Con-way receives top scores in EPA's SmartWay for 2007

Con-way announced that its three primary operating companies -- Con-way Freight, Con-way Truckload and Menlo Worldwide Logistics -- received the highest fuel efficiency and environmental performance score for 2007 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport Partnership.

The three Con-way companies each received a Shipper Index Factor of 1.25, the highest possible score awarded by the EPA program. The rating means that the companies use the largest number of commercially available fuel savings strategies, while continuing to actively evaluate and consider new savings methods and emerging technologies.

Higher scores also make transportation and logistics companies more attractive to environmentally conscious shippers. Companies receiving the highest score are granted exclusive rights to use the trademarked SmartWay logo.

Utilizing this program helps us refine our operations and adopt practices that reduce our carbon footprint in measurable, lasting ways, said Douglas W. Stotlar, Con-way's president and chief executive officer, in a statement.

In a carbon-intensive business like ours, conserving fuel and other forms of energy delivers not only sustainability benefits but bottom-line results as well, he said. It makes us a more competitive, attractive business partner for shippers who are pursuing parallel efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their supply chains.

Through the EPA's program, 800 SmartWay trucking and logistics firms commit to measuring and improving the efficiency of their freight operations using the EPA-developed F.L.E.E.T. (Fleet Logistics Energy and Environmental Tracking) performance model. Carriers and logistics providers must agree to improve their performance within three years and must also sign the SmartWay Transport Partnership Agreement.

Con-way said the Freight division's SmartWay initiatives, including speed management, idling and aerodynamic control strategies, and engine and equipment upgrades, yielded a diesel fuel savings of about 3.6 million gallons or a 3.8 percent savings on total fuel used. This savings equates to a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of 601,928 tons, the company said.

With single wide-base tires, no-idling strategies, aerodynamic equipment and speed management initiatives, among other SmartWay initiatives, Con-way Truckload in 2007 reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 295,712 tons, which equates to a diesel fuel savings of about 2.6 million gallons.

Through SmartWay, Menlo implemented a no-idling policy at its distribution centers. Today, about 85 percent of its total network miles are operated with SmartWay-approved carriers, Con-way said. 

Source: American Shipper