The U.S. Freight Sustainability Summit:
 

Meeting Summary 
The U.S. Freight Sustainability Summit:
 

Meeting Summary
 

Transportation and Climate Division 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

EPA-420-S-12-002 

March 2012 
       

   

                             

                             

                       

                        

                       

                         

                 

                         

                           

                     

                             

             

                       

                         

   

                               

                     

                             

           

                       

                     

         

                             

                             

                           

                          

                             

   

U.S. Freight Sustainability Summit

Meeting Summary

The U.S. Freight Sustainability Summit, held November 17‐18, 2011 at the Ronald Reagan Building and

International Trade Center in Washington, DC, examined the critical role that goods movement plays in

growing our nation’s economy, protecting the environment, and reducing energy consumption through

technology investment and business strategies that significantly improve efficiency. The conference also

addressed the value of “SmartWay,” a public/private collaborative jointly developed by the trucking

industry, shipping community and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess and promote

sustainability in the management of freight.

EPA, in collaboration with the American Trucking Associations (ATA), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF),

and Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) hosted the summit. Leaders from government, the

transportation and freight, retail and manufacturing industries, and environmental community, shared

their insight and experience in working towards sustainability in the movement of goods.

Key goals of the Summit were to:

•	 Share best practices and highlight existing strategies and technologies that are effectively

moving freight more sustainability (i.e., achieving greater efficiency, using less fuel and releasing

fewer emissions);

•	 Discuss industry progress and the emergence of new strategies needed to stay on a path

toward sustainability;

•	 Review measurement tools and data that provide industry with a foundation for understanding

performance and the motivation to change and adopt new business practices that will result in

increased productivity and greater sustainability; and

•	 Create new opportunities for future collaboration through discussion and networking to identify

common goals for industry, government, and the environmental community, leading to a

stronger SmartWay partnership and greater sustainability.

Nearly 200 freight industry and sustainability leaders participated over the course of the one and one‐

half day meeting. Featured speakers included Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator of EPA’s air office;

Bill Graves, ATA’s president and chief executive officer; Fred Krupp, EDF’s president; David Matsuda,

administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration; and Drew Sloan, a

fellow with the Truman National Security Project and former U.S. Army Captain, Iraq and Afghanistan

veteran.

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Other key speakers participated in panels and represented a good cross‐section of the freight industry,

including a small single owner‐operator business, mid‐size firms servicing ports and targeted U.S.

regions, railroads, trade associations, and large multinational corporations that operate in the U.S. and

abroad. Leaders from EPA regional offices also led and participated in panels.

A key theme that emerged during the summit is the tremendous growth that is projected to occur

within the freight sector in the coming decades. Participants agreed that this growth creates an urgent

need for improvements in technology, operational strategies, and policies that will support the sector’s

economic success while also contributing to sustainability.

Speakers and participants outlined several key components of a strategy to meet this challenge,

including:

•	 Continue building partnerships and opportunities for collaboration among government,

industry, and environmental stakeholders;

•	 Leverage the relationship between shippers and carriers to drive further efficiency and

sustainability in trucking, rail and other modes of freight transportation;

•	 Increase intermodal cooperation and optimization (e.g., between truck, rail, and marine) to

achieve greater efficiency across the supply chain and at key “nodes” such as ports, rail yards,

border crossings and major distribution centers;

•	 Look to operational strategies as well as emerging technologies to achieve greater efficiencies;

•	 The pursuit of opportunities (information sharing, cooperation) that will facilitate incremental

changes that can save fuel and reduce costs for all organizations engaged in the freight sector,

recognizing that small incremental changes at the organizational level add up to significant,

industry‐wide improvements and benefits;

•	 Maintain and develop programs aimed at encouraging sustainability efforts among small and

mid‐size trucking firms; and

•	 Recognize and communicate the global security benefits of increasing freight efficiency and

reducing dependence on petroleum‐based fuels.

There was broad recognition that SmartWay plays a key role in encouraging positive, sustainable change

in the industry. Specifically, the program has:

•	 Set the standard for how the freight sector measures, benchmarks, and reports emissions

through a consistent methodology that “levels the playing field” among companies and modes;

•	 Made freight supply chain sustainability part of the business case and incentive structure for

industry;

•	 Promoted innovation by encouraging and verifying emerging technologies;

•	 Created partnerships and opportunities for collaboration across the industry; and

•	 Served as an example of an effective, voluntary, and market‐based government program.

Participants recognized that there are still huge potential supply chain savings that can be derived from

more fleets, more shippers, more modes and enhanced operational strategies. To help achieve these

savings, there was consensus that EPA, the freight industry, and environmental community continue to:

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•	 Build SmartWay across modes and continue to extend it to companies of all sizes throughout

the supply chain;

•	 Develop and refine SmartWay tools and methods, including tools for multiple modes;

•	 Drive technological and operational innovation with “industry‐standard” verification methods

and measurement tools;

•	 Increase shipper participation with targeted outreach;

•	 Create more visibility for SmartWay and its partners to strengthen stakeholder support; and

•	 Support more events like the U.S. Freight Sustainability Summit to enhance collaboration and

build support and visibility for freight sector sustainability.

The remainder of this summary provides an overview of key themes presented and discussed in each of

the sessions. Attachment 1 provides the meeting agenda. Attachment 2 provides a list of organizations

that were represented at the meeting.

Presentations are available at: http://www.epa.gov/smartway/partner‐resources/summit.htm.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Welcome, Opening Remarks, and Keynote 

Margo T. Oge, Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

provided opening remarks. She noted that the U.S. EPA and its SmartWay partners in the freight sector

have a common goal of enhancing the sustainability of our transportation sector. Ms. Oge described the

vital importance of the freight sector for the economy, and also how the transportation industry is

responsible for roughly one‐third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. SmartWay’s public‐private

partnership, she said, has allowed participating businesses to save $6.1 billion in fuel and operating

costs and has given EPA an extremely valuable understanding of opportunities for sustainability in the

freight industry.

Ms. Oge’s opening remarks were followed by a keynote from Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator for

the Office of Air and Radiation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Key themes covered by Gina McCarthy included:

•	 SmartWay is a critical component of EPA’s transportation sector strategy because it focuses on

fleets that are already on the road and leverages existing technologies and operational

strategies that can reduce emissions.

•	 The collaborative approach used in SmartWay has supported EPA’s policy direction by serving as

a technical test bed in support of the agency’s GHG emission standards for heavy‐duty trucks.

•	 Growth in the transportation sector does not mean there has to be growth in pollution. The

sector can innovate and grow, and simultaneously drive down pollution.

•	 In addition to complementing EPA’s core mission to protect public health and the environment,

SmartWay has taught the agency how to collaborate with partners to grow the economy

•	 EPA asks partners to be a positive voice for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, making the

country less dependent on foreign oil, and helping to make it more secure.

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•	 SmartWay and its partners need to make a concerted effort to continue to drive innovation and

increase demand for advanced technologies and improved operational practices.

•	 Key EPA priorities moving forward include accelerating investment in new fleets, reducing port‐

related emissions (especially in low‐income communities), and bringing more manufacturers

that ship goods into the SmartWay partnership.

Panel Discussion: 

Supporting the Economy, Environmental Sustainability, Jobs, and Energy 

Independence: Part I 

This session focused on how leading companies are creating value, achieving environmental and

economic sustainability, and contributing to energy security and job growth by improving productivity,

lowering costs, and reducing emissions. The session was moderated by James Jack, Executive Director,

Coalition for Responsible Transportation. Presentations were given by:

•	 Randy Mullett, Vice President Government Relations and Public Affairs, Con‐way Inc.

•	 Jim Butts, Senior Vice President Transportation, CH Robinson

•	 Lindsay Chason, Senior Manager, Environmental Innovations, The Home Depot

Key themes presented and discussed during the session were:

•	 Economic growth cannot be decoupled from the growth of transport; the population is growing

and people love “stuff.” If we constrain transportation for any reason, we will hurt the economy.

Freight is expected to increase by 25% over the next decade and the challenge for all of us is to

grow sustainably.

•	 Trucking will continue to be a key component of the freight sector. 80% of communities in the

U.S. are only served by trucks. One in thirteen people in the U.S. private sector hold a truck‐

related job.

•	 Strategies that companies are using to be more sustainable and improve the bottom line include

reducing vehicle speeds, re‐engineering networks to reduce miles traveled, advanced planning

for better coordination among modes, load optimization and consolidation, reduced idling,

driver education, and new technologies (e.g., undertray systems to increase aerodynamics).

•	 SmartWay’s emphasis on information sharing and transparency has attracted many freight

sector businesses; it has also spurred information sharing within the industry—Con‐Way, for

example is willing to share anything any time on safety, security, and sustainability.

•	 SmartWay has been the first foray into the sustainability world for many companies.

•	 Measurement is a key strength of SmartWay; key future needs are carbon footprint calculators

for international supply chains and tools for measuring alternative fuels.

•	 Going forward, the freight sector needs to continue to bring new partners into the effort to

increase sustainability, including shippers, environmental groups, and others.

•	 Natural gas is a compelling fuel for the freight sector, but there needs to be a concerted effort to

build infrastructure for natural gas fueling with a focus on key corridors.

•	 Truck size and weight reform—such as adding a sixth axle and increasing truck weights to 97,000

pounds—could potentially save billions of gallons of fuel per year.

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•	 Leveraging relationships among shippers and suppliers can increase efficiency by combining

loads and reducing empty truck trips.

•	 Ports are an important focus of sustainability efforts because they concentrate freight activity

and link modes.

Remarks: 

Finding the Ways that Work: Synergies for Advancing Sustainable Freight 

Transport 

Fred Krupp of the Environmental Defense Fund spoke to participants about the successes of Americans

working together to boost the economy and serve the environment. He provided an overview of the

Environmental Defense Fund’s work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector

and beyond. Key themes included:

•	 Recent accomplishments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions include the new 2017 to 2025 fuel

economy rules as well as activities in other sectors, such as emissions trading for the power

sector in the Northeast.

•	 Work by the Environmental Defense Fund’s “Climate Corps” has identified $650 million in

operational savings at 78 companies and institutions that also reduce hundreds of thousands of

tons of greenhouse gases.

•	 The country should be in a race to get these technologies deployed on a grand scale.

•	 There is still much untapped potential for sustainability innovation in the transportation sector,

in areas such as rail, marine vessels and off‐road vehicles.

Interview and Discussion: 

Sustainable Goods Movement 

This session focused on how supply chains balance environmental stewardship and growth. The session

was moderated by Richard Kassel, Senior Attorney and Director, Natural Resources Defense Council.

Discussants were:

•	 Victor LaRosa, President, Total Transportation Services, Inc.

•	 Adam Siegel, Vice President of Sustainability and Retail Operations, Retail Industry Leaders

Association

•	 William Nurthen, General Manager, Port Authority of NY and NJ, Port Commerce Department,

Environment and WaterWay Development Program

•	 Ken Dorsey, Association of American Railroads

Discussants represented port drayage trucking (i.e., “the last mile” for many goods), retail, port

operations and management, and rail. Key themes discussed during the session were:

•	 Environmental sustainability and economic growth go hand in hand; any time we use extra fuel,

we’re wasting emissions and money. Although the recession has created some challenges, it

has also created opportunities. For example, rail companies have retired many of their older,

less efficient, and more polluting engines.

•	 Regulations are necessary but not sufficient in this sector; it also takes collaboration,

partnerships, innovation, and better information flows among links in the global supply chain.

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•	 Increased collaboration and decision‐making among modes is a critical strategy. Strategies for

increasing collaboration include building multimodal centers, improving tools that support

choices and coordination among modes, and developing measurement tools that allow

transparency and consistent comparison across modes.

•	 Increasingly businesses in the freight sector are taking greenhouse gas footprints into account as

they make decisions about how to move goods from suppliers to final customers. They are

recognizing that these efforts also save money: the retailer Best Buy has a philosophy that

“carbon is cost.” In the rail sector, shareholders are increasingly asking companies about their

carbon footprints and carbon reduction strategies.

•	 Local issues can impact decisions throughout the global supply chain. For example, ports are

generally in densely populated areas. Air is impacted around every port in the U.S., and drayage

trucks are responsible for a great deal of that pollution. Working with local stakeholders and

communities on air quality issues at ports is critical to improved public health. Some strategies

are regulatory, but benefits can also be achieved through strong and transparent public/private

partnerships.

•	 The sector needs a better way to organize information and identify pollution “hotspots” in

supply chains.

•	 Maritime transport is a critical area for future focus because ocean‐going ships are the single

largest emitters in global supply chains. There needs to be more coordination between ports

and ships (e.g., on infrastructure and port emissions management) and between shippers and

ocean carriers.

•	 To help retailers understand and reduce the impacts of goods movement through logistics and

mode selection, it is helpful to have protocols for sharing information as goods are transferred

along the supply chain to end‐users.

Luncheon Keynote 

Over lunch, Maritime Administrator David Matsuda (U.S. Department of Transportation) described the

key role that the Maritime Administration plays in making sure the U.S. maritime industry is capable of

meeting U.S. economic and security needs. He also described future needs and trends for inter‐modal

collaboration. Key themes included:

•	 In the near term, economic uncertainty creates challenges for all transportation sectors. Over

the long term, the key challenge—and opportunity—will be efficiently and sustainably moving

goods for a U.S. population expected to grow by 100 million people over the next 40 years.

•	 As demand for goods movement grows, every mode of transportation will need to be utilized

and will increasingly need to be coordinated to take advantage of each mode’s relative

strengths and efficiencies.

•	 There is much room for the water transport sector to grow because U.S. waterways are one of

the most underutilized transportation routes. The new initiative “America’s Marine Highways”

has designated 18 marine highway corridors around the country as key opportunities to reduce

land congestion and move goods more efficiently. At the same time, the sector is pursuing

initiatives to test and utilize new types of engines and alternative fuels, and U.S. ports are

pursuing many strategies for reducing emissions.

•	 Much coordination among modes is already happening. For example, trucking and logistics

companies often use marine routes in New England, across Long‐Island Sound, and from Florida

to Texas. To support this kind of coordination, the Department of Transportation has developed

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the Geospatial Intermodal Freight Transport tool to determine optimal multi‐modal freight

pathways.

•	 Moving forward, all modes will need each other to succeed, and the Maritime Administration

sees SmartWay as a model for bringing sustainability to all modes of transportation.

Panel Discussion: 

Building an Efficient, Competitive and Environmentally Sustainable Freight 

Supply Chain in North America 

This session focused on perspectives for accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies and energy

savings for the multimodal, North American supply chain. The session was moderated by Dennis

McLerran, EPA Regional Administrator, Region 10. Presentations were given by:

•	 Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director, Diesel Technology Forum

•	 Dave Berry, Vice President, Swift Transportation

•	 Susan Alt, Vice President, Strategy and Industry Relations, Volvo Trucks

Key themes presented and discussed during the session were:

•	 Ports and the freight that passes through ports are essential to our way of life. In 2010, U.S.

imports and exports totaled over $4 trillion. At the same time, people who live near ports are

traditionally low‐income communities, and are more susceptible to asthma and other pollution‐

related health effects. At‐berth clean fuel incentives, drayage truck scrappage programs, and

other strategies are all being used to reduce port emissions.

•	 A key challenge is to move more freight with the same amount of infrastructure, and less fuel.

This requires a combination of strategies that encompass fuels, vehicle technology, and

operations.

•	 Diesel fuel is a key leverage point in the freight sector. 83% of freight value that is shipped is

shipped using diesel. Given the size of the sector, many small changes in fuel quality and use

can have big results.

•	 The average age of trucks on the road is increasing, and SmartWay is a key program for reaching

these older “legacy” vehicles. A key opportunity is modernizing and upgrading trucks owned by

individual owner‐operators (which tend to be the oldest trucks).

•	 The best way to reduce emissions may come from optimizing how we use trucks, not the trucks

themselves. Better information flows about optimal routes and mode choices is an important

foundation for operational improvements. Driver education and accountability (e.g., through

“scorecards”) are also important operational strategies.

•	 Freight consolidation reduces shipments and puts fewer trucks on the road, saving money and

reducing emissions. Some competitors are working together to combine loads; for example, the

“Confection Connection” allows candy companies to reduce supply chain costs by sharing loads.

•	 For lighter loads (e.g., pillows and potato chips), adding extra trailers can move more goods and

still keep vehicles under current weight limits.

•	 SmartWay is an effective partner in these efforts because it is based on sound science and

common sense. SmartWay tools have become the definitive carbon measurement tools in the

sector.

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Remarks: 

Trucking Today: Traveling the Clean-Green Road 

In his remarks, Governor Bill Graves, of the American Trucking Associations, drew on personal

experience with the trucking industry to describe its evolution over the last 70 years from the “old days

of trucking” when care for the environment was non‐existent. Key themes included:

•	 Forward‐thinking actions of traveling down the “clean green road,” will not only reduce carbon

emissions, but increase profitability and improve the public image of the trucking industry.

•	 Important areas of change include the introduction of sophisticated technology and route

optimization.

•	 Increasingly, sustainability has become a moral imperative for the industry and a cornerstone of

its “social license to operate.”

•	 The American Trucking Associations has a six point sustainability plan, including being a

SmartWay partner.

•	 SmartWay is the right voluntary approach for an industry not traditionally eager for government

programs. It has created a model of cooperation that translates into other aspects of EPA

programs, including an open and inclusive regulatory development process.

Interview and Discussion: 

Supporting the Economy, Jobs, and Energy Independence: Part II 

This session focused on how small firms can innovate and compete in a rapidly changing global market.

The session was moderated by Coralie Cooper, U.S. Department of Transportation, Volpe Center.

Discussants were:

•	 Paul Fouts, Independent owner/operator, Paul Fouts Trucking

•	 Andy Garcia, Chairman of the Board, GSC Logistics

•	 Paul Esposito, Chief Executive Officer, Railex

Discussants represented third‐party logistics companies, independent owner operators, and rail. Key

themes discussed during the session were:

•	 Smaller carriers are a significant component of the trucking industry. There are more than

500,000 trucking companies in the U.S. and a vast majority of them have fewer than 20 trucks

•	 Owner‐operators have a vested in “going green” because they directly pay fuel costs. For bigger

companies, company drivers may need additional incentives to improve efficiency and lower

fuel consumption, because they do not directly pay for fuel.

•	 Operational and maintenance strategies are relatively low cost and key for smaller companies.

Strategies include researching the shortest routes and lowest cost fuel locations, reducing

driving speeds to save fuel, checking tire pressure and alignment, and using fans and heaters for

climate control rather than idling. All of these small efforts add up.

•	 Increasingly, logistics companies need drivers that have technology skills for activities such as

providing information for tracking systems; this means that there is value in maintaining a stable

and skilled trucking fleet.

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•	 Challenges for small companies include staff training, volatile fuel prices, maintenance costs,

and equipment upgrades.

•	 Port strategies are driving upgrades for many owner‐operators and smaller companies. For

example, by Jan 1, 2014, no truck that is older than 2007 will be allowed into any of the ports in

California. Part of these strategies is to create incentives and financial assistance for upgrades.

•	 While some companies see increasing load weight as a strategy for improving efficiencies, it can

also result in higher fuel and maintenance costs for independent drivers. Also, small companies

often get paid by the load rather than by its weight.

•	 A key challenge for both rail and trucks is reducing idling during loading and unloading times

(e.g., at retail facilities, marine terminals, etc.). Hours of service rules have improved loading

efficiency somewhat. At marine terminals, communications strategies have helped save idling

time by alerting trucks and logistics companies about schedules and congestion.

•	 Going forward, key strategies include creating a more effective network of “long‐haul by rail,

short‐haul by truck” and creating intermodal facilities.

Remarks: 

Addressing the Nation’s Energy Security Challenges 

In his remarks, Drew Sloan, former U.S. Army Captain and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan wars, spoke

about the importance of reducing U.S. dependency on foreign oil from a national security standpoint,

and the effect that our oil dependency has on deployed U.S. troops throughout the world. Key themes

included:

•	 Oil dependency limits the choices that Americans have—both for the fuels that we buy and for

the international agreements and relations we are compelled to keep.

•	 Oil dependency has a personal impact on everyone through rising fuel prices, a national

economic impact through defense spending and broader economic dependency on oil, and a

global impact as we provide revenue to countries whose values and interests are often in

opposition to our own.

•	 The war on terror is the first war in which we are supporting both sides—on the one hand

paying to fight the war and on the other hand buying oil from countries (and sustaining oil prices

generally) that provide funding for terrorist regimes.

•	 Our ability to reduce oil dependency relies critically on technology and operational innovation

and collaboration to advance new sustainable strategies.

Closing Remarks for the Day 

Jim Blubaugh, Deputy Division Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, closed the day by observing that there is no “silver bullet” for increasing

sustainability in the freight sector but that speakers throughout the day identified many individual fuel,

vehicle technology, and operational strategies that collectively will have a big impact. Collaboration is

vital, he said, and SmartWay has created an important foundation for collaboration going forward.

Working together, EPA and the industry can leverage these relationships to save energy, reduce cost,

improve local air quality, and reduce the carbon footprint of the global supply chain.

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Friday, November 18, 2011

Welcome and Opening Remarks 

In his opening remarks, Glen Kedzie, Vice President and Environmental Counsel for the American

Trucking Associations, described the rapid growth and continued successes of SmartWay. He noted the

impressive growth of the SmartWay partnership, which now includes more than 3,000 partners as a

result of nearly doubling growth since the program’s inception. He also described the bi‐partisan nature

of program support and the need to continue to educate policymakers about the importance of the

program.

Panel Discussion: 

Achieving Sustainability through SmartWay Verified Technologies and 

Operational Practices 

This session focused on the future of SmartWay tractors and trailers, and how SmartWay verified

equipment, information technology and operational practices are contributing to sustainable

transportation. The session was moderated by Sam Waltzer, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency. Presentations were given by:

•	 John Emerson, Director of Standards and Government Relations, Michelin

•	 Elizabeth Fretheim, Director, Business Strategy and Sustainability, Walmart

•	 Dan Kieffer, Director, Emissions Compliance, PACCAR

•	 Jeff Sims, Truck Trailer Manufacturer Association

Key themes presented and discussed during the session were:

•	 SmartWay has focused on technologies that make large, long‐haul, combination trucks more

fuel efficient through strategies such as increased aerodynamics, lower rolling resistance, and

idle reduction.

•	 EPA’s standardized technology verification protocols used in SmartWay, support objective,

consistent, and transparent review of emerging technologies, and they help companies

overcome uncertainties about technology performance, payback, and residual value to the used

truck market. Verification also helps companies understand how a technology might affect other

aspects of an operation, such as driver acceptance and maintenance.

•	 Several technologies and operational practices can improve fuel efficiency, including:

o	 Advanced low rolling resistance tires, which can improve fuel economy regardless of the

age of the truck. New wide base single tire technology can turn an 18‐wheeler into a

10‐wheeler by replacing double tires with a single tire, generating a significant

improvement in fuel economy and making it easier to check and maintain tire pressure.

o	 Improved aerodynamics through front fairings (“gap reducer”), rear fairings (“boat tail”),

and side fairings (“side skirt”).

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o	 Tuning engines to operate efficiently for specific types of routes. For example, trucks

that are tuned to operate on flat routes are not as efficient for routes with high

elevation gain and vice versa.

o	 Optimized route selection, which can identify not just the shortest route, but also the

one with the least congestion or stop‐and‐go traffic.

o	 Driver training and accountability. For example, one company gave drivers information

on metrics that helped them see how operational changes reduced fuel use.

•	 Challenges for companies trying to reduce emissions include size and weight restrictions, traffic

congestion (an estimated 3.9 billion gallons of fuel are wasted every year from vehicles sitting in

traffic), and uncertainties about the benefits of alternative fuels.

•	 Industry can continue to drive innovation forward by sharing best practices and lessons learned.

Successful companies are committed to sharing what they are learning about technologies and

operational practices that reduce fuel use.

Remarks: 

How are EPA’s Partnership and Regulatory Programs Addressing our Nation’s 

Economic, Energy and Environmental Needs? 

Karl Simon, Division Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, described key EPA and partner accomplishments in the freight sector. Key themes included:

•	 EPA and the freight sector have achieved significant human health benefits through cleaner and

more efficient vehicles that reduce criteria pollutants—in addition to reducing carbon emissions.

•	 EPA, industry, SmartWay partners and other stakeholders all have the opportunity and

obligation to overcome challenges of increasing sustainability as the sector grows.

•	 SmartWay has created important levels of trust and transparency between the public and

private sectors, which provides a strong foundation for moving forward.

Panel Discussion: 

Supply Chain Performance Benchmarking and Carbon Accounting 

This session focused on how SmartWay’s second‐generation tools meet the need for performance

benchmarking and carbon accounting in the supply chain. The session was moderated by Beverly

Banister, Director of the Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency Region 4. Presentations were given by:

•	 Tony Craig, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Transportation & Logistics

•	 Matt Payne, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

•	 Gail Barnes, Marketing Director, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

Key themes presented and discussed during the session were:

•	 Calculating carbon footprints of goods (including the transportation component) can be highly

complex, with results varying significantly based on issues of scope and methodology.

•	 There is a key role for third parties to provide standardized methodologies and tools for

consistent measurement and benchmarking across an industry and throughout the supply chain.

Third parties also play a critical role in verifying claims about environmental performance.

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•	 SmartWay provides the freight industry with standardized methods, tools, and data about fuel

use and emissions so that companies can make informed emissions optimization choices and

conduct internal and external benchmarking. SmartWay now has the best freight database

available globally.

•	 Partners have integrated SmartWay into their corporate operations for both internal

optimization and to inform business‐to‐business interactions. This has helped companies

reduce carbon dioxide, NOX, and Particulate Matter (PM) emissions. It has saved millions of

gallons of fuel, improved supply chain efficiencies, and helped companies become more

profitable.

•	 Industry can leverage SmartWay tools and methods to customize sector‐specific tools. For

example, the dairy industry uses advanced data collection technology (i.e., on‐board recorders)

and customized tools that allow dairy shippers and carriers to compare their performance to

industry‐specific benchmarks.

Closing Remarks 

Cheryl L. Bynum, Manager of the SmartWay Transport Partnership at the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, provided concluding remarks. She emphasized that everyone across the global supply chain—

from single owner‐operators to large multinational companies—has a role to play in increasing freight

sector sustainability. It is the job of government, she said, to address interests along this spectrum. Ms.

Bynum reminded the audience that many small changes throughout the sector can add up to significant

reductions in emissions. Freight sector sustainability, she noted, has many additional benefits such as

economic growth, job creation, and increased global security through reduced dependence on foreign

oil. In closing, Ms. Bynum underlined that SmartWay works—and will continue to work—through

powerful collaboration, and that EPA looks forward to sustaining and building the partnership that has

already produced substantial benefits for the economy and the environment.

Presentations from the summit are available at: http://www.epa.gov/smartway/partner‐

resources/summit.htm. Attachment 1 provides the meeting agenda. Attachment 2 provides a list of

organizations that were represented at the meeting.

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Attachment 1: Meeting Agenda

Thursday November 17, 2011

08:30 am ‐ 09:00 am Welcome, Opening Remarks

Margo T. Oge, Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency

09:00 am ‐ 09:30 am Keynote

Featured Speaker: Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

09:30 ‐ 10:45 am Supporting the Economy, Environmental Sustainability, Jobs, and

Energy Independence: Part I

How leading companies are creating value, achieving environmental and economic

sustainability, and contributing to energy security and job growth by improving

productivity, lowering costs, and reducing emissions

Moderator: James Jack, Executive Director, Coalition for Responsible Transportation

Panel:

Randy Mullett

Vice President Government Relations and Public Affairs, Con‐way Inc

Jim Butts

Senior Vice President Transportation, CH Robinson

Lindsay Chason

Senior Manager, Environmental Innovations, The Home Depot

10:45 ‐ 11:00 am

11:00 ‐ 11:15 am

Break

Remarks: Finding the Ways that Work: Synergies for Advancing Sustainable Freight

Transport

Featured Speaker: Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund

11:15 ‐ 12:15 pm Interview and Discussion: Sustainable Goods Movement

How supply chains balance environmental stewardship and growth

12:20 ‐ 1:20

Moderator: Richard Kassel, Senior Attorney and Director, Natural Resources Defense

Council

Panel:

Victor LaRosa

President, Total Transportation Services, Inc.

Adam Siegel

Vice President of Sustainability and Retail Operations, Retail Industry Leaders

Association

William Nurthen

General Manager, Port Authority of NY and NJ, Port Commerce Department,

Environment and WaterWay Development Program

Ken Dorsey

Association of American Railroads

Lunch

Keynote Speaker: David Matsuda, Administrator, Maritime Administration, U.S.

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Department of Transportation

1:30 ‐ 2:30 pm Building an Efficient, Competitive and Environmentally Sustainable Freight Supply

Chain in North America

Perspectives on accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies and energy

savings for the multimodal, North American supply chain

Moderator: Dennis McLerran, EPA Regional Administrator, Region 10

Panel:

Allen Schaeffer

Executive Director, Diesel Technology Forum

Dave Berry

Vice President, Swift Transportation

Susan Alt

Vice President, Strategy and Industry Relations, Volvo Trucks

2:30 pm ‐ 2:45 pm Break

2:45 pm ‐ 3:00 pm Remarks: Trucking Today: Traveling the Clean‐Green Road

Featured Speaker: Governor Bill Graves, President and CEO, American Trucking

Associations

3:00 ‐ 4:00 pm Interview and Discussion: Supporting the Economy, Jobs, and Energy Independence:

Part II

How can small firms and innovative U.S. businesses compete in a rapidly changing

global market?

Moderator: Coralie Cooper, U.S. Department of Transportation, Volpe Center

Panel:

Paul Fouts

Independent owner/operator, Paul Fouts Trucking

Andy Garcia

Chairman of the Board, GSC Logistics

Paul Esposito

Chief Executive Officer, Railex

4:00 ‐ 4:15 pm Remarks: Addressing the nation’s energy security challenges

Featured Speaker: Drew Sloan, former U.S. Army Captain, Iraq and Afghanistan

veteran, Operation Free, Fellow, Truman National Security Project

4:15 ‐ 4:30 pm Closing Remarks for the Day

Jim Blubaugh, Deputy Division Director, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office

of Transportation & Air Quality

4:30 ‐ 6:00 pm Reception

Remarks: Jerry Widner, Lowe’s, Freight Sustainability Summit VIP Steering Committee
       

       

                 

                 

                       

                 

               

   

  

   

             

   

          

  

       

   

       

                   

       

                   

         

   

             

               

               

               

            

  

   

                 

   

     

   

             

               

               

Friday, November 18, 2011

08:45 ‐ 09:00 am

09:00 ‐ 10:15 am

10:15 ‐ 10:30 am

10:30 ‐ 10:45 am

10:45 ‐ 12:00 pm

Noon

Welcome, Opening Remarks

Glen Kedzie, Vice President & Environmental Counsel, American Trucking Associations

Achieving Sustainability through SmartWay Verified Technologies and Operational

Practices

The future of SmartWay tractors and trailers, and how SmartWay verified equipment,

information technology and operational practices are contributing to sustainable

transportation

Moderator: Sam Waltzer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Transportation and

Climate Division

Panel:

John Emerson

Director of Standards and Government Relations, Michelin

Elizabeth Fretheim

Director, Business Strategy & Sustainability, Walmart

Dan Kieffer

Director, Emissions Compliance, PACCAR

Jeff Sims

Truck Trailer Manufacturer Association

Remarks: How are EPA’s Partnership and Regulatory Programs Addressing our

Nation’s Economic, Energy and Environmental Needs?

Featured Speaker: Karl Simon, Division Director, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

Office of Transportation and Air Quality

Break

Supply Chain Performance Benchmarking and Carbon Accounting

How SmartWay’s second‐generation tools meet the need for performance

benchmarking and carbon accounting in the supply chain

Moderator: Beverly Banister, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4,

Director, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division

Panel:

Tony Craig

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Transportation & Logistics

Matt Payne

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Gail Barnes

Marketing Director, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

Closing Remarks

Cheryl L. Bynum, Manager, SmartWay Transport Partnership, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency Office of Transportation and Air Quality

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Attachment 2: Companies and Organizations Represented
 

ABF Freight System, Inc.

AireDock

AJW, Inc.

American Association of Port Authorities

American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy

American Shipper Magazine

American Trucking Associations

APL

Argonne National Laboratory

Association of American Railroads

Big 5 Trucking

BNA

Braun's Express

California Multimodal LLC

CALStart

Cascade Sierra Solutions

Caterpillar

CH Robinson

CJ Lake

Clean Air Council

Coalition for Responsible Transportation

Coalition for Transportation Productivity

Con‐way, Inc.

Diageo

Diesel Technology Forum

Dynamic Worldwide

Emissions Advantage

Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Environmental Defense Fund

Evans Delivery

Exel

Federal Highway Administration

Fringe Embassy

General Services Administration

George Washington University

Greenwire

GSC Logistics

Harris Corp. PSPC

Heavy Duty Trucking

Idle Air

IKEA Distribution Services

Industry Action Group

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

Inside Washington Publishers

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

International Council on Clean Transportation

International Warehouse Logisitics Association

J.B. Hunt Transport

JCPenney Co.

Journal of Commerce

Kimberly‐Clark Corporation

Kohl's Department Stores

Kraft Foods

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association

Maryland Port Administration

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Menlo Worldwide Logistics

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Michelin

Mid‐Atlantic Regional Air Management Association, Inc.

National Automobile Dealers Association

National Logistics Management

National Resources Canada

National Retail Federation

Natural Resources Defense Council

Navistar

New West Technologies

Norfolk Southern Corporation

North American Council for Freight Efficiency

Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

Owner‐Operator Independent Drivers Association

PACCAR

Paul Fouts Trucking

Penske Truck Leasing

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2
 

PITT OHIO Transport Topics

Politico Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Truman National Security Project

Railex USA U.S. Department of Energy

Retail Industry Leaders Association U.S. Department of Transportation

Ruan Transport Corporation U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Association

Ryder Integrated Logistics U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Schneider National, Inc. UPS

Stanley, Black & Decker Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

Stratacomm Volvo Trucks

StreetTurn.net Wal‐mart

SunEnergy1 Walsh Transportation Group

Swift Transportation Webasto

The Aluminum Association Werner

The Causeway Agency Werner

The Home Depot Williams Mullen

The Waterfront Coalition YRC Worldwide, Inc.

Total Transportation Services Yusen Logistics, Inc.

Transplace