When hirschbach motor lines was named as a recipient of a 2016 SmartWay Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Brad Pinchuk, company president and CEO, noted that the honor belonged to everyone at the 48-state refrigerated truckload carrier and to its vehicle, system and component manufacturers.
“Receiving this award is a reflection of a lot of hard work on the part of our mechanics and drivers who take great pride in how they maintain and operate our equipment to maximize fuel economy,” Pinchuk said. “This award and our best-in-class fuel economy results would also not be possible without the equipment manufactured by our vendor partners.”
The SmartWay Excellence Award puts Hirschbach in good company. It recognizes top performers among 3,500 SmartWay trucking company members as industry leaders in freight supply chain environmental performance and energy efficiency. In 2016, Hirschbach was one of 43 companies to receive the distinction.
Hirschbach was cited as a SmartWay Excellence Award winner for its efforts to increase miles per gallon by 3.8% and reduce carbon dioxide output per mile by 3.7%. In its fleet of over 980 trucks and 1,600 trailers, the company has deployed the latest fuel-saving technologies, and it has adopted green policies and practices.
For example, Hirschbach is fielding aerodynamic tractors from Navistar and Freightliner, and it is using Michelin X Line low rolling resistance wide-base tires along with FlowBelow wheel covers and fenders. The carrier has also enabled idle timers and has installed Thermo King TriPac Evolution APUs to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
In addition, Utility Trailer models in the Hirschbach fleet are also fitted with Michelin X Line wide-base tires, the SmartTruck Premier aerodynamics package, and either Carrier or Thermo King refrigeration units.
“We pay a lot of attention to trailers as there is so much to gain from reducing drag on the largest component of our equipment,” said John Vesey, operations support manager at Hirschbach. “We’re continually looking over data to find the best solution for fuel economy on our trailers. In 2016, for example, we conducted tests with MVTS Solutions, a partnership between Mesilla Valley Transportation and InnoMetric MPG, a fuel efficiency engineering company, to determine the fuel savings and ROI of our current trailer aerodynamics compared to products from several vendors. That data will help put us on a course to increase fuel savings in 2017.”
Hirschbach drivers are also rewarded for helping improve the fleet’s fuel economy. “Our drivers are encouraged to comply with route, fuel, and idle policies, and they are eligible for bonuses,” Vesey explained. “We also empower drivers by offering coaching and fuel economy data so they can become more efficient.”
To manage its fuel network, Hirschbach utilizes metrics in the ExpertFuel optimization system from TMW Systems to determine how to buy fuel efficiently along specific routes. For instance, Vesey noted, the software helps in identifying how bypassing mpg-reducing mountain ranges and large cities, as well as staying on interstates, can provide measurable savings.
“We’re proud to have earned the SmartWay Excellence Award, which signifies our commitment to air quality and fuel efficiency,” Vesey stated.
