Penske has made a commitment to exploring greener logistics options by joining the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) SmartWay initiative.
SmartWay was launched by the EPA in 2004 as a partnership between government and the freight industry to identify products and services that reduce transport-related emissions. The commitment, which also promises greater efficiency, and reduced fuel and maintenance costs, involves Penske Logistics and Penske Truck Leasing, as well as the company's Truck Rental division.
The logistics and truck rental operations have already earned the highest EPA Performance Scores of 1.25, representing outstanding environmental performance.
By 2012, SmartWay aims to reduce at least 33 million metric tons of CO2 emissions and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions per year. It also aims to bring annual fuel savings equivalent to 150 million barrels.
To oversee the SmartWay initiative and Penske's wider environmental improvements, the company has created a new position of Vice President - Sustainability and appointed Joe Moleski to the role.
"We are very pleased to be a part of SmartWay," said Moleski. "We are already working to drive a number of internal initiatives designed to help our customers meet their environmental goals and fuel cost and emission savings while working toward our own commitments to operate even more responsibly as it relates to the environment."
Moleski was previously Area Vice President for the northeast of the USA.
The EPA presented its SmartWay Excellence Awards last week, recognizing 27 companies that made the best efforts to reduce fuel use and lower carbon emissions from freight transport. Among them were automotive-supporting LSPs including APL Logistics, Con-way Freight, Schneider National and UPS.
More about the initiative can be found at www.epa.gov/smartway/index.htm
