Watkins and Shepard Trucking – US EPA SmartWay Environmental Excellence Award Recipient

Release date: 10/7/2008 - Watkins and Shepard Trucking received an Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWaySM Transport Partnership for its leadership in conserving energy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions from its transportation and freight activities. Watkins and Shepard Trucking adopted several fuel-saving technologies, purchased newer, more efficient equipment, and developed strategies and driver incentive programs that function in synergy to save fuel, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and generate savings. Watkins and Shepard Trucking is a national carrier of truckload dry van, flatbed, and less-than-truckload (LTL) freight and is headquartered in Helena, MT employing over 1000 people at 21 locations across the country.

“Improving fleet mileage is just good business; it is not only important to the environment, but important to the bottom-line.” Said Jim Lewis Director of Truckload Operations “Watkins Shepard wants to be a successful trucking company and also a good neighbor concerned about the health and well-being of our population. We are proud to be an industry leader in emission and fuel efficiency study and implementation and hope to leave a healthy environment for our employees’ children and grandchildren. We are proud to be a SmartWay partner.”

Ray Kuntz, Watkins Shepard CEO and current chairman of the American Trucking Association, states, "We have invested in the latest fuel saving technologies including auxiliary power units and super single tires and most importantly we have cooperated and asked for our drivers input. Driver habits have a huge impact on improving MPG and our drivers have stepped up to the plate. We also invest considerable time with new drivers in our driver training program in Missoula, MT teaching fuel saving driver techniques. New drivers that understand the importance of fuel efficiency from the moment they take the wheel are more likely to conserve fuel and reduce carbon emissions. I am proud of our success in the EPA SmartWay program and encourage more businesses to join. Together we can reduce carbon emissions, burn less fuel and reduce our impact on the environment for future generations."

Watkins and Shepard Trucking was one of just 27 companies and organizations, from among the Partnerships’ more than 1000 Partners, to receive this distinction. The awards were announced today at the annual conference of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals in Denver, Colorado.
"EPA is pleased to recognize these SmartWay Partners with a 2008 Excellence Award. I commend Watkins and Shepard Trucking for its leadership in promoting sustainable transportation practices through the SmartWay Transport Partnership", said Margo T. Oge, Director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality, EPA. "Their commitment is helping lead us toward a cleaner environment and more secure energy supply."

SmartWay was introduced by EPA and a select group of fifteen shipping and business leaders in 2004 as an innovative, market-based partnership to reduce fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollutants from the freight sector. Today, more than 1000 businesses and organizations have joined the Partnership, including companies of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to family-owned businesses, each working to improve their environmental performance. Together, through the SmartWay Partnership, these companies, including Watkins and Shepard Trucking, are conserving over 540 million gallons of diesel fuel per year, saving the trucking industry at least $2.3 billion in annual fuel and maintenance costs, and eliminating over 6 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming. By 2012, the SmartWay program, with full industry participation, estimates nationwide that it will achieve annual fuel savings of 3.3 to 6.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel, eliminating 33 - 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions.

For more information about SmartWay visit: www.epa.gov/smartway or call (734) 214-4767.
For more information about the SmartWay Award recipients, visit: www.epa.gov/smartway/awards07.htm

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