Sustainability Tips 2-4: Reduce Miles, Fuel Use, and Carbon (Part 2 of 3)

As sustainability commitments take hold across the transportation industry, private fleets are realizing that the road to decarbonization doesn’t always begin with an all-electric fleet. The most impactful progress often starts with smarter engineering — leveraging data, route optimization, and vehicle efficiency to achieve measurable emission reductions today.

This second post in our Private Fleet Sustainability Made Easy series explores two powerful strategies any private fleet can deploy: Supply Chain Engineering and Fuel Optimization. Together, these approaches drive sustainability through operational excellence — helping companies lower costs, reduce emissions, and build a foundation for long-term transformation.

Tip 1: Leverage advances that make sustainability more accessible

Read about Tip 1 in our first blog post in this series now.

Tip 2: Supply chain engineering for optimal efficiency

For many shippers, the greatest sustainability gains are found not under the hood but within the supply chain itself. Supply chain engineering uses data and design thinking to streamline logistics networks, reduce empty miles, and minimize energy consumption.

By analyzing demand, inventory levels, and customer locations, engineers can consolidate shipments and improve asset utilization — reducing the number of trips required to deliver the same volume of goods. Advanced planning and routing systems also eliminate unnecessary stops, cutting idle time, fuel use, and carbon emissions.

The impact is significant. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates that trucks in the U.S. are, on average, only 57% full. That means almost half of every truckload’s capacity — and half of every mile — is wasted potential. Maximizing truck loads through more efficient planning immediately reduces the number of vehicles on the road and the emissions they produce.

The same data-driven approach applies to routing. McKinsey reports that most companies can achieve a 5–7% reduction in carbon emissions using existing technology. Supply chain engineers achieve this by leveraging advanced transportation management systems (TMS) to design routes that minimize congestion, avoid delays, and optimize delivery schedules.

Finally, vehicle and mode selection play a crucial role. By evaluating freight type, delivery urgency, and regional infrastructure, companies can determine where rail, intermodal, or smaller BEV trucks make the most sense. Even replacing a small portion of diesel vehicles with electric or hybrid assets can yield measurable environmental benefits.

When done well, supply chain engineering not only reduces emissions — it enhances service reliability, cuts operating costs, and strengthens overall network resilience.

Tip 3: Boost fuel economy — or eliminate fuel altogether

Sustainability is as much about smarter energy use as it is about new energy sources. Historically, private fleets hesitated to invest in new vehicle technologies due to high upfront costs, uncertain ROI, and rapidly evolving standards. But that landscape has changed.

Today, fleet operators are demonstrating clear business cases for replacing aging diesel equipment with more efficient, low- or zero-emission alternatives — showing that the long-term fuel savings can offset the initial investment.

At the same time, there are many incremental, high-impact strategies fleets can adopt without overhauling their assets:

• Aerodynamic upgrades: Roof fairings, side skirts, and wheel covers reduce drag and improve miles per gallon (MPG).
• Alternative fuels: Dual-tank configurations allow fleets to transition between conventional diesel and biodiesel, offering flexibility while lowering carbon output.
• Electric trailers: Equipped with regenerative power assist, these trailers can reduce engine load during acceleration or on grades, extending mileage and cutting emissions.
• Driver training: Simple behavioral changes — maintaining steady speeds, limiting idling, and monitoring tire pressure — can have measurable fuel efficiency impacts.

By combining technology and operational discipline, private fleets can capture the best of both worlds: immediate efficiency improvements and a smoother path toward full electrification.

Tip 4: Extend zero-emission trucks to the yard

Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are becoming more practical every year — not just for over-the-road use, but also for high-frequency, short-range applications within controlled environments. One of the most promising areas of immediate impact is yard operations, where BEVs can make measurable, trackable contributions to sustainability goals.

Yard trucks typically operate on fixed routes within terminals or distribution centers, making them an ideal entry point for electrification. Their predictable travel patterns, frequent idling, and centralized charging requirements align perfectly with current BEV technology.

TA Dedicated’s own experience highlights the potential. In 2024, the company launched a fleet of electric yard trucks for a major automobile manufacturer’s parts distribution operations. Built by American truck maker Orange EV, the new fleet deployed across three U.S. parts distribution centers. Within just four months, these vehicles prevented 270 metric tons of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere.

The benefits extended well beyond emissions. Electric yard trucks significantly reduce noise pollution and eliminate diesel exhaust — an important consideration for industrial facilities located near residential or recreational areas. They also improve air quality for on-site workers, reinforcing companies’ commitment to both environmental and employee well-being.

For many private fleets, yard electrification offers a clear, achievable first step toward broader BEV integration. It provides the operational data, infrastructure experience, and return-on-investment insights needed to expand electric assets confidently across the middle-mile and beyond.

Efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand

For private fleets, sustainability and efficiency are not competing priorities — they’re two sides of the same strategy. The investments made to optimize routes, reduce idle time, and improve vehicle performance also yield measurable financial benefits: reduced maintenance costs, higher uptime, and stronger ROI per asset.

Most importantly, these efforts build momentum. Incremental improvements achieved today create the operational and cultural readiness needed for larger-scale sustainability initiatives tomorrow.

Conclusion

Building a sustainable fleet doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. With the right partner, private fleets can engineer meaningful progress — from optimizing routes and loads to upgrading equipment and fuel efficiency.

TA Dedicated helps companies design, operate, and scale dedicated fleet programs that align sustainability with operational performance. Through partnerships with EcoVadis, a global sustainability ratings provider, TA Dedicated maintains Bronze-level certification and continues to expand programs that reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

Download the white paper, Private Fleet Sustainability Made Easy — Five Tips for Success, for more insights on achieving measurable sustainability across your fleet.

To learn more about TA Dedicated’s sustainability strategies and how we can help you meet your goals, contact us at 651-686-2500.