EPA and 52 Freight Shippers

EPA and 52 Freight Shippers/Carriers Launch SmartWay Transport Partnership

Last month, EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt joined 52 freight shippers and carriers from around the nation to promote the SmartWay Transport Partnership, a major voluntary program to increase the energy efficiency and energy security of the U.S., while significantly reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The announcement was made at the American Trucking Association's Annual Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.

Two years ago, President Bush challenged every sector of the American economy to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the U.S. economy by 18 percent by 2012. EPA estimates the SmartWay Transport Partnership can achieve nearly 10 percent of Bush's goal. In addition, the adoption of SmartWay Transport's best practices in combination with the new regulations for reduction of sulfur in diesel fuel will have an immediate and large impact on meeting the nation's air quality standards.

The SmartWay Transport Partnership also furthers the purposes and objectives of the Climate VISION program, launched one year ago to assist industry in adopting improved practices, processes and energy technologies that are cost-effective, cleaner, more efficient and more capable of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.

SmartWay Transport partners can achieve fuel efficiency in a variety of ways, including automatic tire-inflation systems, the use of low-viscosity lubricants, reducing truck idling time, and improving routing and scheduling. SmartWay Transport fuel savings will result in reductions of at least 33 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxides.

Leavitt welcomed 37 new SmartWay Transport partners and expressed appreciation for the efforts of the 15 charter partners who worked closely with the Agency for more than a year to lay the groundwork and develop the goals for the partnership. Charter partners are Canon USA, Coca-Cola Enterprises, CSX Transportation, FedEx Express, H-E-B, IKEA North America, Interface, Nike, Norm Thompson Outfitters, Roadway Express, Schneider National, Swift Transportation, The Home Depot, UPS and Yellow Transportation.