Over the last few years, sustainability has proven to be a hot button issue for just about every industry across the globe. The worsening climate crisis – and increased consumer awareness to its effects – has pushed both governments and corporations to make concrete efforts toward better environmental stewardship.
Transportation is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 29% of all emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This number includes emissions from passenger vehicles, trucks, ships, trains and planes. Freight trucks account for about 23% of all transportation in the nation, making these diesel-burning vehicles a major contributor to emissions.
Companies across the transportation and logistics industry have announced new sustainability initiatives in response to growing concern, with many promising significant emissions reductions over the next few years. While large trucking companies have pledged to purchase electric trucks and adopt autonomous trucking solutions, the start-up costs associated with these cutting edge technologies keep them out of reach for the majority of small and mid-sized trucking companies.
All is not lost for eco-conscious companies that cannot afford to invest in next generation trucks just yet, however. Carriers can become significantly more sustainable by simply focusing on solutions that make their fleets more efficient, reducing miles driven to move each load and cutting down on emissions.
“We know deadheading is one of the biggest sources of emissions in trucking,” Trucker Tools COO Kary Jablonski said. “Our answer to that is our digital freight matching platform, which allows carriers to find loads and make more efficient turnarounds. This ensures time spent on the road is spent hauling freight and making money, improving both sustainability and profitability.”
Digital freight matching is often touted as a money-saving tool. While the solution will certainly bolster a company’s bottom line, it also goes a long way in helping the planet. This helps bust the myth that doing well and doing good are diametrically opposed goals. In reality, most emission-reducing techniques also have positive impacts on profit.
Beyond digital freight matching, the Trucker Tools app boasts 17 tools to help drivers succeed on the road. Many of those tools also improve efficiency, thereby reducing emissions and helping protect the environment. For example, drivers can use Trucker Tool’s route optimization tool to find the shortest route to their destination or take advantage of the app’s parking spot finder to avoid driving around looking for an empty spot. These offerings improve the driver experience, maximize efficiency and reduce emissions all at the same time.
These tools are not reserved for companies that cannot afford to invest in electric and autonomous trucks. Even the most cutting edge fleets can benefit from greater efficiency. Combining multiple different solutions to address the climate crisis will have a greater impact than relying on just one tool to carry the weight.
“A lot of our carriers are very forward thinking,” Jablonski said. “We are always looking for new partnerships and working together to attack problems from all different perspectives.”