2Sustain

Earlier this month, PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America announced the addition of ten new trucks to its growing all-electric fleet – a move that pushes the company closer to its goal of becoming the most fuel-efficient commercial fleet in the country.

Frito-Lay is working with Smith Electric Vehicles, the nation’s top manufacturer of battery-electric commercial trucks and a leader in the development of commercial electric trucks designed to operate at peak effectiveness in urban environments. All told, Frito-Lay says it plans to deploy 176 all-electric vehicles in the US and Canada this year.

Some benefits of these trucks include: (more…)

By the end of 2011, PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America division will have the largest fleet of commercial all-electric trucks in North America.

Frito-Lay will be rolling out five new electric trucks in New York City this month. 21 more will be deployed this year. After that, an additional 150 will join the fleet next year.

The trucks, designed by Smith Electric Vehicles, generate zero tailpipe emissions and operate for up to 100 miles on a single charge. Smith Electric is a leader in the development of commercial electric trucks designed to operate at peak effectiveness in urban environments, and the company produces the Newton, which is the only all-electric commercial truck on the market. (more…)

Even though a federal judge is expected to lift the injunction that has stalled the Clean Truck Program at the Port of Los Angeles, officials there said last week that they will not immediately enforce a ban on freight haulers who don’t comply with the program’s strict requirements.

According to dailybreeze.com, the Port officials are delaying the ban so that trucking companies have enough time to comply with provisions of the program that were deemed last month to be legal by a US District Judge. (more…)

Will shifting freight from trucks to rail create a greener transport system?

Not necessarily, according to a new report from FTR Associates.

In Today’s Trucking, Noel Perry, who wrote the report, says it’s not an “either/or” proposition. Instead, maximum energy efficiency might be gained from more transloading of freight between truck and rail, where truck is used for local transport and rail for the intercity movement. (more…)

A report released yesterday shows that Macy’s Inc. and Schneider National are realizing both financial and environmental gains from using a new trucking system called the “Empty Miles Service.”

The Empty Miles Service matches a company’s empty return trailers with another company’s loads that can be collected and delivered along the return route. The program is offered through a collaboration of these three organizations:

• the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Solutions (VICS) Association,

• GS1 US, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the adoption and implementation of standards-based, global supply-chain solutions, and

• GS1 Canada, a member organization of GS1 that represents the interests of Canada in the continuing development of the global language of business.

More than 30 companies are currently using the Empty Miles Service. It is active in the United States, and will launch in Canada later this year.

Here are a few findings from the new report:

• Schneider National has eliminated 61.65 tons of carbon dioxide, 147.24 tons of particulate matter, and 1.47 tons of nitrous oxide while saving 5,554 gallons of diesel fuel.

• The company also has increased dedicated backhaul revenue on specific accounts using the VICS Empty Miles Service by 25%.

• In addition, Schneider National has decreased its operating costs by eliminating 11% of its empty miles and moving 22% more backhaul freight with member shippers.

• Macy’s has experienced an increase of 30 backhaul loads per week, or a projected 1,500 loads per year, at competitive market rates. In addition, for each initial lane opened, Macy’s has reduced annualized transportation costs  by $25,000, on average.

“Filling empty miles with the VICS service is good for the economy, it’s good for the environment, and it’s healthy for those companies that know how to leverage it and leverage it effectively,” concludes Steve Matheys, Executive Vice President, Chief Administration Officer, Schneider National, in the report.

The full case study is available at http://committees.vics.org/communications/em_case_study_9-18/.