Roeth: Shout it from the rooftops: We are doing great with decarbonization

The trucking industry has done a great job of reducing emissions and delivering goods in a cleaner way. And we need to take more credit for that. Frankly, I think we should be shouting from the rooftops just what a good job we’ve done.

We must remind people that getting more miles from a gallon of diesel fuel is decarbonizing. Yes, it is! And it is happening now in a big way. The further you drive moving freight on one gallon of diesel, the less diesel you use over the course of a day.

Our most recent Fleet Fuel Study shows that the average MPG for participating fleets was 7.77 in 2023. In 2013 that number was 6.67 MPG. But it’s not just the fleets in the Fleet Fuel Study that have improved their MPG. The fuel economy for the industry was 5.85 MPG in 2013 and in 2022 (the most recent year for which data is available from the Federal Highway Administration) it was 6.91.

There are a lot of people who need to be congratulated for this. OEM engineers are doing a fantastic job of improving the aerodynamics of their base vehicles. Today’s heavy-duty trucks have a sleek profile that reduces aero drag. There are not too many “long and tall” trucks on the road these days. In addition, engines and powertrains are much more efficient.

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Then there are all the people making add-on devices that further improve the aerodynamics of the trucks or address tire inflation. The fleets themselves deserve a big thank you as they are investing in these fuel efficiency technologies, adjusting engine parameters for fuel economy, and teaching drivers how to drive with fuel economy in mind.

There are also some drivers out there who are sharing their MPG numbers and sharing how they are routinely seeing MPG in the 10-plus category. They publicly post their MPG numbers and offer advice to other drivers on how they too can improve their freight efficiency.

Those of us in the trucking industry have a habit of hiding our light under a bushel. We rarely take credit for the vital role we play in the economy, and we let others control the narrative about trucking and emissions. Maybe we are just too modest.

We are not perfect, and we need to continue to improve the average MPG of our trucks. But the strides we have made in a relatively short period of time to emit less greenhouse gas and pollutants deserve to be celebrated, and we need to be telling the world what a great job we’re doing.

If we don’t toot our own horn, who will?