Transportation News: Is it Time for More Shippers to Join EPA Smartway Program?

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- January 8, 2008 -

Transportation News: Is it Time for More Shippers to Join EPA’s Smartway Program?

While Support from Carriers has been Strong, Relatively Small Number of Shippers Participate Thus Far; Complete List of Participants

SCDigest Editorial Staff

SCDigest Says:

In this climate, members have the opportunity for getting some PR leverage as well as cost savings out of the program.

What do you say? Send us your comments here

Is it time your company looked at joining the EPA’s Smartway partnership program?

With the explosion in interest over the past 12 months in Green supply chain initiatives and efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and the huge rise in the cost of fuel over the past two years, participation in the program can be good public relations and smart bottom line thinking at the same time.

The Smartway program was launched by the US EPA in 2004, and brings together major freight shippers, trucking companies, railroads, logistics companies and trade/professional associations to pursue strategies and tactics that will reduce emissions from freight movement, reduce fuel consumption, and provide cost savings to the companies.

To participate, a carrier must measure its current environmental performance with the SmartWay Transport FLEET (Fleet Logistics Energy and Environmental Tracking) performance model, and commit to improve that performance within three years.

CATEGORY SPONSOR: SOFTEON

The program has the support of the American Trucking Association, and many rail carriers and third-party logistics providers have also joined.

To date, however, a relatively small number of shippers have joined the program, including both companies that, in part, use their own private fleets, as well as those that rely only on third party carriers. At last count, there were 66 shipper participants, primarily from the retail and consumer goods areas (see complete list of members below as of this publication date). This is a very low percentage even of large US companies.

Shipper Commitments

While many companies today are seeking to be more environmentally friendly and would love to reduce transportation spend, the Smartway program does have some strings for shippers that modestly complicate the decision to participate. To be a member, shippers must:

Assess the current proportion of goods dispatched with SmartWay Transport Partner Carriers using the FLEET Performance Model for shippers.
Commit to ship at least 50 percent or more of their goods with SmartWay Transport Partner Carriers.
Assess performance and commit to improve
Create and submit an Action Plan describing how shipper or carrier will achieve commitment.
Report progress toward achieving the goal to EPA annually.

Shippers also loosely commit to using other, less-polluting modes of commercial transport including rail, and to reduce truck idling at their shipping facilities, among other strategies.

Early on, when there were fewer carrier members, committing to the goal of 50% utilization of Smartway member carriers may have been more challenging. With the huge number of carriers participating today, that should not be an issue for most shippers.

Getting the resources and OK to commit to the relatively modest program requirements was probably also more difficult when the program was launched in 2004. Now, it looks like a stroke of genius by the EPA, as concerns about environment impact and fuel costs have risen to a high place on most corporate agendas.

PR Benefits from Membership

In this climate, members have the opportunity for getting some PR leverage as well as cost savings out of the program.

For example, when Whirlpool joined the program in 2004, its press release stated that “By joining the SmartWay Transport Partnership, Whirlpool demonstrates its continued strong environmental leadership and corporate responsibility.”

Members that achieve certain results thresholds are also allowed to use the Smartway logo for various promotional purposes.

For companies that excel at reducing emissions and fuel consumption, even further recognition is possible. Each year, the EPA announces a group of Smartway Excellence Award Winners, who in 2007 were also honored at CSCMP’s annual convention in October. The 2007 award recipients include shippers, carriers, and 3PLs.

Current Smartway Members

The Smartway membership roll as of this publication date is listed below. It includes not only carriers, shippers and 3PLs, but associations, equipment providers, software companies – and even a few truck stops.

Truck Carriers
A & S Trucking Service, Inc. A&A Express, Inc. A.C. Trucking, Inc. A.D. Transport Express, Inc. A. L. Smith Trucking, Inc. A.N. Webber, Inc. AAA Cooper Transportation ABF Freight System, Inc. Ability Tri-Modal Transportation Accelerated Freight Group Ace-Way Freight Systems 2003 Inc. ADM Trucking, Inc. Ahles Companies AJ Saragusa Trucking Company Inc. Altl, Inc. Alvan Motor Freight American Central Transport, Inc. American Eagle Lines Andrews Logistics, Inc. Andy's Trucking Anthony J. Odom Arfsten Transfer Inc. Arnold Transportation Services Arrow Critical Supply Solutions Arrow Trucking Company Aspen Transportation, LLC Atkinson Freight Lines ATS, Inc. Averitt Express B.R. Williams Trucking, Inc. Barber and Sons Express Barnett's Trucking Barrett Distribution Bartels Truck Line, Inc. Baxter Healthcare Baylor Trucking, Inc. BCJ Trucking, Inc. Bear Cartage & Intermodal Inc. Behnke Dedicated Best Transportation BFL, Inc. Bison Transport, Inc. Blue Sky Shipping, LLC Boise Boys, Inc. Braun's Express, Inc. Bridge Terminal Transport, Inc. Buchanan Hauling & Rigging, Inc. Burns Motor Freight, Inc. C.A.T. Inc. C. C. Jones, Inc. C.R. England, Inc. Cal Ark International California Cartage Express California Multimodal, Inc. Can-Am West Carriers, Inc. Camionnage C.P. Inc. Campbell's Transit, Inc. Cardinal Logistics Management Corporation Cargo Transporters Carlisle Carrier corp. Carrier Industries, Inc. CCC Transportation, LLC Celadon Trucking Services, Inc. Cemex, Inc. dba Sunwest Trucking Central Freight Lines Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. Central Transport International, Inc. Challenger Motor Freight, Inc. Champion Logistics Group Clancy Moving Systems Clanton Trucking, Inc. Clinton's Ditch Co-op Co., Inc. Cloverleaf Transport CN Transportation Ltd. Combined Transport, Inc. Commercial Transportation Inc. Comtrak Logistics, Inc. Con-Way Freight ContainerFreight EIT, LLC Continental Express, Inc. Contract Freighters, Inc. Coomes Inc. Covenant Transport, Inc. Cowan Systems, LLC CPS Express Crete Carrier Corporation Crowley Trucking, Inc. CRST Van Expedited, Inc CW Johnson Xpress, LLCD & D Family Enterprises, LLC D & D Sexton, Inc. D. M. Bowman, Inc. DaRan, Inc. Dart Transit Co. Davis Express, Inc. Dayton Freight Lines, Inc. deBoer Transportation, Inc. Decker Truck Lines Denmark Express, Inc. DHL Express Dick Lavy Trucking, Inc. Dillon Transport, Inc. Dizco Inc. Donada, Inc. DOT Transportation, Inc. Dupre Transport, LLC EA Logistics Eagle Motor Freight, Inc. Earl L. Henderson Trucking Co., Inc. Eastern Eagle Express, Inc. Eastern FreightWays, Inc. ECM Transport, LLC Eldorado Logistics System Inc. ELDS Trucking, Inc. Empire Express, Inc. Estes Express Lines Evans Transportation Company Evergreen Transportation Excargo Services Exel Transportation Services Extra Express Exxon Mobil Fuel Marketing Company Farruggio's Express Fastrax Transportation FedEx Express Corporation FedEx Freight System, Inc. Festival Rentals, LLC d/b/a FunRent FFE Transportation Services, Inc. Food Lion, LLC Fortune Transportation Co. Foss Maritime Company Fraley & Schilling, Inc. Frerichs Freight Lines, Inc. Freymiller, Inc. Frito-Lay North America Frock Bros. Trucking, Inc. Frontier South Transport Corp. FTI - Bill Thompson Transport Inc.	G.G. Barnett Transport G&P Trucking Company Gainey Transportation Services, Inc. Gangloff Industries, Inc. Garufi Logistics LLC George's Foods, LLC Gordon Trucking, Inc. Grammer Industries, Inc. Grand Island Express Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Greenbush Logistics, Inc. Greenway Consolidators, LLC GTL Transportation H & R Transport Ltd. H.O. Wolding, Inc. Hall's Fast Motor Freight, Inc. Hannaford Trucking Company Heartland Express Hartt Transportation Herche Transfer Co. Hermann Transportation Services Hess Trucking, Co. Hill Brothers Transportation Hirschbach Motor Lines, Inc. Hollenbeck Enterprises, Inc. Horizon Lines, Inc. Hospira Fleet Services, LLC Howe Freightways, Inc. Howell's Motor Freight, Inc. Hyway Trucking Company ICON Transportation Indiana Western Express, Inc. International Motor Freight International Motor Freight Interstate Distributor Co. J&L Wilson Transportation, Inc. J&R Schugel Trucking, Inc. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. Jacobson Transportation Company James Burg Trucking Company James H. Clark & Sons JK Trucking Joe Wyman John Christner Trucking, Inc. John Henry Daniels John K. Buck John Veriha Trucking, Inc. Johnny Beasely SXI Jones Brothers Trucking, Inc. K D England Trucking Kane Freight Lines, Inc. KBD Transportation Karry All Transportation, Inc. Kennesaw Transportation, Inc. KLLM, Inc. Knight Transportation, Inc. Kraft Foods Global, Inc. Kreilkamp Trucking, Inc. Kriska Holdings Limited Kruse Nationwide, Inc. Kuperus Trucking, Inc.L.E. Tucker & Son, Inc. Lacy's Express LaGrange Warehouse and Distribution Center, Inc. Lake Erie Transportation Co., Inc. Landair Transport, Inc. Landstar System, Inc. Langford Inc. Laris Shelman & Sons Trucking Inc. Larry J. Long Lasco Bathware Trucking Company, Inc. LAVIGNE TRUCK LINES LDA Leasing Leading Green Distributing, Inc. Lester Coggins Trucking, Inc. LHP Transportation Services, Inc. (LHPB) Brokerage Lily Transportation Corp. Lion BG, Inc. Li-Way Transfer and Storage Lisa Motor Lines, Inc. Logicorp Enterprises, LLC. MacKinnon Transport, Inc. MacMillan-Piper, Inc Maddox Express Market Transport Marten Transport, Ltd. Martini, Inc. Massera Trucking, Inc. Matthew J. Buchanan Maverick Transportation Inc. May Trucking Company McCollister's Transportation McConnell Transport Ltd. McCracken Motor Freight McKelvey Trucking Company MCT Transportation, LLC Meijer Metro Film Express, Inc. - DBA Metro Express, Inc. Metropolitan Trucking, Inc. Midwest Express, Inc. Midwest Specialized Transportation, Inc. Milan Express Co., Inc. Miller Gordon Truck Lines (DBA MG Truck Lines) Milliken & Company Miracle Trucking Inc. Missouri Valley Transportation ML Asbury Inc. Moeller Trucking, Inc. Monarch Air Express, Inc. Moonlight Trucking, LLC Morgan Southern, Inc. Mountain Valley Express Co., Inc. MST Freight Services, Inc. Muir's Cartage Limited Myers Transport, Inc. N. Yanke Transfer Ltd. Namco Transport Solutions National Distributors Inc. National Freight, Inc. New Century Transportation, Inc. New England Motor Freight New England Retail Express New Penn Motor Express, Inc. Norco Corporation Normandin Transit Norrenberns Truck Service (NOTS) Northwest Food Products Transportation, LLC NPE, Inc. O&S Trucking, Inc. Online Transport, Inc. Ozark Motor Lines, Inc. P & D Transportation, Inc. P.A.M. Transport, Inc. PAF Transportation, Inc. Paper Transport, Inc. Paschall Truck Lines Inc. Patrick Transportation PCC Logistics Penner International	Perdue Transportation, Inc. Pier Trucking Corp. PJAX Freight System Pohl Transportation, Inc. Pottle's Transportation, Inc. Premier Transportation Pride Transport, Inc. Prime, Inc. Quad/Graphics, Inc. Quality Transport, Inc. Quest Global, Inc. R&E Enterprises of Mankato, Inc. Rapid Transfer Xpress Ravens Trucking Redford Truck Lines Refrigerated Food Express, Inc. Regency Transportation, Inc. Reggie's Trucking Reliable Transportation, Inc. Retail Delivery Service Rinchem Company Inc. RoadLink USA East Robinson Transport, Inc. Roehl Transport, Inc. Ronnie Dowdy Trucking Rush Trucking Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. Saia Motor Freight Safe Handling, Inc. Salson Logistics, Inc. SAV Express Inc. SB Trucking, Ltd. Schneider National, Inc. (Charter Partner) SDR Trucking, LLC Sea Star Line, LLC Select Express & Logistics Shaw Transport, Inc. Shipper's Transport Co. Siemens Transportation Group, Inc. Signature Truck Lines, Inc. Sitton Motor Lines Slingshot Transportation, Inc. Smithfield Transportation Co., Inc. South Shore Transportation Co. South Texas Petroleum South Texas Proppant Southeastern Freight Lines, Inc. Southern Refrigerated Transport, Inc. Southwest Truck Service Stan Koch & Sons Trucking Stapish Transportation Inc. Star Transportation, Inc. StarTrans, Inc. States Logistics Stevens Transport Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. Styline Transportation, Inc. Sunbury Transport, Ltd. Supreme Carriers, Inc. Swift Transportation Co., Inc. (Charter Partner)T.W. Transport Tandet Logistics Taylor Express, Inc. Terra Renewal Services TEX-ONA Enterprises, Inc. Texas Department of Transportation Texas Star Express Tig Transportation Tiger Transport, LLC Tommy Roach Transportation Trailer Bridge, Inc. TransAm Trucking, Inc. Transnational Logistics Transport America Transport Industries, L.P Transport Robert LTEE TransX Group of Companies Transwood, Inc. Triangle Worldwide, LLC Triple C Transport, LLC Triple S Trucking Truck One, Inc. Truck Service, Inc. Truckmen Corporation TRX Inc. Two Cool Trucking Corp. Two Flags Transportation United Natural Foods, Inc. United Transportation UPS (Charter Partner) UPS Freight formerly Overnite Transportation Company Urban Express US Xpress Enterprises, Inc./Xpress Global Systems, Inc. USA Logistics Carriers, LLC USA Truck, Inc. USF Companies Value Truck, Inc. Vaughan Transport Victory Leasing Vitran Express, Inc. Volume Transportation Inc. VSR Logistics Waller Truck Co., Inc. Ward Trucking, LLC Watkins & Shepard Trucking Inc. Watkins Motor Lines, Inc. Watsontown Trucking Company Weber Distribution WEL Companies, Inc. Werner Enterprises, Inc. Wesley Watson Trucking Company West Side Transport West-Northwest Trans. Inc. Western Express, Inc. White Farms Trucking Inc. Whiteline Express, Ltd. WilTruk, Inc. Wooster Motor Ways, Inc. WSE Transportation, LLC YRC Worldwide Inc. (Charter Partner)
Freight Shippers
Aveda Corporation Best Buy Co., Inc. BP Lubricants USA, Inc. Canon U.S.A., Inc. (Charter Partner) Chiquita Brands International Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc. Coextruded Plastic Technologies, Inc. Dell, Inc. DENSO Manufacturing Michigan, Inc. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare NA Hewlett Packard Holcim (US) Inc. IBM Corporation IdleAire Technologies IKEA Distribution Services, North America (Charter Partner) Interface, Inc. (Charter Partner) J & J Industries, Inc. J.J. Keller & Associates Inc. JC Penney Johnson & Johnson Sales & Logistics Co., LLC	Kimberly-Clark Kohl's Department Stores, Inc Limited Brands Logistics Services Lowe's Marangoni Tread NA, Inc. Method Products, Inc. Michelin North America, Inc. Nau, Inc. Nestle Purina Pet Care Nike, Inc. (Charter Partner) Office Depot Owens Corning Panasonic Corporation of North America Prime Source FSE Qualcomm Incorporated Richlite Rockwell Automation Schering-Plough CHC Sharp Electronics Corporation Shurepower, LLC Staples, Inc.	STERIS Corporation Styline Industries Superslab100, Corp Tatung Company of America The TJX Companies, Inc. TheGreenOffice.com The Home Depot, Inc. (Charter Partner) Volvo Logistics North America Warner Brothers/Time Warner Whirlpool Corporation YOLO Colorhouse
Shipper-Carriers
Anheuser-Busch Bridgestone-Firestone North American Tire, LLC Cascades Transport, Inc. Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. Dennis K. Burke, Inc.	General Nutrition Centers H-E-B (Charter Partner) Hudson's Bay Company Safeway, Inc. Schwan's Logistics, LLC	Tyson Foods, Inc. U.S. Foodservice Wal-Mart Walgreen Co.
Rail Carriers
BNSF Railway Company Canadian National Railway Company Canadian Pacific Railway CSX Transportation	Kansas City Railway Company LHP Transportation Services, Inc. (Rail Division)LHPT Norfolk Southern Corporation Pacific Harbor Line, Inc	Richmond Pacific Railroad Tacoma Rail Union Pacific Railroad
Logistics Companies
Access America Transport AFC Worldwide Express, Inc. AFN (Advantage Freight Network) Alliance Shippers, Inc. American Domestic Cargo Services American Freight Carrier Services, Inc. APL Logistics Blue Planet Logistics BNSF Logistics Bulk Plus Logistics C. H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. Cavalry Xpress Concentrek Direct Service Network, Ltd. EGL Eagle Global Logistics Ensenda Epes Logistics Services, Inc. Exel Inc Greatwide Logistics Services Global Tranz Harte-Hanks Hub Group, Inc.	Integra Logistics, LLC Intermodal Sales Corporation JCL Incorporated JDT Transport, LLC Kane Traffic Services, Inc. Kelron Logistics Lakeside Logistics, Inc. Lakeville Motor LinkAmerica Transportation, Inc. Menlo Worldwide MW Logistics, LLC National Logistics Management New Breed Logistics Nonstop Delivery NYK Logistics (Americas), Inc. O T Logistics Pacer Global Logistics Pacific American Railex LLC RFX, Inc. RM Logistic Sagebrush Logistics, LLC	Total Logistic Control, LLC Total Quality, Inc. Total Transportation Services LP Transgroup Worldwide Logistics Transplace Texas, LP Transportation Solutions Group, LLC Trealmont Chartering, Inc. TruclloadBroker.com, LLC Tucker Company Ultra Logistics, Inc. YRC Logistics
Affiliates
4 State Trucks, Inc. ACCION New York Accuship Alliance to Save Energy American Trucking Associations (ATA) ARI (Automotive Resources International) Arizona Trucking Association Association of American Railroads (AAR) Autotherm Division Enthal Systems, Inc. BBW, Inc. Bergstrom, Inc. Big Truck TV, Inc. Black Rock Systems, LLC British Columbia Trucking Association Businesses for the Bay CabAire, LLC Cadec Global California Trucking Association Canadian Trucking Alliance Carrier Transicold Cascade Sierra Solutions Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance, Inc. Clean Air Minnesota Clean Fuels Ohio Colorado Motor Carriers Association Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Cummins Emission Solutions DC Power Solutions Driver Comfort Systems Driver Management Services Emisstar, LLC Enterprise Rent-A-Car Espar Heating Systems Florida Trucking Association, Inc. Frehn Center for Professional & Organizational Dev Freight Wing, Inc. Georgia Motor Trucking Association, Inc. Glacier Bay Grain and Feed Association of Illinois Green Trucker Harvey Software, Inc. Idaho Trucking Association, Inc. Idle Kleen, Inc. Illinois Corn Growers Association Illinois Trucking Association, Inc. Indiana Corn Marketing Council Indiana Soybean Alliance	Indiana Department of Environmental Laydon Composites, Ltd. Management (IDEM), Office of Pollution and Technical Assistance (OPPTA)--Awards and Grants Indiana Motor Truck Association Ingersoll Rand/Thermo King Iowa Motor Truck Association Iowa State University Center for Transportation Research and Education Kentucky Motor Transport Assoc., Inc Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAPA) Maine Motor Transport Association, Inc. Maryland Motor Truck Association Massachusetts Motor Transportation Association Michigan Trucking Association Midwest Shippers' Association Mid-West Truckers Association, Inc. Minnesota Agri-Growth Council Minnesota Grain and Feed Association Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA) Missouri Motor Carriers Association National Biodiesel Board National Industrial Transportation League National Private Truck Council (NPTC) National Tank Truck Carriers Association National Truckers Association Nebraska Trucking Association Nevada Motor Transport Association, Inc. New Jersey Motor Truck Association Next Energy North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) North Dakota Motor Carrier Association Nose Cone Manufacturing Co. Inc. Ohio Environmental Council Ohio Trucking Association Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Air Quality--Financial Assistance & Economic Development Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc.	Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Air Quality--Financial Assistance & Economic Development Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. PACCAR Leasing Company Paddock Solar Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association Pony Pack, Inc. RedPrairie Regional Air Quality Council Rigmaster Power Corp Saskatchewan Trucking Association South Carolina Trucking Association South Shore Clean Cities, Inc. Southeast Environmental Task Force Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision (SDEV) Space Coast Coalition Star Class, Inc. Sun Power Technology Superior Financial Group Teleflex Energy Power Systems Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Tennessee Trucking Association Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Texas Motor Transportation Association (TMTA) The Centre for Sustainable Transportation The Neutral Group Tridako Energy Systems Truck Mate Generators Truckload Carriers Association TrucksOnly.com Twolane Customs, Inc. Washington Trucking Associations, Inc. Webasto Product North America Wisconsin Clean Cities-SE Area Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air
Truck Stops
Atlanta South 75 Travel Center	Bruce's Truck Stop	Scranton Petro LP

Is there any reason for a shipper to note join the Smartway initiative? What are the downsides? Let us know your thoughts at the Feedback button below.