As the effects of global climate change continue to make themselves known, industries around the world are scrambling to adopt practices to mitigate them. One of the most high-profile industries being asked to make wholesale changes is commercial transportation, or the ‘trucking industry.’
Within the trucking industry, some influential companies have implemented a handful of important changes focused on decreasing carbon emissions and encouraging sustainability. Among these are the large-scale adoption of alternative fuels, improvements in fuel usage and efficiency, and the self-enforcement of stricter emissions standards and regulations.
Canada’s Challenger Motor Freight provides an interesting and emblematic example of a transportation company on the vanguard of the green movement. The company, based in Cambridge, Ontario, recently won the ‘Best Fleets to Drive For’ award in the ‘Large Carrier’ division at the 2024 Best Fleets conference, an esteemed annual trade meeting encompassing all matters related to the trucking industry. One element that contributed to their victory was their early adoption of eco-friendly policies, some of which date back to the mid-2000s.
Since 2008, Challenger Motor Freight has been an active participant in the SmartWay Transport Partnership, a program initiated by the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States in partnership with Natural Resources Canada to enhance sustainability in freight operations throughout North America. As a three-time winner of the SmartWay Excellence Award, Challenger has repeatedly shown its dedication to reducing its carbon footprint. The company has worked alongside manufacturers to refine shifting software in automatic transmission vehicles, resulting in improved diesel fuel mileage and efficiency. They have also replaced traditional double tires with super-single tires across their entire fleet in order to improve truck rolling resistance and reduce overall fuel consumption.
Another big step Challenger Motor Freight has taken is the reduction of truck idling times. The company uses alternate power units to maintain cab temperatures and recharge batteries, greatly diminishing the need for engines to run while trucks are stationary. Beyond that, Challenger’s fleets are equipped with state-of-the-art satellite monitoring systems that track engine performance and drivers’ road management skills—data which is then used to determine optimal route efficiency and evaluate driver performance vis-a-vis sustainable habits.
Interestingly, Challenger’s quest for sustainability reaches beyond its fleet and into their company headquarters. Since 2010, the company’s head office in Cambridge, Ontario, has been LEED® certified. That acronym stands for ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED is a globally recognized certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council that provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. The Challenger company HQ features energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, low-flow water fixtures that reduce consumption by 34%, and extensive use of natural light, which illuminates 90% of the interior spaces and eliminates the need to use electric lights throughout most of the building.
Challenger’s headquarters is also the location of their award-winning Transportation Training Academy. Here, many of SmartWay’s best practices are taught to those who will be responsible for implementing them in the future—everyone from high-ranking executives to drivers and automotive technicians. The academy puts great emphasis on efficient and fuel-saving methods, providing learners with a solid background in environmental science, as well as educating them about the particular materials and techniques the company already uses or that are on its radar for future use. Similarly, Challenger Motor Freight directs its acquisition officers to prioritize purchasing products with low volatile organic compounds and use recycled materials whenever possible.
The efforts of Challenger Motor Freight highlight the potential impact that the trucking industry can have on reducing carbon emissions and contributing to sustainability. By adopting advanced technologies and careful, thoughtful practices, the company has set a standard for the industry as a whole while still managing to increase its operational capacity. As the proprietors of the largest privately held truck fleet in Canada, Challenger’s actions demonstrate how industries previously thought of as net polluters can adapt to meet the challenges of a more eco-friendly future.
Wanda Rich has been the Editor-in-Chief of Global Banking & Finance Review since 2011, playing a pivotal role in shaping the publication’s content and direction. Under her leadership, the magazine has expanded its global reach and established itself as a trusted source of information and analysis across various financial sectors. She is known for conducting exclusive interviews with industry leaders and oversees the Global Banking & Finance Awards, which recognize innovation and leadership in finance. In addition to Global Banking & Finance Review, Wanda also serves as editor for numerous other platforms, including Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune.