Innovation Exchange

Transportation

Passenger Fleets, Delivery and Freight

Transportation

The link between transportation and global warming is clear: In the U.S., vehicles account for over 20 percent of the pollution causing global warming.

At the same time, the opportunity for progress in transportation has never been greater. With new technology, tools and information, companies can reduce pollution from their car and truck fleets, position themselves as good corporate citizens and reduce costs.

Measure your emissions and set goals

  • Understand your fleet’s current greenhouse gas emissions - “What gets measured gets managed” holds true for emissions as well. Simple calculations allow you to track greenhouse gas emissions based on fuel consumption and the number of miles traveled by your entire fleet.
  • Create a baseline - Establish a greenhouse gas baseline for your fleet by collecting fuel consumption data. If available, we suggest reviewing data from the past few years to identify any unusual trends in fuel consumption and therefore, emissions.
  • Develop a goal - Based on your current operations, strategies to increase fuel efficiency and corporate objectives, establish aggressive, but achievable emissions reduction goals and time lines for your fleet.

Reduce your emissions and increase fuel efficiency

  • Improve vehicle selection - Select the right size, choose “best-in-class”, evaluate total lifecycle costs.
  • Improve vehicle use - Educate drivers on how to drive efficiently, improve maintenance.
  • Incorporate new technology - Routing software, telematics, and hybridized systems are but a handful of available options to reduce emissions.

Take advantage of incentives

  • There are a variety of federal, state and local incentive programs to help you buy the best delivery truck for your fleet.

Measure and report progress

  • Track annual fuel consumption and emissions. Measure and report progress against your greenhouse gas baseline and goals.

Examples: What transportation companies are doing

  • FedEx, the world's largest express transportation company, partnered with EDF to develop a cleaner, more fuel-efficient delivery truck. Now a revolution is under way in the hybrid truck industry. With the help of incentive programs, more than 1,000 hybrid trucks will be on the road in North America by 2009 in fleets such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola and utilities around the country.
  • In concert with their fleet management company, PHH Arval, corporations like Abbot Labs, Dupont, Owens Corning and Infinity Insurance have implemented a five-step “Green Fleet” framework to reduce both emissions and operating costs in their passenger vehicle fleets.
  • Virgin Airlines is exploring the use of biofuels for jet fuel and, along with several other airlines, is offering passengers the option to buy carbon offsets to offset their flight's emissions.

Posted: 29-Oct-2008; Updated: 26-May-2009

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