EPA Recognizes Eight Freight Industry Leaders for Environmental Performance in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska
LENEXA, KAN. (OCT. 2, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is honoring eight truck carriers and freight shippers in Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska as industry leaders in supply chain, environmental, and energy efficiency with its annual SmartWay Excellence Awards.
This year’s SmartWay Partner awards were announced at a virtual ceremony hosted by EPA with its SmartWay Partners, affiliates, key stakeholders, and media in attendance.
These awardees represent the top performing, environmentally responsible SmartWay Partners who move more goods, more miles, with lower emissions and less energy. These efforts are particularly important for disadvantaged communities near ports, borders, and industrial areas, subjected to higher levels of pollution that contributes to smog.
“As we mark our 20th anniversary this year, we celebrate decades of our Partners advancing freight efficiency, and delivering goods with less fuel and lower emissions, thus strengthening this essential economic sector while supporting air quality goals,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “SmartWay is proud to recognize 47 top performing truck carrier and shipper Partners – with the 2024 SmartWay Excellence Award for outstanding environmental performance and business leadership in goods movement.”
“Region 7 is proud to congratulate the eight awardees in Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska, for their dedication to creating healthier environments by investing in cleaner technologies and practices,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. “Their commitments will promote a greener future in the Heartland, especially in our region's communities that have been historically underserved and overburdened by pollution.”
The 2024 SmartWay Freight Partner Excellence Award recipients in Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska are:
- Crete Carrier Corporation of Lincoln, Nebraska.
- CRST The Transportation Solution Inc. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Edgewell Personal Care of Shelton, Missouri
- Hirschbach Motor Lines of Dubuque, Iowa
- Hogan Transports Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri
- Keane Thummel Trucking Inc. of New Market, Iowa
- Prime Inc. of Springfield, Missouri
- Werner Enterprises of Omaha, Nebraska
View the complete list of awardees.
Learn more about SmartWay and the SmartWay Excellence Awards.
Background
EPA's SmartWay Partnership helps companies benchmark freight performance and make informed decisions that drive sustainable supply chains. In order to achieve this, SmartWay establishes a common yardstick for comparing emissions performance; drives effective freight operational, mode, and technology choices; provides a platform for Partners and Affiliates to share real-world experiences, innovations, and best practices; and helps companies make freight decisions that have a positive impact on efficiency and the environment.
Since 2004, SmartWay Partners have avoided emitting 162 million tons of carbon dioxide, 2.8 million tons of nitrogen oxides, and 114,000 tons of particulate matter. Partners have also saved 379 million barrels of oil and over $52 billion in fuel costs – equivalent to eliminating annual energy use in over 24 million homes.
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