Author Archives: Jason Mathers

It's not just about the trucks, but we can't do it without the trucks

By | Bio | Published: April 4, 2013

A great piece in the Wall Street Journal caught my eye last week.  The article highlighted the impressive productivity gains trucking fleets have made recently. These, in turn, have led to a reduction in average truck miles of two percent from 2006.  Two percent might not seem like much. But, by increasing the productivity of [...]

Posted in Behavior, Fleet Vehicles, Goods Movement, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Innovation, News Commentary, Supply Chain Management | Leave a comment

Study Intends To Determine Methane Leakage Associated With A Growing Natural Gas Transportation Sector

By | Bio | Published: March 5, 2013

The use of natural gas to power our nation’s freight fleet vehicles is a hot topic in these days of rising diesel and falling natural gas prices. There are several reasons to be excited about this opportunity, including operating cost savings, use of a domestic fuel source, and the potential for a reduction in greenhouse [...]

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How Ocean Spray cut its shipping emissions 20 percent

By | Bio | Published: February 13, 2013

Corporations aren't paying enough attention to the massive global impact of their carbon emissions from transporting freight — yet there are simple steps they can take to reduce their shipping footprints. Last month, EDF released the first in a series of case studies intended to draw attention to the significant potential for emission improvements and [...]

Posted in Behavior, Fleet Vehicles, Goods Movement, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Innovation, Partnerships, Supply Chain Management, Tools | Leave a comment

Sharing: A hundred-billion dollar a year idea for freight

By | Bio | Published: November 7, 2012

Being the parent of a toddler, sharing is a concept that I’m emphasizing at home a lot these days.  Turns out, it’s a good concept to remember at the office too.  A fantastic new report from the CELDi Physical Internet Project at the University of Arkansas details how if companies embraced the sharing of freight [...]

Posted in Goods Movement, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Innovation, Supply Chain Management | 1 Response

Come Together: Collaboration Leads to Savings

By | Bio | Published: April 11, 2012
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When it comes to sustainability strategies, collaborative distribution is the total package: improved business value proposition, sizable cost reduction and promise of significant emissions reductions.  The potential of this strategy is why EDF listed it #2 on our Five Rules for a More Carbon-Efficient Freight Supply Chain. Under a collaborative distribution arrangement, companies in the [...]

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Postponement: A logistics sustainability strategy worth NOT putting off

By | Bio | Published: April 3, 2012

Timing is everything, and companies facing choices around freight transportation modes must consider transit times, inventory levels and demand forecasts when making decisions. Ease pressure on these variables and you enable companies to utilize cheaper and more carbon-efficient modes of transportation. In many cases, companies can increase the flexibility of their supply chains by developing [...]

Posted in Behavior, Goods Movement, Innovation, Supply Chain Management | 1 Response

Five Rules for a More Carbon-Efficient Freight Supply Chain

By | Bio | Published: March 20, 2012

Fuel prices are back on the rise and companies are taking stock of opportunities to reduce costs and exposure to oil price spikes. The future trends in freight growth also call attention to the need to dramatically improve the efficiency of the current freight system. From 2010 to 2040, global demand for energy to power [...]

Posted in Energy Efficiency, Goods Movement, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Innovation, Supply Chain Management | 1 Response

How to use Air Freight? Sparingly

By | Bio | Published: March 13, 2012

The most impactful sustainability decision made by logisticians is the choice of transportation mode to move their freight. Planes emit 47 times more carbon per ton mile than container ships; trucks emit six times more carbon per ton mile than trains. The more carbon intensive modes typically cost more as well. A recent article in [...]

Posted in Goods Movement, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Innovation, Supply Chain Management | Leave a comment

Looking Anew at Rail

By | Bio | Published: February 23, 2012

Tuesday Morning, an “off-price” retailer with over 850 stores, has been able to transition 20% of its inbound freight to a rail/truck intermodal mix, according to Logistics Management. The goods typically travel from Asia to the ports of LA and Long Beach. From there they travel over 1,400 miles to the company’s one distribution center, [...]

Posted in Energy Efficiency, Goods Movement, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Innovation, Supply Chain Management | 2 Responses

Making Smart Moves: How Shippers Cut Freight Costs and Emissions

By | Bio | Published: February 17, 2012

Today, more than  50 million tons of freight are on the move throughout the United States. Many products can be found onboard ships in our nation’s largest ports. Some of the heaviest cargo is moving along in rail cars, and a few of the highest value items are flying in the belly of planes.. And [...]

Posted in Goods Movement, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Innovation, Supply Chain Management, Tools | 3 Responses