Last month Motor Transport sent out its Green Issues survey asking operators about their perceptions of the environment, which attracted 426 respondents. The findings reveal the majority of our readers show great concern for the environment and the industry's impact upon it. But our results show that going green does not come without a cost, and our respondents are also concerned about the negative perceptions of the industry and the need to promote haulage and distribution as 'green'.
More than 90% of our respondents said they agreed that the haulage and distribution industry needs to be more environmentally friendly, but more than half said that too much money is spent to go green.
Almost all believe that the public views the industry as a large polluter, so it is not surprising that the same amount feel that promotion of cleaner vehicles is key. Customer awareness is also considered by our respondents - with almost half saying their customers are interested in how environmentally friendly their operation is.
Fleet efficiency tops the list of steps towards going green among our operators - just 3% did not view this as important. The offsetting of their carbon footprint was viewed as the least important step.
The vast majority (80%) of our respondents say their operation has taken steps to become more environmentally friendly, with many different approaches identified. The majority
of those that told us of their initiatives listed more than one.
Topping the list are the purchase of Euro 4 vehicles, driver training, early adoption of Euro 5 vehicles and the use of or investigation into biodiesel. Some respondents have engaged in more efficient route planning, some are trialing electric vehicles, while a handful have reduced their fleet and one has started using rail.
"All future tractor units will be Euro 5," one respondent told us. Another highlighted that "all drivers have undertaken SAFED courses", while one revealed: "We are looking at alternative fuels as well 'common sense' procedures in our day to day operations."
Nearly two-thirds of our respondents (63%) told us they were planning to adopt more environmentally friendly initiatives in the near future, defined by us as the next two years. The majority talk about the use of biodiesel and the purchase of Euro 5 trucks, but use of rail, training and the idea of "less dead miles", also featured highly. Many operators told us they are researching biofuels, but, says one, "[we] will only change when the full facts are known".
Others have specified the early purchase of Euro 5, but one respondent tells us they will "attempt to evaluate the best course of action regarding EGR and SCR before further truck purchases". Another said: "Subject to deregulation we will operate 25.25m long trucks."
While almost half said they were considering using biodiesel, one-third plan to buy Euro 5 vehicles this year - two years before the mandatory requirement in 2009.
The recent announcement by Gordon Brown of the reduced pollution certificate for Euro 5 trucks may well have an impact 87% of respondents said they would be encouraged into early Euro 5 adoption by a financial incentive.
Reed Business Information Limited.©2008
