Reducing emissions is a major priority for the freight industry: survey

Carriers in the trucking industry have a few things to worry about—primarily staying in business—but that doesn’t mean sustainability goes by the wayside.

A survey of 500 transportation leaders, including shippers and carriers, found that 94% say reducing emissions is a major priority in the next year, according to transportation management technology provider Breakthrough’s 2023 State of Transportation survey. This number falls largely downstream of increased consumer demand for sustainable products.

Although the transportation industry is facing challenges at the moment, implementing more sustainable options such as electric and alternative energy vehicles is broadly in demand.

• Almost all shippers (99%) said they would use these options if in-network carriers offered them.
• Additionally, 97% of carriers said there’s a value proposition in adding electric vehicles to their fleets, and 59% said they’ll do so before the end of the year.

“Inflation, volatile fuel prices, and capacity fluxes will continue to weigh heavily on the transportation industry, making it more important for organizations to prioritize efficiency measures,” Matt Muenster, chief economist at Breakthrough, said in a statement.