COMPETITION WATCH: Schneider National orders its truck fleet to slow down

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GREEN BAY, Wis. — Schneider National has announced that it has ordered its fleet of 10,6000 professional drivers to slow down to 60 mph, in an effort to achieve greater fuel efficiency.

The fleet slow down is a new strategy for minimizing the carbon footprint of the trucking company, and part of a 30-year plan of environmental stewardship, according to Schneider National.

“Operating an energy-efficient fleet, conserving fuel, and minimizing our environmental impact, have always been a part of how we conduct business,” said Chris Lofgren, president and CEO of Schneider National. “Since 1978, we’ve been improving our equipment, and training our drivers to be responsible stewards. Today, we’re announcing our plans to take our efforts to an even higher level, by committing to run the most energy-efficient fleet in the industry.”

The Schneider fleet slow down is just a three-mile-per-hour reduction, but the environmental impact is significant, according to Schneider. This effort will reduce the fleet’s consumption of diesel fuel by more than 3.75 million gallons per year, and reduce truck CO2 emissions by 83.25 million pounds per year – the equivalent of taking 7,259 cars off the nation’s highways, the company states.

Schneider National serves on the ATA’s sustainability task force, which was charged with developing an industry-wide plan to promote slower speeds and reduce the trucking industry’s carbon footprint. It’s a mandate that fits with Schneider’s past environmental record: the company states it was the first truckload carrier to sign on to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay Transport Partnership, and its EPA scores for fuel efficiency and emissions are considered to be among the best in the industry. Schneider was also a pioneer in discouraging unnecessary idling as early as 1978, the company states.

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