Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand are introducing an online tool aimed at reducing road freight emissions at an Auckland event today.
The Green Fleet Self-Assessment Tool is now live and freely available on Transporting New Zealand’s website. It outlines how fuel-efficient driver training and technologies, vehicle procurement standards, route planning, carbon reporting and setting reduction targets among other strategies can help businesses and their customers meet sustainability goals.
“This tool allows businesses to identify what progress they’ve already made and what steps to take next,” says Chief Executive of Transporting New Zealand, Dom Kalasih.
“We know that freight customers are increasingly aware of the emissions impact of transport and that all areas of the supply chain have a responsibility to make a difference. It’s great that there are already many innovative operators taking huge strides in this area and paving the way for others.”
The tool is being launched at a Road Freight Decarbonisation Update where the audience of industry stakeholders will hear more about initiatives such as Low Emission Freight Certification and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund.
Several MPs will be in attendance including Labour’s Deborah Russell, National’s Dan Bidois, Greens’ Julie Anne Genter and ACT’s Cameron Luxton.
“It’ll be great to have a range of transport, energy and climate spokespeople from across the political spectrum joining us today. The road freight sector needs to know what policies and commitments we can expect in this space from key parties ahead of next year’s election,” says Transporting New Zealand’s Head of Policy and Advocacy, Billy Clemens.
The event is being held at TR Group’s premises, New Zealand’s largest heavy commercial rental and lease company that has been an industry leader in decarbonisation with 60 zero-emission heavy vehicles already running. TR Group’s use of low and zero emission vehicles alongside other strategies – including preventative maintenance plans, retread tyres, and the use of recycled materials – means the company has prevented more than 1.2 million kg of CO2 from being emitted.
“At TR Group we’ve learned first-hand that lowering emissions requires equal parts commitment, collaboration and innovation. We’re pleased to share what we’ve learned from operating one of the country’s largest zero-emission heavy-vehicle fleets and to support the launch of a tool that helps operators make informed, realistic decisions on their own decarbonisation pathway,” says Managing Director, Andrew Carpenter.
Transporting New Zealand worked with member company KAM Transport to create a short video explaining the tool’s purpose.
KAM Transport are the first company of their kind to be endowed with the Toitū Enviromark Gold certification. This has been accomplished through fuel-efficient driver training, route optimisation, backloading and other strategies that don’t require alternative fuels.
“In many cases reducing emissions goes hand in hand with reducing fuel costs. It’s a win-win situation,” says Kalasih.
“We hope that operators use this tool and share any useful information they get out of it with their staff, drivers, and with their customers.”
About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.
Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
