Renewable Fuels Highlight Great American Trucking Show
The first group of SmartWay Grow & Go truckers to use renewable fuels were recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency's top air official Aug. 24 at the Great American Trucking Show in the Dallas Convention Center. EPA also showcased a new fleet of SmartWay-certified tractors and trailers that could reduce fuel consumption by as much as 20 percent.
"Trucking companies of all sizes and types are joining EPA in our drive toward a cleaner environment and more secure energy supply," said Bob Meyers, principal deputy administrator for EPA's Office of Air & Radiation. "With their new SmartWay-certified trucks, and a big commitment to renewable fuel use, these companies are leading the way."
EPA is working with 600 partners representing the ground freight industry under the SmartWay Transport Partnership to help establish incentives for fuel efficiency improvements and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. SmartWay Grow & Go is an expansion of that partnership that focuses on promoting the environmental benefits of renewable fuels and helping reduce U.S. dependence on petroleum. At the show, EPA recognized the 48 companies that have joined the Grow & Go program.
The show also displayed the first SmartWay-certified tractors and trailers, a lineup of the cleanest, most fuel-efficient heavy-duty trucks available on the market. The six new models of SmartWay tractors and trailers are equipped with a series of advanced aerodynamic features, idle-reduction options, and low-rolling resistance tires that together can serve as a model for improving the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty trucks by up to 20 percent. The low-rolling resistance tires move over the highway more efficiently, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
To date, SmartWay partners have saved more than 350 million gallons of diesel fuel and eliminated nearly 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, primarily through the adoption of fuel-saving technologies and strategies, EPA says.