There’s an old proverb that says “Nothing succeeds like success,” and the SmartWay Partnership is a very good example of its accuracy. While we regularly talk about the activity of various shipper and carrier partners of the program on this page, we haven’t talked much about how the SmartWay Partnership itself is growing. For example, almost 100 for-hire fleets have recently joined the program as did an equal number of of shippers, suppliers and private fleets.
The latter group includes Oregon-based McCoy Freightliner as the first truck dealership to join SmartWay. The company operates out of three locations in Oregon, where it sells trucks, parts and equipment and provides a broad range of truck services. To join the partnership as a SmartWay Truck Dealership, McCoy committed to promote and sell SmartWay certified tractors and trailers, and four approved categories of energy-saving devices: idle control, low-rolling resistance tires, automatic tire inflation and tractor-trailer aerodynamics.
This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. SmartWay recently launched a new public information campaign introducing consumers to the Smart-Way brand. The new campaign encourages drivers shopping for a vehicle to “buy smart” and highlights the environmental performance and fuel efficiency of new and previously owned cars that qualify for the EPA certified SmartWay mark. The SmartWay designation for cars is determined by how a vehicle model scores using EPA air pollution standards and criteria. There are a variety of makes and models that have received the SmartWay designation, providing purchasers with a range of options. Doesn’t it make sense for operations that are already members of the SmartWay Partnership to extend their participation by purchasing efficient utility vehicles when the fleet needs such units? For more information on which vehicles qualify for SmartWay, visit the Green Vehicle Guide website at: www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.
In addition, two long-time Smart-Way affiliates, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) have launched programs aimed at helping their respective members address climbing fuel costs and protect the environment. The ATA initiated Trucks Deliver a Cleaner Tomorrow. Through the program the organization committed to a series of measures designed to minimize the trucking industry’s carbon footprint and significantly reduce fuel consumption over the next ten years. The plan builds on past actions the ATA and its members have taken to reduce fuel use and emissions. To achieve its goals ATA has identified six areas to further reduce the carbon emissions of trucks:
• Encourage lower fleet speed limits and governed speeds
• Increase fuel efficiency through participation in SmartWay
• Participate in the establishment of fuel economy standards for trucks
• Reduce non-discretionary idling
• Work for congestion reduction
• Utilize more productive truck combinations
The ASE is conducting a nationwide print and radio media campaign called the Drive $marter Challenge, emphasizing actions drivers can take to lower their fuel costs by using less. A cornerstone of the campaign is an interactive website (www.
drivesmarterchallenge.org), which features a calculator allowing drivers to enter data for their vehicles (make, model, year and number of cylinders) to find out exactly how much money they can save by utilizing six easy vehicle maintenance procedures and sensible driving steps. The calculator also displays a running tally of the cumulative money, gallons and CO2 emission savings of everyone who has taken “The Challenge.” The calculator demonstrates that even small fuel-efficiency steps by large numbers of people add up to measurable benefits. The campaign also encourages consumers to “Buy Smart” by looking for SmartWay certified vehicles when in the market for a new or used vehicle.