Schneider National, Inc. (NYSE: SNDR), a leader in multimodal transportation, intermodal, and logistics services, is proud to announce its receipt of the prestigious 2024 SmartWay Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This award marks the 13th time that Schneider has been honored with this recognition, underscoring the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and its ongoing efforts to make a positive environmental impact through innovative transportation solutions.
The SmartWay Excellence Award is given to the top performers among the EPA’s SmartWay Partners, recognizing those companies that have excelled in improving freight efficiency and reducing environmental impact throughout their supply chains. Schneider’s receipt of this honor highlights the company’s dedication to environmental leadership and its significant contributions toward a cleaner, greener future for the transportation industry.
The award is part of the EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership, which aims to promote cleaner and more efficient transportation solutions in the freight sector. As an awardee, Schneider has demonstrated superior environmental performance, showing its leadership in reducing emissions and enhancing supply chain efficiency. This accomplishment is not only a milestone for Schneider, but it also provides assurance to customers that working with the company will support their sustainability goals. Companies seeking to lower their environmental footprint can rely on Schneider to help them achieve those objectives in a more effective and timely manner.
Rob Reich, Schneider’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, emphasized the company’s dedication to sustainability, stating, “Our commitment to making a positive impact on the world drives us to pursue responsible, sustainable solutions every day. That commitment resulted in our aggressive sustainability goals and investments in energy-efficient equipment and alternative fuels, which not only benefit our business but also help our customers achieve their own sustainability targets.”
Schneider has made significant progress toward its sustainability goals over the years. One of the most notable achievements is the launch of one of North America’s largest fleets of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The company began operating this fleet at its Southern California Operations Center in South El Monte and established a large-scale BEV charging depot to support it. Since the introduction of these zero-emission vehicles, Schneider’s 92 Freightliner eCascadias have already surpassed 1.5 million zero-emission miles in just one year. This achievement has helped Schneider avoid more than five million pounds of CO2 emissions, demonstrating the company’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact while driving innovation in the freight sector.
Schneider’s Logistics segment has also seen significant improvements in its environmental performance. In the past year, the company’s Logistics segment achieved a SmartWay Performance Ranking of 1, the highest possible ranking. This ranking reflects the excellence of Schneider’s transportation services, joining the ranks of its Bulk, Intermodal, and Truckload services, all of which hold the coveted Performance Rank 1. This distinction highlights Schneider’s industry leadership in providing environmentally responsible and efficient transportation solutions.
The company’s fuel-efficient solutions and efforts to reduce emissions are not limited to its electric vehicle fleet. Schneider is making great strides in its broader sustainability initiatives, including the adoption of renewable energy sources and alternative fuels. For example, the company has been exploring the use of renewable natural gas (RNG) as a means of further reducing carbon emissions. RNG is a cleaner alternative to conventional natural gas and could reduce tailpipe emissions by up to 30%. Additionally, Schneider’s non-BEV tractors are powered by a blend of biodiesel, a renewable fuel made from organic waste materials such as vegetable oil and animal fats, and conventional diesel. This blend significantly reduces the company’s reliance on traditional diesel, further lowering its overall carbon footprint.
Schneider’s aggressive environmental goals are evident in its 2025 target to reduce CO2 emissions by 7.5% per mile, a goal that the company is already 90% of the way to achieving. Looking ahead, Schneider has set an even more ambitious goal to reduce CO2 emissions per mile by 60% by 2035. These goals align with the company’s overarching mission to contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable transportation network, while also driving economic efficiencies for its customers.
Through its continued focus on sustainability, Schneider is demonstrating that environmental responsibility and business success are not mutually exclusive. The company’s innovative solutions and ongoing investments in clean technology are helping to shape a more sustainable future for the freight industry. Schneider’s leadership in the field is not only benefiting the company and its customers but also contributing to the global effort to combat climate change.
In conclusion, the 2024 SmartWay Excellence Award is a testament to Schneider National’s dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship. With its impressive achievements in reducing emissions, promoting energy-efficient technologies, and advancing alternative fuels, Schneider is leading the way in building a cleaner, more efficient future for the transportation industry.