Convoy survey addresses sustainability in trucking

At a time when diesel gasoline prices have hit, or routinely approached, record-high prices, especially in the last year, it stands to reason that motor carriers view sustainability as top of mind. That was evident in a recent survey released by Seattle-based digital freight network Convoy.

The survey, entitled “Sustainability in Trucking Snapshot Report: October 2022,” is based on feedback from 588 small- and mid-sized trucking companies, including dispatchers, drivers, and owner-operators.

The survey is replete with myriad data-based takeaways addressing respondents’ thoughts about addressing sustainability within trucking.

For example, the survey found that 34% of respondents indicated they feel pressure to reduce carbon emissions—which was down from 38% in March and closer to the 35% recorded on August 2021—with truck drivers, at 42%, being the most concerned, followed by dispatcher-driver, at 41%, and dispatcher, at 39%, with only 29% of owner-operators feeling pressure to reduce emissions.

As for the reasons for reducing carbon emissions, the survey found that more awareness of their environmental impact was the pacesetter, at 20%, which was closely followed by government regulation, at 18%, and reduce operating costs, at 16%, up 7% from March 2022, due to inflation remaining high and gas prices hovering around near-record highs. Nearly one quarter—24%—stated they currently feel no pressure to reduce carbon emissions, down from matching readings of 29% recorded in March 2022 and August 2021.

Another key takeaway was related to the proposed SEC climate disclosure requiring that public owner-operators of freight, transportation and logistics companies disclose information about their climate risks and emissions.

The question in the survey related to this topic— “Do you track or report the carbon emissions in your business operations today?”—found the following: 38% of drivers are already tracking and reporting emissions, followed by dispatcher-drivers, at 28%, and owner-operators, at 19%.

What’s more, the survey observed that 46% of carriers are willing to provide fuel efficiency data of trucks to Convoy to track carbon emissions.

“Carriers who feel pressure to reduce carbon emissions are 50% more likely to be tracking or reporting carbon emissions,” said Convoy. “Furthermore, one in two respondents who said they feel pressure to reduce carbon emissions stated that they would be willing to provide fuel efficiency data to Conoy to understand their loads’ carbon emissions.”

That 50% statistic appears to be quite telling, with 82% of carriers indicating that fuel economy remains a leading concern throughout the industry, as it relates to deciding to purchase a new truck, down slightly from 82% in March 2022.

And more than one-third of the survey’s respondents, 38%, indicate they plan to purchase a new truck within the next year, with 31% planning to do so in the next one-to-three years, 7% at more than three years, and 23% with no plans to buy a truck in the future. Interestingly, of that nearly cumulative 70% of respondents planning to make a new truck purchase, more than one-third expressed interest in considering an alternative fuel truck.

This comprehensive survey provides a lot of food for thought in the trucking sector, when it comes to assessing the key issues, trends, and theme related to the intersection of trucking and sustainability, a topic that will only continue to gain steam as time goes on, no question.

To read Convoy’s “Sustainability in Trucking Snapshot Report: October 2022,” please click here.