SmartWay

What is SmartWay?

The President's National Energy Policy directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in May 2001 to develop ways to reduce demand for petroleum transportation fuels by working with the trucking industry to establish a program to reduce emissions and fuel consumption from long-haul trucks. In February 2004, the freight industry and EPA jointly unveiled the SmartWay Transport Partnership, a collaborative voluntary program designed to increase the energy efficiency and energy security of our country while significantly reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases. In 2007, ATA was honored for these efforts with an Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay Transport Partnership

ATA strongly supports the goal of reducing carbon emissions, achieving cleaner air by reducing idling and promoting energy conservation technologies for heavy-duty on-road diesel vehicles. Unnecessary long-duration idling of truck main engines alone consumed approximately 1.1 billion gallons of this total. Based on comprehensive testing of idling heavy-duty diesel trucks, the average truck consumes roughly 1 gallon of fuel per hour. Long-haul truck tractors serve both as the drivers’ work place and residence. Therefore, trucks idle for comfort, safety and necessity.

SmartWay is an innovative partnership designed to improve the environment while boosting the bottom lines of trucking companies. SmartWay helps identify and popularize practical, money-saving techniques to increase fuel efficiency, reduce idling and slash emissions.

The Benefits

The SmartWay Program, patterned after the highly-successful Energy Star Program developed by EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy, creates strong market-based incentives that challenge companies shipping products and freight operations to improve their environmental performance and to improve their fuel efficiencies.

In addition, the SmartWay Program increases the financial bottom-lines of participants, results in reduced vehicle maintenance, prolongs the life expectancy of engines, and allows qualifying participants to use the trademarked SmartWay logo on shipping materials, business correspondence and designated equipment.

How You Can Join

To become a partner, a fleet must commit to develop a three-year plan (with the assistance and approval of EPA) to reduce fuel consumption, conduct self-auditing, fulfill specific reporting requirements and achieve its goals through the use of EPA-verified equipment, additives or programs. Since the program is purely voluntary, companies can withdraw their participation at any time. By 2012, the SmartWay Program aims to save between 3.3 and 6.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year.

Click here for more information on the SmartWay program.

SmartWay Members

Click here to access a PDF list of current SmartWay members.

SmartWay Awards

The SmartWay awards recognize national leaders in the effort to reduce carbon emissions, achieve cleaner air by reducing idling and promote energy conservation technologies. In October 2007, The American Trucking Associations was honored as a top environmental performer with an Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay Transport Partnership.

The Award highlights ATA’s long-standing advocacy efforts on behalf of the SmartWay Program. ATA has worked to educate the public, the trucking industry, Congress and the states on the merits and value of this program. ATA also has advanced the program within the trucking industry by recruiting members, developing creative financing solutions for motor carrier environmental efforts and ensuring the program’s continued financing.

A total of 16 motor carriers also were honored, including ATA members Contract Freighters Inc.; Knight Transportation Inc.; Langford Inc.; Meijer; Roehl Transport Inc.; Schneider National Inc.; Swift Transportation Co.; and Wal-Mart.