Sustainability Improvements

Americans for Modern Transportation (AMT) supports efforts to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency. Reducing oil consumption through more efficient transportation improves environmental quality and strengthens our economic and national security. The tenets outlined below can make a difference for all Americans.

SHORT-TERM

Commonsense solutions to increase shipping capacity are necessary as more consumers realize the benefits of e-commerce and as America’s existing transportation infrastructure struggles to keep up with the growing needs and demands of a changing and growing nation.

  • Advanced trucking equipment like Twin 33 trailers can rapidly increase fuel efficiency, cut emissions, and make our highways safer. Fully utilized on the national highway network, Twin 33s in particular can reduce carbon emissions by 4.4 billion pounds, save 204 million gallons of fuel, and eliminate 912 crashes over the course of a year – all without compromising the condition or safety of our nation’s highways.
  • In fact, Twin 33s perform equal to or better than current trailer combinations in four critical safety measurements: static rollover threshold, rearward amplification, load transfer ratio, and high speed transient off tracking.
  • The adoption of advanced trucking equipment will be a win-win: relieving stress on road infrastructure and reducing congestion while enabling companies to ship more goods per trip.

MID-TERM

  • Private sector commitment to increasing fuel efficiency of American trucking equipment will decrease the environmental footprint of the industry and ultimately reduce the cost of shipping.
  • The trucking industry will continue to upgrade smart technology in its equipment to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize emissions. Modifications such as tire pressure monitoring and auto-shifting transmissions are making great strides toward increased environmental sustainability.

LONG-TERM

Future environmental sustainability is contingent on the development and deployment of advanced alternative fuel sources including natural gas, biofuels, fuel cells, and electricity.

  • American transportation policies should incentivize state-based exploration and research related to alternative fuels, such as the Oklahoma Alternative Fuels Program, Delaware’s Clean Transportation Incentive Program, and Pennsylvania’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program.