When you hear terms like “green logistics” or “sustainable trucking,” your mind probably goes to electric trucks. But sustainable logistics isn’t just about going electric. New technology breakthroughs are yielding advances that are better for both the environment and your bottom line – without upgrading to electric trucks.
Below, learn all about the latest sustainable, eco-friendly fleet management and trucking practices that can save you money while reducing carbon emissions.
Why is Sustainable Trucking Important?
Trucks transport over 70% of American freight, hauling more than 11 billion tons in 2024 alone. We rely on trucking to deliver the goods that help our businesses and homes run smoothly. However, the vast majority of American trucks run on diesel, a major contributor to ground-level ozone pollution.
Medium and large trucks contribute to nearly 60% of the ozone-forming gases and 52% of fine particulate matter pollution in the US. This air pollution can contribute to severe impacts on our health, local environments, and global climate change.
Health Impacts of Sustainable Trucking
Diesel exhaust can worsen pre-existing heart and lung conditions or contribute to new respiratory illnesses, like asthma. That’s true both for truckers and people regularly exposed to trucking exhaust.
Local Environmental Impacts
Diesel emissions can worsen air quality and damage vegetation, including trees, crops, gardens, and nature parks. It can also impact the health and well-being of wildlife and livestock.
Climate Change Impacts
All Co2 emissions can contribute to global greenhouse gases, the driving force behind climate change. Climate change contributes to changing weather patterns and temperatures, rising sea levels, global agriculture, and air pollution levels across the globe.
Eco Trucking Initiatives for Fuel Efficiency & Cost Reduction
The negative effects of diesel pollution are clear. But how can trucking companies reduce their impact when diesel trucks are still a necessity for most businesses?
Today, many sustainability initiatives can reduce emissions from a standard diesel engine. Some of them can also help reduce fuel consumption or improve delivery times, which can even improve your bottom line.
Improve Fuel Efficiency Through Side Fairings
Side fairings, or trailer skirts, are thin flaps of metal that attach to the sides of a truck trailer, between the axles and tails. They have been found to improve a trailer’s aerodynamics and increase fuel efficiency by 3-7%. Side fairings can also be combined with trailer tails, which attach to the trailer’s back door, further boosting fuel efficiency by another 3-5%.
When these measures cost only $700-$1,600 per truck and have the potential to boost fuel efficiency into the double digits, side fairings and trailer tails are a smart, cost-effective way to save on diesel.
Renewable Diesel & Sustainable Trucking
Renewable diesel is a new sustainable fuel made from vegetable oil that’s chemically identical to petroleum diesel, meaning it works seamlessly in standard diesel engines. Note that it’s distinct from biodiesel, which must be mixed with standard diesel. Renewable diesel can power a diesel engine 100%, with 0% oxygen content and higher energy density than regular diesel, making it a particularly powerful form of low-carbon transportation.
Renewable diesel is becoming increasingly popular as both a diesel substitute and a drop-in fuel, with its use expanding 700% between 2018 and 2024. It is still somewhat limited at fuel stations, but you can find it at the pump in states like California, Oregon, and Washington.
Adopt AI Route Optimization
Machine learning tech can create more efficient trucking routes than a standard GPS, since artificial intelligence (AI) can use real-time factors like road conditions, weather, and traffic patterns to find the most efficient routes. It can also shift routes as soon as it detects a problem, making them exceptionally powerful for last-mile delivery.
AI routing systems have already been widely adopted by major carriers, like FedEx and UPS, with UPS’s AI routing system estimated to save the company as much as 10 million gallons of fuel annually.
Adopt a Battery-Powered APU
An idling diesel engine can consume a gallon of fuel per hour, and long-haul trucks may idle for as long as six hours per day. This is mainly due to resting truckers needing electricity to power essentials like air conditioning, heat, or phone chargers. However, installing a battery-electric auxiliary power unit (APU) can provide drivers with access to electricity without running the engine.
APUs are designed to charge while the truck is running, then provide power when the engines are off. Installing a battery-powered APU can save up to 80% of fuel consumed during idling. However, they can be an expensive up-front investment, with even basic systems starting at $5,500 per truck.
Maintain a Steady Driving Speed
Did you know that driving faster on highways can actually reduce fuel efficiency? One study found that for every mile a truck travelled above 55 mph on a highway reduced fuel efficiency by 0.1 mile per gallon.
This means that maintaining a steady speed of 55 mph throughout a long-haul trip could significantly increase fuel efficiency compared to driving at faster speeds. For example, maintaining 55 mph could improve fuel efficiency by 22% compared to 65 mph and 43% compared to 75 mph.
Invest in Driver Training
Even seasoned truck drivers can benefit from training to improve their knowledge of trucking efficiency and fuel-saving practices. For example, a European study found that just incorporating just one day of driver training into a trucking operation could improve fuel efficiency by 5%. Some research is even more encouraging, with a Canadian study finding that driver training could improve fuel efficiency by as much as 20%!
Sustainable Trucking & Sustainable Fleet Management: Conclusion
While we rely on trucking to support the American economy, diesel engines are a major contributor to air pollution and can cause environmental and health impacts. However, trucking companies don’t need to go electric to make a difference. Measures like side and tail fairings, AI-routing, and driver training can all improve fuel efficiency, leading to more sustainable freight transportation and less spending on fuel.
Want to work with a Rhode Island trucking company committed to minimizing fuel consumption while meeting tight delivery times? Contact N&D Transportation to learn how we can optimize your logistics.
