TORONTO, Ont. — The Ontario Trucking Association is the first Canadian-based organization to become an affiliate member of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Smartway partnership program.

The SmartWay Transport Partnership program is an innovative voluntary collaboration between the US EPA and the freight industry designed to increase energy efficiency, while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution.

“This voluntary program recognizes and promotes the many initiatives the trucking industry is taking to reduce both global warming and air quality emissions. It is complimentary with Natural Resources Canada’s Fleet Smart Program,” said OTA president David Bradley.

In addition, OTA and many of its members also have supported collaboration between EPA and Natural Resources Canada. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two agencies, the resources available by both EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership and Natural Resources Canada’s FleetSmart programs work well together for the carriers that operate in both the US and Canada.

SmartWay Transport affiliates are trade and professional associations, nonprofit environmental, energy, and community organizations, and school and university groups that are committed to promoting greater energy efficiency and air quality within the freight transport sector.

Affiliates promote the SmartWay Transport Partnership and explain the business and environmental benefits of participation in SmartWay to their members.

“Carrier partners commit to measure and improve the efficiency of their freight operations, using EPA-developed tools that quantify the benefits of a number of fuel-saving strategies,” added Bradley. “These strategies include reduced vehicle speeds, super-single tires, aerodynamic improvements and long combination vehicles, all measures OTA would like to see the Province of Ontario become more supportive of.”