A growing awareness of the impact of harmful emissions on our environment has led many industries across the world to re-examine their practices, push for innovations in clean and renewable energy, and generally move towards a more environmentally conscious approach that balances the needs of business with the needs of our environment.
Canada’s transportation industry is no exception, with a variety of initiatives being put forward by businesses and governments to reduce emissions from trucking firms, and help Canada become a leader in green transportation.
For those considering a career in the industry, it’s an exciting time, with many opportunities to build a rewarding career while making a positive environmental impact by helping trucking firms turn their fleets green.
Electric Semi-Trucks Are Changing the Industry
One of the major changes revolutionizing the trucking industry has been the development of electric vehicles. Several manufacturers have revealed plans for upcoming electric semi-trucks, including Ford, Tesla, and even Daimler, the world’s largest truck manufacturing company.
With zero-emission electric semi-trucks, fleets can greatly reduce their environmental impact. They also offer a range of other benefits, including quiet operation, which can be a great benefit in congested urban areas, allowing trucks to work during off-hours when diesel trucks are prohibited. Electric trucks can also save fleet operators money by saving on fuel and maintenance costs.
Clean Diesel Offers a More Environmentally Friendly Alternative to Gasoline
Despite the burgeoning market for electric-powered semi-trucks, diesel remains the fuel of choice for most modern trucking companies, given the prices and limitations still associated with electric trucks. Today’s diesel engines, however, have a significant advantage over older models when it comes to emissions, reducing them by as much as 98% compared to pre-1988 trucks, while improving fuel economy by 3 to 5 percent.
For graduates of dispatch school looking to turn their fleet green, clean diesel provides a great opportunity to reduce emissions and improve environmental impact, particularly for firms that are not yet ready to invest in electric vehicles.
Dispatch Training Graduates Can Help Reduce Emissions in Many Ways
Replacing and upgrading an existing fleet can be a lengthy process, requiring significant investments of time and money to complete. In the meantime, however, professionals with dispatch training working in the trucking industry can still contribute to reducing the environmental impact of even standard gas- and diesel-powered fleets.
By optimizing driver routes, for example, trucking firms can reduce the distance and time that drivers spend on each load, reducing emissions while at the same time improving a fleet’s efficiency.
Improving fuel efficiency is another key way for fleets to reduce their emissions. This could mean improving the aerodynamics of a vehicle, so that it can cut through the air more efficiently without wasting engine power on fighting drag, or installing automated manual transmissions on fleet vehicles, which use sophisticated algorithms to achieve an optimal blend of fuel economy and performance. Proper training can also have an impact, by encouraging driving behaviours that improve fuel efficiency and reducing behaviours that waste energy.
These are all methods that dispatch training graduates can use to improve a fleet’s efficiency while also reducing its environmental impact—a win-win for environmentally conscious trucking professionals working towards a truly green fleet.
Are you ready for an exciting new career in the transportation industry?
Contact Automotive Training Centre to learn more about our dispatch course.
