Many truckers love their job for the beauty of the open road. But, as more roads are built and more trucks fill those roads, increasing emissions have begun to threaten the beauty that attracted so many truckers in the first place.
As the world gets bigger and faster, the demand for trucking continues to grow—by 9.8 percent in 2022, to be exact.
Regardless of such strong growth, trucks still comprise just 5 percent of vehicles on the road, yet they create more than 25 percent of harmful emissions!
Sustainability is the practice of making conscious decisions with the environment in mind. Carriers often think that to be sustainable, you need to make the impossible switch to an all-electric fleet or adopt a Fred Flintstone approach to driving. In reality, sustainability can be easy, small, and even save your fleet by trimming unnecessary expenses!
Here’s how you practice sustainability as a trucker.
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Reduce idling time.
The American Trucking Association estimates that the average trucker spends an additional $3,000 per year when idling. Not only is idling brutal on your wallet, but a single truck can also produce over 24,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide emissions every year by idling.
With a key in the ignition, you hold the fate of the world in your hands. You can save your wallet and the planet by simply remembering to turn the key when you’re parked.
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Reduce deadhead miles.
Deadhead miles isn’t just a name you called your trucker buddy in high school. Deadhead miles refer to miles traveled without any cargo. They are wasted miles.
Not only do deadhead miles make up one of the largest preventable expenses for your bottom line, but they are also a top source of unnecessary emissions.
To prevent deadhead miles, a trucker need only take a short crash course on efficient route planning. You can read our guide on route mapping here.
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Reduce rolling resistance.
Rolling resistance is one of trucking’s best-kept secrets to saving money and helping the planet. Put simply, the greater the rolling resistance, the more you’ll be spending on fuel, and the more emissions you’ll be pumping into the environment.
To lessen rolling resistance, your very best bet is to keep your tires inflated. In fact, for every 1 PSI drop, you can anticipate a .2 percent reduction in gas mileage!
Check out this blog for a comprehensive guide on making your tires as efficient as possible.
Sustainability in trucking is easy, practical, and cost-effective. You can save your business by reducing idling, preventing deadhead miles, and keeping your tires inflated. The world will thank you too.
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The England Carrier Services (ECS) division offers various services for carriers ranging from maintenance to support. As ECS members, carriers have access to nationwide discounts on fuel and tires from dedicated team members committed to finding the best price. ECS also provides factoring services with benefits such as same-day funding to a bank account or fuel card. These options allow carriers the freedom to focus on growing their business while saving time and money.