SmartWay National Certification/Ratings Program Planned for Port Drayage Trucks, Etc.
In August 2009, the Coalition for Responsible Transportation1 announced that it had formed a partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay Transport Program to help develop a national SmartWay Transport certification program and rating system for port drayage trucks.
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Through its partnership with SmartWay Transport, CRT has convened a working group consisting of major national shippers, ocean carriers, and port drayage providers to provide recommendations to the SmartWay Transport program as to the development of a certification and rating system for green port drayage trucks that will build upon the SmartWay Transport model that the EPA has created for over-the-road freight transportation.
Drayage Rating System to Provide Nat'l Framework to Measure Emissions Levels
A drayage rating system will provide a national framework to measure emissions levels of port trucking activities, set benchmarks for air quality improvement at U.S. ports, and certify emission reductions that are achieved through the deployment of clean port trucks by members of the shipping industry.
LA/LB model to be template for rating system. Initially, the SmartWay Transport port drayage model will be developed based on air quality and truck fleet data that has been collected through clean truck deployments at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which collectively represent the largest U.S. seaport for ocean freight. The goal is to ultimately use the model developed in Southern California as a template for a SmartWay Transport port drayage rating system that would be used on a national level, and could be individually tailored to major seaports across the country. In less than two years, leading shippers, ocean carriers and drayage companies have financed and deployed nearly 5,000 clean trucks at the Ports of LA and Long Beach.
EPA Launched SmartWay in 2004 to Provide Fuel Efficient Transport Options
In 2004, EPA launched SmartWay Transport, as a brand to represent environmentally cleaner, more fuel efficient transportation options. The SmartWay brand identifies products and services that reduce transportation-related emissions. SmartWay Transport, is a collaboration between EPA and the freight sector designed to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, and improve energy security. EPA states that all of its SmartWay transportation programs result in significant, measurable air quality and/or greenhouse gas improvements while maintaining or improving current levels of other emissions and/or pollutants.
EPA is Developing SmartWay 2.0 in 2009 for Full Implementation in 2010
According to the EPA, in response to the evolving needs of SmartWay Transport partners, it is developing an expanded version of the program referred to as SmartWay Transport 2.0. SmartWay Transport 2.0 is being developed during 2009, with plans for full implementation in 2010, to help companies determine the carbon inventory (footprint) from their global transportation supply chains by evaluating air, sea and land transportation modes. It will also help shippers to optimize their transportation supply chain operations to save fuel and reduce carbon emissions.
SmartWay Transport Participants Include Shippers, Logistics Cos, Carriers
The EPA states that SmartWay Transport partners can be shippers, logistics companies, truck and rail carriers, and truck stops.
1The Coalition for Responsible Transportation (CRT) includes leading importers, exporters, trucking companies and ocean carriers who represent the largest and most progressive customers and service providers at U.S. ports.
CRT press release on partnership with SmartWay (dated 08/25/09) available at http://www.responsibletrans.org/CRT_SmartWay_Press_Release.pdf.
EPA's SmartWay Web site available at http://www.epa.gov/smartway/.