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Basic Information
Freight transportation is invaluable to businesses, consumers, and the economy, but is not without costs. Of all the energy consumed in the transportation sector, moving freight accounts for 20 percent of all energy consumed.
35 Billion Gallons a Year . . .
Together, rail and truck transport consume over 35 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year. Translated into emissions, this represents over 350 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
. . . and Growing
As the economy grows and technology improves, the numbers become more staggering. Just-in-time manufacturing, faster delivery services, and increasing internet shopping have increased mileage—and emissions—from ground freight transportation.
Based on current trends:
- By 2012 ground freight transportation will consume over 45 billion gallons of diesel fuel.
- Freight transport is expected to produce over 450 million metric tons of carbon dioxide—a 25 percent increase over today's levels.
Making Sense of Emissions
While burning fuel is necessary to move goods efficiently by truck and rail, some of that fuel is wasted due to inefficient practices. And wasted fuel translates to wasted money as well as increased emissions of air pollutants, such as:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2), the most prevalent greenhouse gas. Ground transportation contributes 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to ozone formation, commonly known as smog.
- Particulate matter (PM) also has serious health and environmental effects. Ground freight transportation contributes 30 percent of all PM emissions.
What we can do about it
To address these trends, EPA developed SmartWay Transport—an innovative collaboration between the freight industry and government to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, improve fuel efficiency, and strengthen the freight sector.
The Goals are Simple
SmartWay Transport's goals are to reduce the impact of freight transport on the environment, and to help our partners see the rewards to their business. Working together, we aim to reduce:
- Fuel consumption from trucks and rail delivering freight.
- Operating costs associated with freight delivery.
- Emissions of CO2.
- Emissions of NOx, PM, and air toxics.
The Savings Speak For Themselves
Our projected savings of between 3.3 and 6.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year represents a savings of as much as 150 million barrels of oil per year.
This is the equivalent of taking 12 million cars off the road, leading our partners to save nearly $10 billion in operating costs.
Watch the Video
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Hear firsthand from current SmartWay partners about the benefits of joining.
Related Links
Learn what SmartWay Can Do For You -
and the Environment
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