The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is honoring eight truck carriers and freight shippers in Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska with its annual SmartWay Excellence Awards for their contributions to supply chain, environmental, and energy efficiency.
This year’s SmartWay Partner awards were announced at a virtual ceremony hosted by the EPA with SmartWay Partners, affiliates, key stakeholders, and media in attendance.
These awardees represent the top-performing SmartWay Partners who move more goods over greater distances with lower emissions and less energy. These efforts are especially important for disadvantaged communities near ports, borders, and industrial areas that experience higher pollution levels contributing to smog.
“As we mark our 20th anniversary this year, we celebrate decades of our Partners advancing freight efficiency and delivering goods with less fuel and lower emissions," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "SmartWay is proud to recognize 47 top-performing truck carrier and shipper Partners – with the 2024 SmartWay Excellence Award for outstanding environmental performance and business leadership in goods movement.”
“Region 7 is proud to congratulate the eight awardees in Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska for their dedication to creating healthier environments by investing in cleaner technologies and practices,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. “Their commitments will promote a greener future in the Heartland, especially in our region's communities that have been historically underserved and overburdened by pollution.”
The 2024 SmartWay Freight Partner Excellence Award recipients in Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska are:
- Crete Carrier Corporation of Lincoln, Nebraska
- CRST The Transportation Solution Inc. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Edgewell Personal Care of Shelton, Missouri
- Hirschbach Motor Lines of Dubuque, Iowa
- Hogan Transports Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri
- Keane Thummel Trucking Inc. of New Market, Iowa
- Prime Inc. of Springfield, Missouri
- Werner Enterprises of Omaha, Nebraska
EPA's SmartWay Partnership helps companies benchmark freight performance and make informed decisions that drive sustainable supply chains by establishing a common yardstick for comparing emissions performance; driving effective freight operational choices; providing a platform for sharing real-world experiences; and helping companies make positive impacts on efficiency and the environment.
Since 2004, SmartWay Partners have avoided emitting significant amounts of carbon dioxide (162 million tons), nitrogen oxides (2.8 million tons), particulate matter (114 thousand tons), saved 379 million barrels of oil as well as over $52 billion in fuel costs—equivalent to eliminating annual energy use in over 24 million homes.
