Trucking is vital to the health of America’s economy, but its environmental cost is huge. However, forward-thinking Pittsburgh trucking companies like ours are on the lookout for ways to reduce emissions and fuel use. Here are some of the key ways that green trucking companies are moving towards a more sustainable industry:
Routine Maintenance
Trucks, like all vehicles, need regular maintenance to run properly. Your car gets worse fuel economy when its tires are underinflated. It’s the same with trucks. And those little bits of maintenance really add up for long-haul vehicles that travel thousands of miles per day. So trucking companies need to step up and shell out for regular check-ups to keep their fleet in tip-top shape.
Better Route Planning
Route optimization is a constantly evolving world. Truckers need to know where to go, and they need to know things like updated traffic and weather to make sure they put as little stress as possible on their trucks. Artificial intelligence programs are transforming this part of the trucking industry by weighing far more factors than humans can in planning a route. They use live weather and traffic updates, as well as factoring in things like elevation changes, to get drivers where they need to be in the best way.
New Technologies
Everyone knows that electric cars are exploding in popularity right now, but the technology and infrastructure aren’t quite there yet for trucking. But it’s getting close. Truckers of the near future will be pulling into charging stations across the country with their new electric trucks.
Beyond just electric trucks, alternative-fuel trucks are rising in popularity. These trucks use fuels like biodiesel or hydrogen to transport goods all over the country. Trucking companies know that the only real obstacle to these kinds of trucks is infrastructure. Once places to refuel alternative fuel vehicles become widespread, a whole new world will open up for the green trucking industry.
