EPA Launches SmartWay Transport Partnership

11 liters) of diesel fuel each year, emitting over 350 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Facing a predicted 25% increase in these numbers by 2012, EPA launched a new program in February focused on making America’s freight industry more efficient and less polluting.

The SmartWaySM Transport Partnership was designed with three components. In the first, EPA is establishing partnerships with companies that carry freight and with shippers that hire those carriers. EPA has developed the FLEET (Freight Logistics Environmental and Energy Tracking) Performance model to help companies assess their current environmental performance (defined by the model as carbon dioxide and other emissions), evaluate a variety of improvements, and track their progress. Under the partnership, carriers commit to improving the environmental performance of their operations, and shippers commit to supporting SmartWay carriers for the majority of their shipping needs. Suggested strategies for carriers include using wide-base tires and low-viscosity lubricants, and reducing highway speeds and idling times. Suggested strategies for shippers include selecting the most efficient mode of transportation, combining orders to create full truckloads, and scheduling raw-material pick-ups to coincide with product deliveries. Each participating company must submit an outline of its strategy for improved performance and regularly report on its progress.