Sustainability, green commerce, a green initiative, and so many other terms have been used by businesses when reducing their carbon footprint through sustainable shipping. Modern consumers are the smartphone generation; they are always aware of what's happening and its impact on their surroundings. A recent study by Forbes magazine showed us some of the positive sides of sustainable shipping;
So this means that when you bring sustainability in shipping, you are helping yourself by helping the environment. It's a win-win situation. How you pack and ship your loads has a massive impact on the environment, and when you make an effort, you will see your customers back you up with loyalty.
Sustainable shipping is the practice of adopting ways to reduce the impact of a shipping business on the environment. This can include anything from using recyclable materials to changing the way you drive, package the material, what automation you introduce, and more.
There are numerous ways in which fleet owners can make their shipping services more sustainable and efficient. We are going to name a few sustainable shipping methods that are the most cost-effective and easy to implement.
Utilizing automation techniques does not just help you reduce carbon emissions; they also help you save money by requiring fewer staff members, reducing chances of human error, reducing office supply purchase orders, speeding up the payment and informing process, and more. Almost 80% of all logistics businesses, including trucking, do not use any form of automation.
In LTL trucking, companies will likely save more money by introducing automation technology into their business. The digital LTL council has introduced the electronic Bill of Lading (eBOL) to reduce human paperwork errors, potentially saving more than $4 billion annually if only 50% of the industry adopts this technology, which is not a big surprise when you realize that almost all shipping errors are caused by missing or incorrect paperwork.
LoadStop also helps trucking companies automate most of their business processes. Our software solution automates settlements, load sourcing, tracking maintenance activities, billing, load matching, fuel purchase, and more. LoadStop also sends automatic updates to clients on the progress of their loads; if what you've read has piqued your interest, I would recommend getting a Product Tour with one of our sales representatives to find the best way LoadStop can help scale your logistic trucking business.
Recent spikes in fuel prices have given fleet owners an extra incentive to be green to promote fuel-saving practices. Route optimization is the process of finding the most cost-effective delivery route, and no, it's not as simple as finding the shortest distance between two points. A well-optimized route includes many relevant factors like location and number of stops along the way; this includes lunch, fueling, resting, and everything in between.
Again LoadStop has you covered with route optimization. Our scalable AI-powered solution will match the best drivers to the right trucks and pick the most optimal route for them in real time, helping you save costs while making deliveries faster. Route Optimization not only helps you save fuel and money, but it also considerably helps reduce carbon emissions.
Goods need to be correctly packaged before being dispatched to avoid any damage. To bring sustainability to shipping, companies must choose eco-friendly packaging materials like biodegradable boxes and compost mailer bags.
These materials ensure that packaging materials are naturally disposed of after use without having to recycle, burn, or bury them. Moreover, these materials are also water soluble, so if they somehow find their way into the oceans, they will just dissolve or erode into nothingness.
Most of you would be shocked by the number of plastics and harmful waste materials in our oceans. We must remember that life only exists because of our oceans and quality of life exists because of air quality, so we must do everything in our power to conserve it for ourselves and our future generations.
Below are some materials that can be used to create green packaging solutions:
This is especially important for LTL trucking companies. On average, almost 40% of packaging space is wasted by using boxes larger than required. When these boxes are sealed off and placed in the truck, they take up space that would otherwise have been used to haul more goods.
This leads to requiring more trucks to haul loads, which results in increased fuel consumption and increased carbon emissions. Also, more packages are wasted, which results in losing millions of dollars each year.
One of the biggest reasons for high empty miles is that after completing a long haul, drivers will have nothing to haul on the ride back home. The amount of fuel a large semi truck consumes makes it financially and environmentally unsustainable to return with an empty trailer.
One way of finding returning loads is to use load boards, but since this load has to be specific in terms of location, they are often difficult to find, and you end up visiting multiple load boards to do just that.
But here is where LoadStop has you covered, firstly LoadStops integrations allow you to search multiple load board listings all from one window, the chat app allows you to contact them right away directly, and LoadStop's automated AI will also search for the loads you want to cater to. Our software will send emails to existing customers on the schedule and availability of trucks. Again there is so much more, so book a demo and see how your business can benefit from such a robust solution.
To avoid installing a high percentage of Air conditioners and heaters, try to invest in thin layers of insulation. Warehouses are usually made from thin metallic materials that barely retain cold air during the summers and warm air during the winters.
You can install ceiling fans to spread air equally through your office or warehouse. This simple technique will help you save money on electricity bills. And will also reduce carbon emissions.
One way to save on taxes, fuel costs, and carbon emissions is by investing in an EV-powered semi-truck. There are more than enough options, and if you've been following the news, you will know that the EV switch is also inevitable. The worry of not having enough charging stations is being curbed by the government and private companies.
If you invest in an EV semi truck for short hauls, you will drastically reduce your carbon emissions. Especially because semi trucks consume more fuel when driven in the city. Moreover, local businesses will support your trucking company more because of your green initiative. Walmart is an example of an early adopter.
The way you drive has a huge impact on sustainable shipping. Maintaining a constant speed, smoothly making corners, relaxed acceleration, lower RPMs, and practices as such help improve your driving mileage and reduce carbon emissions.
Similarly, when you have timely maintenance like oil changes, air filters, wheel alignment, and other such activities, you can expect your semi truck to run more smoothly and produce fewer emissions. The health of your vehicle is vital to sustainable shipping.
LoadStop integrations help you track your vehicle and driver activities. The software keeps a detailed record of your company's history. Compliance and maintenance can be ensured by using this software.
Here is a list of some of the more famous companies that have adopted sustainability in shipping:
One of the world's largest online shopping malls and shipping companies. Amazon is also one of the largest logistics businesses in the world. They deal with an average of 66,000 orders an hour.
UPS is an undisputed leader in the shipping industry and directly rivals Amazon's operations. They are also a prime example of large-scale sustainable shipping. The company has pledged zero emissions in its operations by 2050.
Before Amazon, it was a fight between UPS and FedEx for being the largest shipping company in the US and possibly the world. They have more than 200,000 motorized vehicles, 680 aircraft, and a large fleet of ships; most sustainability efforts are in transportation.
No effort is too small; the little that you do today can go a long way tomorrow. Sustainability in shipping is an excellent contribution to your future and the environment.
LoadStop can help you in your sustainable shipping journey; our software was built specifically for trucking companies to reduce paperwork and cost and improve business practices. But the robust software also has the capability of reducing carbon emissions.
Book a demo with our experts, who can give you a product tour while discussing how the software can be used specifically for your business. Until next time, keep hauling my friends!
Sara Naveed is a creative and digital content writer who uses her creative skills to develop and edit professional web content. Being a writer has always been her dream. She earnestly hopes people appreciate her writing—an asset she deeply covets. Using her 8+ years of working experience, she writes for trucking industry experts who are always looking for better technological solutions to their problems.
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