There is much industry debate whether the sustainable transportation practices adopted by leading Canadian carriers are making much headway with shippers. Many carriers have complained that although such practices are making them more efficient and better able to reduce their costs, shippers in general are not using them to differentiate carriers in their selection process. Yet sustainable transportation strategies and practices are making headway. When selecting a transportation service provider, shippers are starting to consider environmental factors that reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, as a survey conducted on behalf of the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association indicates. Close to half of shippers surveyed said they took environmental factors into consideration when selecting their transportation service provider. Close to a third of shippers said they consider the age of a carrier’s truck fleet in making their purchasing decision, an interesting point considering many cash-strapped motor carriers are currently running some of the oldest fleets of the last decade. And almost four in 10 shippers said they were aware of hybrid engine technologies and alternative fuels, another area motor carriers have been wondering whether their investments are being noticed. •