Transportation

Background

Your business’ transportation requirements can have significant environmental impacts. From business flights to shipping and employee commuting, the movement of goods and people causes emissions and leaks, including air pollutants, greenhouse gases (GHGs) and water pollution. In Canada, transportation (road transportation, rail, marine transportation and aviation) accounts for 26.7% of total greenhouse gas emissions.^{Footnote 1}

Transportation also causes other environmental issues like reduced air quality (smog, particulates) and water pollution from transportation fluids such as oils and lubricants that leak from vehicles onto roads, ultimately draining into our streams and waterways. The greatest opportunities to reduce environmental impacts from transportation are in the following areas for small firms:

• Business travel: Moving your staff locally and to outside destinations for business meetings, conferences, or sales calls,
• Shipping: Moving goods and services, even couriered materials, from place to place,
• Fleet Management: Operations and maintenance of your fleet, including driver training, and  
• Employee commuting: Your staff moving from home to work and back again daily.

Action

Business Travel
Reduce the GHG emissions, air pollution and costs associated with your business travel, including both flights and car travel, by using lower impact forms of transportation and reducing the number of trips.  Some measures to do this include:

• Replace car travel with lower impact transportation for sales calls, meetings and other business travel within your community:
  1. Provide an incentive for your employees to take public transporation, or active transportation (walking, cycling) instead of driving
  2. Green your fleet so the impact of driving is reduced (see Fleet Management below for information on how to green your fleet)
• Reduce the impact of travel outside your region:
  1. Consider rail or carpooling in place of short-haul flights
  2. Where air travel is used, encourage employees to take advantage of airport shuttles or public transport to hotels
• Reduce the need for in-person meetings by encouraging “virtual meetings”.  Consider the following options:
1. Tele- or video-conferencing: meet virtually with your employees or clients using phone or video technology. Review team presentations virtually using free webinar technology. Tele-conferencing and video-conferencing allows many members of your team to meet more frequently, reducing lost labour time from travel and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Low or no-cost online information-transfer and team building solutions such as file sharing, screen sharing and web conferencing. For example:
   • File Sharing: File sharing allows you to transfer and collaborate with team members on large files without having to meet in person. There are many free or affordable file sharing services available, depending on your needs, such as “You Send It”, “For My Innovation (FMYI)”, and others.
   • Screen Sharing and Webinars: Screen sharing and webinars allow you to have virtual meetings or training where users can share files or watch presentations, hear audio and interact with the presenter and audience. There are many low and no cost options, including “Screen Stream” screen sharing software, and “Netxpression Webinar Builder” software to build webinars and online presentations, and others. 
   • Video-conferencing: There are many no and low cost videoconferencing services, which provide a live video and voice communication for 3 or more people, currently available, such as “Skype”, “Google Chat”, “Windows Live Messenger”,  and others.
   • You can compare video conferencing services at the Master New Media website.

Software to support the above measures to reduce business travel changes rapidly, so make sure to keep up to date on new technology by doing an internet search using the search terms above (“file sharing software”, “webinar software”). Calgary-based Tech House Computer Services reduces the impact of its business travel by using a bicycle with a trailer to get around the city. In the winter, when snow makes bike travel more difficult, Tech House staff sometimes travel in vehicles from the Calgary Alternative Transportation Co-operative, a car-sharing network whose members share vehicle ownership. By using alternative transportation, Tech House reduces its costs for vehicles, fuel and insurance, while reducing the environmental impacts of business transportation.

Shipping (Goods Movement)

To reduce GHG emissions, air pollution and costs from business shipping, look for ways to maximize and reduce the number of shipments. Some measures include: 

• Consider shipping companies that are eco-certified or recognized
• Review your shipping/delivery practices. You may be able to shift the shipment of some goods from one transportation type to another, from road to rail for instance.
• Schedule deliveries for off-peak hours: avoiding rush hour can improve fuel efficiency and save time.
• Consolidate shipments: the movement of products off and on your premises may provide opportunities for consolidated shipments. By ordering more at once, increasing your inventory or encouraging customers to order in bulk, you can reduce shipping-related emissions. Even courier services can be consolidated with careful planning. Shipments can also sometimes be consolidated with other neighbouring businesses.

Salt Spring Coffee Company, based on Saltspring Island, BC, reduced its shipping impacts by changing its shipping practices. Rather than shipping  its beans by boat from various ports around the world into Oakland, California and then trucking them up to Vancouver, it now makes fewer, larger orders and ships them straight to Vancouver. This change in shipping practices saves the company 1.5 tonnes of greenhouse gases per load.^{Footnote 2}
In an effort to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, BC-based Integral Sense Brands (ISB), a distributor of natural personal care products from around the world, encourages its customers to consolidate orders. The company provides incentives on the shipping price to customers that order more product at one time, with both the business and the customer reducing emissions as a result. ISB sells to retailers with a high commitment to environmental sustainability; by explaining its motive to reduce its carbon footprint to its customers it experienced significant takeup.^{Footnote 3}

Manage Fleets
Some businesses have fleet vehicles that are used for business travel and/or shipping. Fleets have significant environmental impacts, which proper management can help reduce.  The Environmental Defense Fund, a leading US science-based environmental organization, states that the average fleet vehicle emits 15 tons of carbon per year, and businesses can reduce up to 2 tons of that through simple actions gained in maintenance and driver training.^{Footnote 4} If you own fleet vehicles, there are several ways to reduce the environmental (GHGs, air pollution and leaks) impacts of fleet vehicle use.  “Greening your fleet” involves 1) proper maintenance, 2) improved use (driver training), 3) improved vehicle selection, and 4) fuel selection as outlined below.

1.  Maintenance Vehicle maintenance, such as tire pressure checks, oil and filter changes, and wheel alignments, saves fuel and reduces air pollution. Repairing fluid leaks prevents water pollution when oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid and other chemicals drip onto roads and get washed into streams and waterways.  Consider the following measures:

• Tire pressure: It’s important to maintain proper tire pressure. Low pressure increases tire wear and fuel use. Check the maximum tire pressure on the wall of the vehicle’s tire or on the driver’s side door. Cold temperatures in winter reduce the pressure in tires, so be sure to check tire pressure often in winter. When replacing tires, look for low rolling resistance (LRR) tires to improve fuel economy.
• Oil changes: Change oil and oil filters regularly, since old oil loses its lubricating properties and reduces the vehicle’s power and fuel efficiency. When replacing your oil, use synthetic oil which lasts 2-3 times longer than conventional oil, helps increase the engine’s life, and generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
• Air filter: Change the air filter regularly, since restricting the air into the engine’s combustion chamber reduces the vehicle’s power and fuel efficiency. This practice will also extend the engine’s life.
• Wheel alignment: Aligning wheels reduces tire wear, protects the suspension, and reduces rolling resistence which improves fuel efficiency.
• Leak detection: Check fluid levels regularly, and inspect the area under vehicles in parking spots for any chronic drips or leaks.  Fixing leaks saves money and reduces run-off into streams and waterways.

2.  Driver Behaviour^{Footnote 5}Driver training, or employee education, is a business’ least expensive and most immediate action for greater fuel efficiency of its fleet^{Footnote 6}. Fuel efficiency reduces costs, and greenhouse gas and air emissions. Driver training programs are available across Canada, or you can devise your own program based on the many videos, driving and maintenance tips available from different groups (see Resources section for details). Several important aspects of fuel efficient driving are:

• Gear and  RPMs: Shift up as soon as possible (manual transmissions), driving in the highest gear with the lowest revolutions per minute. For most cars, keep the RPMs below 2500, 1900 for hybrids.
• Accelerating and braking: Avoid unneccessary accelerating and braking by driving at a steady speed, anticipating the traffic flow by looking ahead for traffic lights and decelerating smoothly when necessary. Use cruise control on relatively flat highways. 
• Speed: Avoid high speeds. Speeds above 90km/h significantly reduce your fuel economy.
• Idling: Idling wastes fuel, increases costs and emits greenhouse gases. Avoid idling for longer than 60 seconds when not in traffic. Studies show that 60 seconds of idling is the point at which fuel costs to restart the engine go up and the potential for starter and battery wear increases.  You might wish to adopt a company policy of no idling for longer than 60 seconds and provide education on the policy for drivers. ^{Footnote 7} Sometimes the need for idling is related to extreme weather - the engine is left idling to run the vehicle’s heating or cooling system. If this is the case for your drivers, couple the anti-idling education and policy with other measures to moderate vehicle temperatures, such as installing sun shades to keep interiors cool, or interior heaters that reduce fuel costs for larger vehicles.
• Route planning: Route planning ensures that delivery vehicles are used to capactiy, eliminates unnecessary driving, and can help avoid traffic snags. Businesses can make use of tools, such as GPS and route planning software, for strategic scheduling and to map and plan efficient routes.^{Footnote 8}

BC-based Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (SPUD), an organic home delivery service, completed a greenhouse gas inventory in 2008 and set a goal to become carbon neutral. Since transportation represents 93% of their greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, many of their efforts to reduce their 461 metric tonnes by 10%^{Footnote 9} needed to focus on transportation. SPUD used driver training as an important measure to improve the fuel usage of its delivery trucks.^{Footnote 10}Vehicles The vehicle choices you make for your fleet have significant environmental impacts depending on the size, fuel type and fuel efficiency of the vehicle. 

• Right sizing: One of the simplest and most cost/fuel efficient measures is to ensure that the vehicle size is appropriate for the job.
• Retrofitting vehicles: Different retrofits and technologies can provide you with fuel savings. Technologies to consider include aerodynamic skirts, alternative power units (to reduce idling) and different tire technologies. 
• Life cycle costing: When making vehicle selections, evaluate the ticket price in addition to ongoing operations, maintenance and disposal (re-sale) costs.
• Fuel efficiency: Comparing the fuel efficiency of vehicle options is essential since your choice of vehicle determines operating costs and environmental impact. For reliable information, go beyond information provided by the vehicle manufacturer. Third party sources of performance information are available:  for the tested fuel efficiency of cars and trucks see: Natural Resources Canada, and for hybrids see E3Fleet.
• Alternative vehicle technologies: When purchasing vehicles, assess the potential for replacing conventional gasoline-powered vehicles with alternative vehicles.
• Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) are approximately 30% more fuel efficient than typical gasoline vehicles^{Footnote 11}, and can reduce air emissions of smog-forming pollutants by up to 90% and cut GHG emissions in half^{Footnote 12} depending on vehicle type and driving conditions. They function like a normal vehicle, are readily available and have been on the market for a number of years.  
• Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) can be 75% more fuel efficient than typical gasoline vehicles, reducing pollutants and GHGs even further than HEVs. They have a full electric system that requires charging, and can be used for approximately120 kms on the electrical system, before switching over to a fuel system.^{Footnote 13} They are expected to be in limited release in 2011 with a full production roll out in 2012.

Hybrid Trucks can reduce emissions and fuel costs by 30-50 %. They are being used in large commercial fleets (e.g., UPS, Coca-Cola), with many models becoming available in recent years. This option will become viable for small fleet operators as the technology evolves and more manufacturers produce hybrid trucks.^{Footnote 14}
Mills Basics, a Vancouver-based office supply company, purchasing an electric delivery truck as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The emission-free truck is part of Mills’ carbon neutral plan that includes a 30% reduction in Mills Basics’ current 532 tonne annual carbon output by 2020.^{Footnote 15} There are also alternative fuel vehicle options, reviewed below.

3.  Alternative FuelsAlternative fuels can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants associated with standard petroleum-based fuels (i.e., gasoline and diesel). Some alternative fuels (biodiesel, ethanol) are attractive since they can be used in regular diesel and gasoline engines. However, they are not consistently available throughout the country. See the Resources section for information on fuel availability across Canada.

Biodiesel
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that can be used in any modern standard diesel engine. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils and animal fats, often from recycled organic waste (e.g., cooking oil), that can be blended with regular diesel to reduce greenhouse gas, sulphur, nitogen and particulate emissions.^{Footnote 16} In some cases, fleet vehicles can be operated on 100% biodiesel. Lower blends (B5 and B20 have 5% or 20% biodiesel blended with regular diesel respectively) are often more appropriate for colder climates, since the biodiesel portion of the mixture gets thick in cold weather.
Recycling Alternative, a BC-based recycling hauler, powers its entire diesel fleet with 100% recycled biodiesel (known as B100) made from recycled organic waste. This reduces its carbon emissions by up to 92% over regular diesel.^{Footnote 17}

Ethanol
Ethanol is pure grain alcohol, made in Canada from corn or wheat, that is blended with gasoline to produce fuel with lower greenhouse gas emissions. Compared with gasoline, the greenhouse gas emissions produced from corn-based E10 (E10 has 10% ethanol blended with regular gasoline) are 3-4% lower and from wood- or agricultural material-based E10 are 6-8% lower. Ethanol blended fuel can be used in modern (1980’s or newer) gasoline-powered vehicles. Typical vehicles can run on a blend of up to 10% ethanol (E10) (available at some services stations across Canada). Some vehicles can operate on higher ethanol blends (up to 85%); ask vehicle manufacturers for details.^{Footnote 18}
Some concerns about plant-based fuels are that the use of wheat or corn for fuel means there is less food available for consumption. Some fuels are made from crops, and some are made from the waste from other agricultural processes. The best plant-based fuels do not use new crops, but existing crop waste. Part of your decision to buy greener fuels should be some research into the availability of fuels made from waste, for example, ethanol made from corn fibre.

Hydrogen
Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen. They can produce very low, or no greenhouse gas emissions, depending on where the hydrogen is sourced^{Footnote 19}.  Hydrogen vehicles are not yet commercially available due to the lack of a refuelling infrastructure. However, some efforts are underway to make hydrogen more readily available. A consortium of Canadian technology providers government partners, and technology users in BC are developing the “Hydrogen Highway”, a network of 7 hydrogen refuelling stations between Victoria and Whistler.^{Footnote 20} Hydroden forklifts are also in the development stage, but will not be readily available for a number of years.

Natural Gas
Natural gas is a pressurized fossil fuel that burns more cleanly than gasoline or diesel. Its produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. It’s also less likely to contribute to water pollution because the sealed containment system required to contain the gas means it can’t escape onto roadways and into water through careless handling, spills, leaks or evaporation.^{Footnote 21} A range of natural gas-powered vehicles are available in the market, or you can convert an existing vehicle to use natural gas for about $6,000.^{Footnote 22}

Propane
Propane is a fossil fuel (gas) that is pressurized and stored as a liquid for use in vehicles. It can produce up to 20% reductions in GHGs. It also reduces air pollution, since it produces extremely low amounts of sulphur oxides that contribute to acid rain and smog. Propane’s pressurized sealed containment system also makes it less likely to contribute to water pollution since it can’t escape onto roadways and into water through careless handling, spills, leaks or evaporation.^{Footnote 23}

Employee Commuting
Although out of a business’ direct control, how employees get to and from work can have a big impact on greenhouse gas emissions from single occupant vehicle (SOV) trips. Businesses can influence the commuting patterns of their employees by:

• Locating near transit
• Providing incentives, e.g.,:
• For using commuting alternatives to cars, such as discounts on transit passes or memberships in car-sharing organizations
• For the purchase of low emission or alternative fuel vehicles
• Free parking for carpoolers
• Providing support to staff for ride-matching so they can organize carpools
• Engaging staff to participate in campaigns that encourage alternative transportation choices. For example, commuter challenges and “bike-to-work” weeks challenge employees to try out new forms of transportation in a fun and engaging way
• Providing flexibility around work days/hours (shortened work week, avoiding daily rush hour), and location (opportunity to work from home)
• Providing secure bike storage, showers and change rooms for cyclists and walkers
• Offering carpoolers, walkers and cyclists a guaranteed ride home (e.g. taxi fare) if they or a family member gets ill or needs help

Vancouver-based Eclipse Awards, a crystal, glass and green awards company, provides its employees a variety of incentives to promote alternative transportation choices:

• Zero-emissions vehicle incentive: pays $450 towards the purchase of a zero emissions vehicle (e.g.,electric scooter, bicycle, hybrid car)
• Green exercise incentive: pays employees $0.30 cents for each kilometer walked to work, and $0.20 cents for each kilometer biked to work
• Public transportation initiative: pays 50% of the cost of a bus pass.^{Footnote 24}

Business BenefitsCost Savings
Significant cost savings can be achieved through more sustainable transportation. Some cost savings will require capital outlay for new vehicles or vehicle conversions to alternative fuels, but these investments will pay for themselves via fuel efficiency in a short time, and begin to save a company money.
Other cost savings accrue immediately. For instance, replacing business travel with virtual meetings and presentations provides for potentially significant savings on flights. Other simple measures like proper maintenance and driver training can achieve significant fuel cost savings. Driver training programs alone can reduce fuel costs approximately 10%.^{Footnote 25}

Extended Vehicle Life
Many fuel-saving measures are related to good vehicle maintenance, reducing wear and tear and extending the life of your assets. Increased maintenance, in combination with fuel-saving driving techniques, reduce replacement requirements of vehicles and parts (tires, brakes). This also leads to reduced maintenance labour and further cost savings.

Meet Customer Expectations for Action on Climate Change
Transportation is a major contributor of greenhouse gases leading to global warming. Increased environmental awareness means that customers are looking for businesses taking action on climate change. In addition to meeting customer expectations and building a loyal customer base, efforts to reduce the impacts of your transportation can help build a positive brand image and win new customers.

Resources

Shipping

• Transport Canada’s “Efficiency Program for Freight Shippers and Forwarders” has a mandate to raise the awareness of the importance of adopting sustainable modal choices and practices.   A “Shippers’ Checklist” highlights different areas that companies could review when considering their environmental impact in relation to shipping goods and forwarding freight. 
  

Driver Training

• Green Driving Canada provides fuel efficient driving tips through their “Eco-Driving and Xtreme Eco-Driving” programs. 
  
• Advanced Driver Training Services (ADTS) provides commercial online driver training services focused on fuel and cost savings.
  

Fleets

• Transport Canada's ecofreight program works with the freight transportation industry to advance greater uptake of technologies and practices that reduce fuel consumption, criteria air contaminants and greenhouse gas emissions.  The website includes results of “real world” testing of these technologies:
  
• Environmental Defense Fund provides a step-by-step fleet management program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air quality emissions and leaks by setting goals, creating an inventory, improving vehicle selection and use, considering carbon offsets and reporting on progress (Green Fleet Framework).
• Natural Resources Canada “FleetSmart” program provides driver training resources (manuals, training), workshops on fuel management, fuel saving information, an idling reduction toolkit, and case studies and success stories.
• Fraser Basin Council“E3 Fleets” is a national program that offers businesses a fleet review to assess their fleet vehicle choices, fuel choices and driving habits against the goal of minimizing vehicle fuel consumption and exhaust emissions and reducing costs. Tools help businesses to track and report on carbon emissions, find alternative fuels (e.g., biodiesel, ethanol blends and hydrogen) and calculate the benefits of purchasing a hybrid vehicle.

Fuels
Natural Resources Canada provides information on alternative fuels, including a description of each fuel type, environmental, societal and economic benefits, safety and performance, and availability.