In an all-out effort to reduce deadhead mileage in the trucking industry flatbed carriers are embracing technology that helps reduce these miles. Standard and flatbed heavy haul companies are using this technology to reduce the carbon footprint one load and one mile at a time.

These industries are reported to contribute up to 28 per cent of the carbon emissions problem as the supply chain demands these higher mileage heavier loads to keep the current market trends balanced. Annually it is reported that 10.8 billion tons of freight are moved to represent 70 per cent of goods in the domestic market. Regulations are in place to reduce the impact of these emissions for standard and heavy haul flatbed freight companies allowing the standards that are set to control the greenhouse gas emissions, however, these alone are not sufficient.

Almost half of the industry is driving these empty miles on a regular basis when returning containers back to port. These empty miles are still contributing to the pollution problem and can only be balanced if they in fact are moving freight so that the pollution is at least taking place when transporting goods and keeping the supply chain as current as possible.

Flatbed trucking companies continue to look at technology to drastically cut down on emissions while still moving goods safely and timely with an efficient logistical approach. An approach like this will help to sustain the continued reduction for flatbed trucking services in managing the supply chains responsibly.

Trucking Efficiency Improves As Flatbed Carriers Embrace Technology

 

New and developing technological solutions are being used to improve the efficiencies of the empty mile conundrum. App-based programs that can facilitate the linking of empty containers and nearby loads ready to transport are showing very favorable results. Containers that return to port loaded are drastically cutting down on the empty miles that are currently plaguing the standard and flatbed heavy haul companies.

Street turns as they are referred to in the industry are eliminating the needless emissions that are pushed into the environment without moving freight cutting down the empty miles issue. Other areas that are being worked on as these algorithms are updated address the managing of capacity data and the optimization of a driver’s day to day work scheduled hours. The added ability to intercept a driver and his trailer at a moments notice for redirection helps to keep the supply chain fulfilled more efficiently as well as increasing the driver’s compensation. It a win-win for the driver, equipment haulers and the environment. Idle time at the port is curbed and the highly congested times are eliminated by assigning gate and lane times on the fly.

By leveraging data to reduce these current pollution issues for the millions of truckloads already being moved to fulfil the supply chain a more sustainable and efficient effort will be managed. The management of idle times, deadhead and empty miles add multi-level benefits to carriers benefiting to green initiatives at the same time maintaining environmental responsibilities all around.