ustainability has been an increasingly ubiquitous topic in the global transportation sector over the past few years . News headlines pop up daily with the latest innovation in alternative fuel technology , zero emission vehicle or regulatory proposal update . Shippers and carriers alike are monitoring these trends , trying to predict where it will all “ shake out ” and divining just when will be the right time to jump into the mix .
As we take stock in 2024 , let ’ s examine where we are as a sector . And most importantly , how companies can harness these trends to their competitive advantage .
Transportation emissions – by the numbers
The transportation sector is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the U . S . at 28 % of the pie . Medium- and heavy-duty transportation make up 23 % of that total . Additionally the sector contributes 45 % of nitrogen oxides , combustion biproducts that aggravate the respiratory system , particularly in children and elderly populations .
Advancements in fuel efficiency and engine technology have helped to reduce net fuel consumption and emissions over time , but gross global emissions are still relatively steady due to increased volume and consumer demand .
In order to truly bend the emissions curve downward , global adoption of zero ( or nearer zero ) emission technology will need to increase at scale . How close are we to that happening ?
Where are we in 2024 ? Zero emission adoption is scaling faster in some applications than others . For example , the use case for electrification is more of a current fit for light-duty delivery , metro transit and drayage due to relatively short length of haul , lower weight payload and predictable depot charging . One visible example of this is Amazon ’ s rollout of over 10,000 Rivian step vans , with a goal to scale to 100,000 by 2030 .
Medium- and heavy-duty applications are in a more ambiguous stage , as the more demanding duty cycle exceeds the capability of most EV truck types available in production at present . As the North American Council for Freight Efficiency ( NACFE ) so aptly coined in 2019 , we are truly in the Messy Middle .
With multiple fuel alternatives being considered for heavy-duty applications , the industry is tracking results of recent fleet pilots to see which technology will emerge as a frontrunner for their particular modal application .
Most importantly , the up-front cost of zero emission truck technology is still prohibitive for most carriers , and infrastructure to charge or refuel is expanding but not readily-available in all geographies .
Regulations face pushback
Regulatory pressures in the US exist at the federal , state and local levels , but are experiencing legal pushback in 2024 .
The SEC issued its long-awaited final ruling in March , requiring public companies to report climate-related disclosures in their annual reports , beginning in 2025 . Of note , the original rule included Scope 3 ( supply chain ) emissions , but this requirement was eliminated for the final ruling , primarily due to stakeholder pushback on the difficulty of quantifying and validating Scope 3 emissions . As of this
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