May 2007
Over the last six months, the Virginia Port Authority announced their support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership. A collaboration between the EPA and the freight industry, this pilot program was developed to increase energy efficiency while reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution within the freight industry. Emissions from existing diesel engines contain significant amounts of nitrogen oxides as well as other pollutants. Any effort that reduces these emissions greatly benefits the environment.

As the house carrier for the VPA, C&K Trucking, a national, intermodal drayage company, joined the Port Authority in their effort for a greener earth. Heather Mantz, the VPA’s Environmental Director, discussed the program with C&K’s Norfolk Terminal Manager, Dale Ledbetter. “When Heather explained the program to us, it just seemed to make a lot of sense and we wanted to get involved,” says Dale. He took the details of the program to the board of C&K Trucking and received their full support. “It is our responsibility to look for ways to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiencies”, said C&K President Mike Burton. “We must be good corporate citizens and we are proud to be one of the first and largest intermodal drayage companies to join this important initiative.”

Since joining with the VPA, C&K has taken the SmartWay Transport Partnership to a national level. All of their terminals and employees are participating in the SmartWay Program. As part of their commitment, they have installed electronic technology to gather data from all their trucks and allow them to accurately track and monitor fuel consumption. They have implemented new programs to reduce idle times and improve load efficiencies. They have developed an aggressive plan to replace aging trucks with newer, more efficient trucks and to implement age restrictions on older trucks. They are also utilizing low viscosity engine and drive train lubricants, along with aerodynamic cab components to reduce diesel consumption. Lastly, they are providing education to all their employees so that everyone at C&K Trucking can understand and contribute to this important program.

C&K has set a goal to reduce emissions by 40% within three years. On the surface this goal may seem overly aggressive. But with partners like the EPA and the Virginia Port Authority, C&K is confident that they will reach their goal. “The benefits go beyond the environment for drayage companies,” stated Mike Burton. “The benefits include improved miles per gallon (mpg) which equates to lower costs, combined with a conscious effort by the Smartway shippers to utilize Smartway carriers. This initiative should result in a huge win for the environment, the port, shippers and carriers.”

C&K is an intermodal drayage company with 50 company trucks in Norfolk and greater than 400 trucks nationwide. C&K specializes in local drayage within a 250-mile radius of the various ports and railyards.