TORONTO, Ont. — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has bestowed a 2007 silver level of recognition upon the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) for its efforts to lower emissions and improve fuel efficiency in trucking.

The award was handed out through the EPAs SmartWay Transport Partnership program, a voluntary program that recognizes shippers and carriers that set and achieve greenhouse gas and emissions reduction goals.

OTA will continue to work with the EPA in promoting the benefits and goals of the Smartway program – EPAs approach to the introduction of cleaner technology and use of more fuel efficient configurations should be applauded, said OTA president David Bradley upon learning of the award. At no other time in our industrys history has our carriers economic goals been so aligned with environmental goals. OTA members are doing their part by investing in cleaner engines and fuels and by supporting such policies as the mandatory activation of speed limiters, and the removal of barriers to the increased use of trailer-base aerodynamic fairings, APUs and low rolling resistance tires.

Bradley credited OTA vice-president, Stephen Laskowski for spearheading the associations environmental initiatives. The US EPA SmartWay program will have representatives at next weeks OTA convention.