INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Celadon Trucking Services has earned the top score awarded under the EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership program, the company announced.

The voluntary program sets emissions reduction targets for fleets.

“I’m extremely proud of this accomplishment,” said Celadon chairman and CEOSteve Russell. “Our maintenance and operations employees worked very hard to make this possible.”

The SmartWay program aims to reduce 33-36 million metric tonns of CO2 emissions by 2012 while also reducing fuel consumption by an amount totaling 150 million barrels of oil per year. Participating carriers must reduce their fuel consumption by reducing idling, improving aerodynamics and promoting fuel-efficient driving.

Carriers are scored based on a Shipper Index Factor. Celadon scored 1.25, which represents outstanding environmental performance. Carriers that score 1.25 are allowed to display a SmartWay Transport Partner logo on their equipment. In addition to saving fuel, fleets are often rewarded as a preferred carrier by shipper members of SmartWay.

“As a SmartWay Partner, our employees and customers can take pride in knowing our company has taken an aggressive, pro-active approach in doing its part to support a cleaner environment,” said Russell.

Some of the changes Celadon has incorporated include: installing auxiliary air heaters to reduce idling; equipping trucks and trailers with fuel efficient tires; accelerating new truck purchases to equip the fleet with the latest generation of environmentally-friendly engines; recalibrating new engines to produce less than 30 grams of NOx per hour at idle; shortening the gap between the tractor and trailer; using synthetic lubes in transmissions and differentials to minimize friction; and governing the entire fleet at a lower highway speed.