Sep 16, 2021

By Marjorie DePuy, Senior Director, Supply Chain and Sustainability, FMI  
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FMI is a proud affiliate of the EPA SmartWay program, a collaboration with freight carriers, shippers and logistics providers to accelerate the adoption of advanced fuel-saving technologies and strategies. We wanted to share highlights from a recent SmartWay newsletter featuring electrification resources, electric truck demonstrations, accolades and appreciation - because it’s all about our members and the people who keep our food supply chain flowing!  

This Week Is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week 

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, September 12-18, is a time to commemorate and thank the freight industry’s 3.5 million truck drivers for their hard work and service. During this past year, drivers have continued to deliver our goods, safely, and securely. Every day, all of us rely on the goods delivered by a truck driver. This is a good time to acknowledge the essential role that truck drivers play in the quality of our lives. On behalf of EPA, SmartWay and its staff – as well as the FMI member community - extend their gratitude and deep appreciation to our nation's truck drivers, every day, and especially this month. The next time you see a driver, please thank him or her for delivering the goods to us all.  

Real World Electric Truck Demonstration    

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency's (NACFE) Run on Less – Electric demonstration started September 3 at the ACT Expo in Long Beach. The demonstration will conclude the last week of September. Thirteen fleets, including these three SmartWay Partners and FMI members, will participate in the Run on Less – Electric demonstration:   

  • Anheuser-Busch using a BYD tractor in Los Angeles, California (FMI Product Supplier member) 

  • PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay Division using a Cummins box truck in Modesto, California (FMI Product Supplier member) 

  • DHL operating a Lightning eMotors van in the New York City area (FMI Associate member) 

Like FMI, NACFE is a SmartWay affiliate. For more information on the Run on Less – Electric demonstration, including videos, additional background and details on the companies and operations involving the electric trucks, visit runonless.com. 

SmartWay Releases 2021 List of High Performers!  

EPA has released its 2021 list of SmartWay High Performers identifying carriers, logistics and shipper partners that are leading the way on clean freight. FMI members who made the 2021 list include: 

Truck carrier fleets, All Metrics 

  • Meijer Logistics LLC 

Shippers 

  • Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
  • Kimberly-Clark Corporation
  • Meijer
  • Nestle Purina Petcare Company
  • Tyson Foods, Inc.
  • Walmart Transportation, LLC 
SmartWay Heavy-Duty Truck Electrification Resources Now Available! 

As vehicle manufacturers continue to invest in electric trucks and more models become commercially available, trucking companies, fleet managers, and drivers are considering the potential impact of electrification on their operations. EPA SmartWay now offers a resource page that covers a range of topics on truck electrification. Want to know how to work with the power industry to ensure the availability of charging infrastructure? What about incentives and grant programs available to support electrification investments? Or are you looking for case studies and other indicators of market readiness? Learn more at www.epa.gov/smartway-heavy-duty-truck-electrificaiton-resources.