Averitt ENVIRONMENTAL

At Averitt, taking responsibility for the impact we make on the environment is part of our company culture.  We understand that the business choices we make today directly affect our living world tomorrow.  That’s why we’re committed to reducing our carbon footprint and finding better, more environmentally friendly ways to go about our business every day.

Fuel

Our team realizes that fuel conservation is the most important impact we can make on the environment.  We’re taking many steps to achieve the highest fuel efficiency possible.

  • Use only ULSD (ultra-low-sulfur diesel) at our in-house fueling stations. Coupled with our employment of the new low-emission diesel tractor engines, ULSD helps us reduce emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.
  • Use Biodiesel in select markets.
  • Equip road tractors with APUs (auxiliary power units) to maintain driver comfort and reduce fuel use through idling when parked for extended periods of time.
  • Install sophisticated electronic technology that gathers data from tractor engine computers to track and measure fuel efficiency on an individual tractor level. Also equip trucks with systems that automatically shut down idling engines.
  • Use leading-edge software to plan routes as efficiently as possible and alert drivers to the most cost-effective fueling locations.
  • Research and test innovative tires that are specifically designed to keep proper inflation, thus increasing fuel efficiency.
  • Participate in an automated vehicle identification program that allows our drivers to bypass designated weigh stations, which subsequently reduces unnecessary tractor idling and improves roadway safety.
  • Establish fleet speed limits and governing our tractors accordingly.
  • Improve tractor aerodynamics through such after-market modifications as roof fairings and cab extenders.
  • Utilize underground fuel storage tanks and electronic fueling overflow detection devices at our facilities.
  • Provide drivers with access to a roadside service that enables them to reduce tractor idling when parked for long periods of time.

Maintenance

  • Use low-viscosity lubricants and engine oils which lower the frequency of maintenance service intervals, therefore producing fewer waste products.
  • Capture 100 percent of the Freon when servicing our tractors’ A/C units and recycle accordingly.
  • Recycle all used oil and oil filters.
  • Use only non-hazardous waste parts cleaners.
  • Recover and reuse antifreeze from our tractors whenever possible.
  • Use salvaged/remanufactured parts whenever possible.
  • Eliminate aerosols by purchasing bulk chemicals.

Recycling

  • Recycle all paper used at our corporate headquarters.
  • Provide receptacles for and encourage associate recycling of plastic and aluminum containers.
  • Recycle cardboard at all facilities.
  • Recycle all scrap metal created from in-house maintenance and body work on tractors and trailers.
  • Provide numerous e-commerce solutions, such as electronic bills of lading, invoicing and various forms requests, in order to reduce and potentially eliminate paper use.
  • Install drive-through tractor wash bays designed to collect and recycle used water.

Energy

  • Light many of our facilities with energy efficient fluorescent light bulbs and switched to high bay fluorescent light fixtures, which use about half the energy as the previously used HID high bay lamps.

Operations

  • Strive to maintain balance within our distribution network to reduce empty miles, thus reducing emissions and fuel usage.
  • Offer both truckload and intermodal services to provide shippers with outstanding transit times and access to more fuel efficient transportation modes.

Education

  • Educate our workforce on steps that can be taken to increase fuel efficiency, reduce engine idling and improve processes that impact the environment.
  • Foster an atmosphere where customers, associates, vendors and the general public can conduct an open dialogue on areas of improvement in terms of environmental protection.

Partnership in Environmental Protection

  • Averitt was one of the 52 Partners to launch the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Program in 2004. Through SmartWay, we voluntarily committed to meeting specific environmental and energy-saving goals and sharing our progress annually with the EPA. With the help of this program, Averitt established a systematic approach to emissions reduction and fuel conservation.

Results

Current SmartWay Score:  1.25 (“Superior”)

Averitt’s current SmartWay score is 1.25.  According to the EPA, “A score of 1.25 represents outstanding environmental performance. These Partners already are utilizing most of the commercially available fuel saving strategies and are actively evaluating the latest emerging technologies.”

Since joining the SmartWay program in 2004, we’ve:

  • lowered our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by an estimated 27.05 percent
  • reduced our nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 50.37 percent
  • lowered our particulate emissions by 52.74 percent

See Also