EPA’s SmartWay Transport Program

I recently bought a new computer, and I noticed that the box the sales associate put in my cart had a sticker reading “SmartWay Transport Partnership.” It had the same leaf-and-road logo as the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay auto certification program, so I thought I’d look into it.

It turns out it’s no big secret, the SmartWay Transportation Partnership. The agency has partnered with the trucking industry to reduce fuel consumption and polluting emissions, including carbon dioxide. The aim is to save 3.3 to 6.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year, which amounts to about 150 million barrels of oil.

How can they get there? There are a few strategies, some of which are easier to do than others:

• Limit the amount of time truck engines are left to idle
• Improve aerodynamics to increase fuel economy
• Better trip planning to use less fuel
• Automatic tire inflation systems
• Use trucks with hybrid powertrains, or at least start-stop technology

The EPA keeps a long list of SmartWay Transport partners, which includes hundreds of trucking companies. If your green business has grown to the point where you need to get product further than the craft fair downtown, this may be a good resource. Consumers like me notice those little SmartWay stickers, you know.