuel-efficiency initiatives fleets are deploying, as well as implementation challenges and return on investment (ROI).
With transportation-related emissions accounting for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, demand for corporate citizenship and leadership has increased. SmartWay offers information to help make innovative carrier, modal, and technology decisions that improve performance, save fuel, and reduce costs. The SmartWay program delivers standardized tools and information needed to help the freight sector measure, benchmark, and report supply chain environmental performance.
“Striving for cleaner, more efficient transportation is a key part of PepsiCo’s commitment to making environmentally sustainable practices part of our daily operations,” said Mike O’Connell, senior director–fleet operations for PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America division. “Co-sponsoring this survey with Transplace led to valuable insights from the participating carriers that we believe will benefit leaders across the industry who are striving to make their fleets more efficient.”
Of the initiatives studied, the highest ROI came from highway speed reduction, driving training, and progressive shifting. These actions—along with recording engine data for greater driver feedback—also were the most commonly implemented among the carriers surveyed. Additionally, many carriers are implementing aerodynamic mirrors and verified low-rolling-resistance tires. Other initiatives, including tire pressure monitoring systems and gap reducers, had a more limited deployment across the fleets. Some fleets have implemented such initiatives with expected ROI, and other fleets are either still evaluating these initiatives or have had more mixed results after implementation.
To learn more about Transplace, visit www.transplace.com.
