Campaign Executive Summary

7/31/2019 Campaign Executive Summary

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Strategies for ReducingThe Trucking Industrys Carbon Footprint


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Dear riends,

Trucking has been part o my li e since my ather and grand ather started Graves Truck Lines

in 1935. So when I joined the American Trucking Associations ve years ago, it was much more

than a job. It was a amily reunion o sorts, except now the ATA amily comprises 2,500 member

companies, big and small, and 37,000 members o our a liates. Delivering 11 billion tons o reight

annually, and generating about $650 billion in revenues, trucking is the driving orce behind our

nations economy.

Now in its 75th year, todays ATA is driven by three verities: moving reight is an economic

necessity; sharing the road with the motoring public is a civic responsibility; and, addressing our

role in climate change is a global obligation. Just about everything you buy spent some time in

a truck. Despite their necessity, trucks contribute about ve percent o the greenhouse gases

produced in this country. The ATAs Sustainability Program is a direct response to that reality.

In partnership with the government and through its own initiatives, the trucking industry alreadyhas environmental success stories to tell. Todays diesel engines have made particulate emissions

all but disappear, and nitrogen oxides diminish by 50 percent. Those are important beginnings,

but just a beginning. Now, the ATA has committed itsel to a series o measures that together can

reduce diesel and gasoline uel consumption by 86 billion gallons and CO2 emissions o all vehicles

by 900 million tons in the next 10 years. Our proposals are practical, reasonable, and doable. They

make environmental sense, and they make common sense; uel is the rst or second largest cost to

trucking companies, and a crushing burden to drivers who must pay more than $1,000 to ll up.

These materials lay out our plans or urther reducing the carbon ootprint o our industry, and the

results we believe they can achieve. To ully realize the programs potential, we need the support

o government or continued research and development, or desperately needed in rastructure

improvements through proven mechanisms such as the Highway Trust Fund, and through carbon

regulation programs that are practical and workable or our industry.

Between our own e orts and support rom the ederal government, we are con dent that our

member companies and a liates can help deliver a cleaner tomorrow.

Bill Graves President and Chie Executive O cer

American Trucking Associations

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Strategies or ReducingThe Trucking Industrys Carbon Footprint

The American Trucking Associations committed itsel to a series o measures designed to urther

reduce the carbon ootprint o the industry. Its Sustainability Task Force has identi ed six areas

where the industry can reduce its carbon ootprint by:

Enacting a national 65 mph speed limit and governing truck speedsto 65 mph or trucks manu actured a ter 1992.

Decreasing idling.

Increasing uel e fciency.

Reducing congestion through highway improvements, i necessary byraising the uels tax.

Promoting the use o more productive truck combinations.

Supporting national uel economy standards or medium- andheavy-duty trucks.

The trucking industry can be called the driving orce behind the nations economy. Nine million

people annually help move 11 billion tons o reightnearly 70 percent o all reight tonnageand

generate roughly ve percent o the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. It is an industry with a ewgiants but primarily small companies operating in an extremely competitive, low-margin business.

Around 96 percent o motor carriers have 20 or ewer trucks and are classi ed as small businesses.

Thanks to advancements in clean diesel technologies and diesel uels, the trucking industry has

continuously improved upon its environmental per ormance over the last 24 years. The ATAs six

recommendations will urther ease the industrys environmental impact and reduce its carbon

ootprint. Over the next ten years, this program can reduce uel consumption by 86 billion

gallons, and reduce the carbon ootprint o all vehicles by more than 900 million tons.

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By implementing these recommendations with its 2,500 members and 37,000 members o

a liated organizations, ATA is con dent that the trucking industry can make a signi cant

contribution to sustainability, while continuing to meet its obligations to its customers, its

employees, and to the nations economy.

1. Speed limits and speed governing enact a national 65 miles per hour (mph)speed limit or all vehicles, and govern truck speeds at 65 mph or trucksmanu actured a ter 1992.

A truck traveling at 75 mph consumes 27 percent more uel than one going at 65 mph.

Bringing speed limits or trucks down to 65 mph would save 2.8 billion gallons o diesel uel in10 years and reduce CO2 emissions by 31.5 million tons. Automobile consumption o gasoline

would drop by 8.7 billion gallons, with an accompanying drop in CO2 emissions o 84.7 million

tons. More aggressive en orcement would urther reduce uel consumed and carbon produced.

Diesel & Gasoline: CO2 Emissions Reductions Achievedby Lowering Speed Limits to Maximum of 65 MPH

(Ten-Year Period)

300

250

200

150

100

50

0Minimum Potential

S o u

r c e :

A m e r i c a n T r u c k i n g A s s o c i a t i o n s

Cars

Trucks

T o n s R e d u

c e d

( m i l l i o n s )

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2. Idlingpursue a ederal solution that reduces non-discretionary idling through

highway in rastructure improvements and reduces discretionary idling through

nancial incentives or technology improvements.

Idling in congested tra c (see recommendation 4), or running the engine to keep the driverwarm or cool while resting, annually consumes an estimated 1.1 billion gallons o diesel uel.Reducing so-called discretionary idling (for truck cab heating and cooling) can be targeted

with new technologies that reduce uel consumption. Options currently available to feets to

minimize discretionary idling have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated 61.1

million tons over the next ten years.

CO2 Emissions Reductions Achieved ThroughDiscretionary Anti-Idling Technologies

150

100

50

0 Ten-Year S avin gs

S o u r c e s :

A m e r i c a n

T r u c

k i n g

A s s o c

i a t i o n s ,

I n c .

U . S .

E n v

i r o n m e n

t a l P r o t e c t i o n

A g e n c y

Maximus Emission Reductions

Moderate Emission Reductions

T o n s

R e

d u c e

d ( m i l l i o n s )


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3. Fuel e fciency encourage uel e ciency improvement through carrier and shipper

participation in the EPAs voluntary greenhouse gas reduction program known as the

SmartWaySM

Transport Partnership program.

Fuel e ciency improvement hinges on reducing the amount o uel consumed by an entire

truck feet relative to the amount o cargo moved over a given distance. EPAs SmartWaySM

program encompasses the whole reight industryshippers, truckers, rail carriers, even

dealer service centers and truck stops. Trucking companies must develop three-year plans to

reduce uel use and greenhouse-gas emissions to quali y as SmartWaySM members and use

the program logo. Program partners are closely monitored by the EPA and will reduce uel

consumption in 2008 by an estimated 554 million gallons o uel. Over the next nine years, CO2

reductions are estimated at 119 million tons.

CO2 Emissions Reductions Achieved by EliminatingCongestion in all 437 Urban Areas

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50

02004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

S o u r c e s :

U . S .

E n v

i r o n m e n t a

l P r o t e c t i o n

A g e n c y

T o n s

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F o r c a s t s


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4. Congestion reduction the industry will advocate or improved highway

in rastructure to reduce congestion as a pre erred method o urther reducing carbon

emissions paid or with a dedicated uels tax i necessary.

Congestion relie is one o the most viable strategies or reducing carbon emissions. Dealing

with the inadequacies and the bottlenecks in the nations highway system is necessarily a long-

range challenge. ATA recommends a 20-year program. Initial ocus would be on xing critical

bottlenecks, ollowed by a program to increase tra c fow in critical reight corridors. These

improvements require dedicated revenue, which could be generated by an increased uels tax. I

congestion in all 437 urban areas were eliminated, the reduction in truck CO2 emissions would

be 45.2 million tons over ten years.

5. More productive truck combinations allowing broader operation o higher

productivity vehicles, including single tractor trailer maximum gross vehicle weights

o 97,000 pounds, use o heavier double 33- oot trailers, and expanded use o westernLCV units.

CO2 Emissions Reductions Achieved by EliminatingCongestion in all 437 Urban Areas

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0 Ten-Year S avings

S o u r c e s :

A m e r

i c a n

T r u c

k i n g

A s s o c i a t i o n s ,

I n c .

U r b a n

M o

b i l i t y

R e p o r t

, T e x a s

T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

I n s t

i t u t e

( 2 0 0 7 )

T o n s

R e d u c e


Cars

Trucks


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Permitting truck combinations to be more productive can help decrease the industrys carbon

ootprint, reducing uel consumption both by reducing congestion and the number o trucks

needed on the road. A large body o research shows that by easing restrictions on truck sizes

and combinations, increased volumes o reight can be moved per amount o uel consumed. A

reduction o 294.7 million tons o CO2 could be achieved with these changes.

CO2 Emissions Reductions Achieved byAllowing Heavier Vehicles

250

200

150

100

50

0 Ten-Year S avings

S o u r c e s :

A m e r i c a n

T r u c k

i n g

A s s o c i a t i o n s ,

I n c .

U . S . D

e p a r t m e n t o

f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

T o n s

R e

d u c e


CO2 Emissions Reductions Achieved by Implementingthe Western Uniformity Scenario

80

60

40

20

0 Ten-Year Sav ings

S o u r c e s :

A m e r i c a n

T r u c k

i n g

A s s o c i a t

i o n s ,

I n c .

U . S . D

e p a r t m e n t o

f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n

T o n s

R e

d u c e



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6. Support national uel economy standards setting technologically easible uel

economy standards or medium and heavy duty trucks can reduce uel consumption i

they do not compromise the per ormance o the vehicles.

ATA supports increasing uel economy standards or commercial medium- and heavy-duty

trucks that are technologically easible and do not compromise truck per ormance. Given that

uel economy in the industry has remained fat over the last quarter century and uel now is

o tentimes the largest operating expense or many feets, it is more critical than ever to ensure

small and large feets alike are able to continue to deliver the nations goods.

Conclusion

In an industry with thin proft margins and escalating uel costs, increasing uel e fciency

and minimizing uel consumption are major goals o any trucking company. Those goals

coincide with the global need or industries to reduce their carbon ootprint and to lessen

their environmental impact. The American Trucking Associations frmly believes that

advancing the recommendations in this report will signifcantly reduce the carbon ootprint

o the trucking industry while moving the nations reight more e fciently than ever.


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