Transport Partnership
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool:
Getting Started Guide
Parti ^^Bfc
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Transport Partnership
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool:
Getting Started Guide
Parti ^
Transportation and Climate Division
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
United States Office ofTransportation and Air Quality
Environmental Protection EPA-420-B-11-046
Agency
September 2011
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Introduction to Part I: GETTING STARTED GUIDE
This guide is Part 1 of a three part series to help multi-modal carriers participate in the SmartWay
Transport Partnership.
In this guide you will learn about:
1) Basic Information about SmartWay
2) Joining SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Multi-modal Carrier
3) Deciding which SmartWay accounting tool(s) are right for your company;
4) Understanding the details of the SmartWay partnership agreement; and
5) Meeting software/hardware requirements for participating in the program.
Please review this guide carefully BEFORE attempting to gather your fleet data, or enter data into the
Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool or enter data. Understanding the basics of the program, reviewing the
partnership agreement and making sure your fleets fit the criteria for joining SmartWay as a Multi-
modal Carrier will save a great deal of time and simplify your joining process.
If you wish to explore the data requirements for multi-modal carriers, please review "Part 2: Data
Collection Overview and Workbook."
If you wish to explore the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool in preparation for joining the program,
please review "Part 3: Data Entry Guide" and return to this workbook to prepare for gathering your
data.
Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool Users Guide Part 1 I P. 3
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1. Basic Information about SmartWay
Launched in 2004, SmartWayฎ is a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that
reduces transportation-related emissions and costs by creating incentives to improve supply chain fuel
efficiency.
SmartWay is comprised of five components:
SmartWay Transport Partnership: A partnership in which freight companies join and commit to
benchmark operations, track fuel consumption and improve performance annually.
SmartWay Technology Program: A testing, verification, and designation program to help freight
companies identify equipment, technologies and strategies that save fuel and lower emissions.
SmartWay Finance Program: A competitive grant program that makes investing in fuel-saving
equipment easier for freight carriers.
SmartWay International Interests: Guidance and resources for countries seeking to develop
freight sustainability programs modeled after SmartWay.
SmartWay Vehicles: A program that ranks light-duty cars and small trucks and identifies very
high performers with the SmartWay logo.
About the Partnership
The SmartWay Transport Partnership is a public/private collaboration between the EPA and the freight
industry to improve fuel efficiency, increase environmental performance, and encourage supply chain
sustainability.
How the SmartWay Transport Partnership Works
Five types of freight transport companies can join SmartWay:
Freight shippers
Logistics companies (including 3PLS/4PLS1)
Truck carriers
Rail carriers
Multi-modal carriers
Participating companies:
assess freight operations,
calculate fuel consumption and carbon footprint, and
track fuel-efficiency and emission reductions annually.
SmartWay ranks partners' performance and recognizes superior performance with access to the
SmartWay Partner logo.
3PLs/4PLsThird party logistics/fourth party logistics companies.
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2. Joining the SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Multi-modal
Carrier
Multi-modal carriers that join the SmartWay Transport Partnership are known as "SmartWay Multi-
modal Carriers."
Participation in SmartWay helps SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers:
identify opportunities to improve efficiency,
demonstrate efficiency to potential customers, and
reduce fuel costs.
All SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers agree to complete and submit the SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier
Fleet Efficiency and Emissions Tracking System (Multi-modal Carrier FLEET) tool to:
define fleet(s) composition,
characterize fleet activity,
individually benchmark multiple divisions and/or fleets, and
track annual changes in performance.
SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers also agree to follow the guidelines in the Truck Carrier Partnership
Agreement (A copy of the agreement is included in this document on page 6 and is also included in the
Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool.)
Upon approval of a Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool submission, multi-modal carriers will be identified as
SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers on EPA's website on the "SmartWay Partner List" and in a database
used by freight shippers to identify companies that meet SmartWay's annual requirements.
SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers that meet SmartWay's logo criteria are allowed to use the SmartWay
Partner logo on marketing and promotional material.
SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers that meet the highest standards of environmental and fuel-efficiency
performance are eligible to receive the SmartWay Excellence Award.
Before you can join SmartWay as a SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier, you will need to:
1. Choose the right tool for your fleet(s)
2. Review the SmartWay Truck Carrier Partnership Agreement; and
3. Review the software and hardware requirements to use the SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier
FLEET Tool.
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3. Choosing the Right Tool for Your Fleet(s)
SmartWay provides three tools for truck carriersThe Truck Carrier FLEET Tool, the Logistics Carrier
FLEET Tool, and the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool.
To characterize your operations in the SmartWay program, you must create a profile for each fleet that
you operate. In some cases, if you have multiple fleets, you may need to use multiple tools. Use the
questions below to determine which type of fleet you are characterizing and which tool you should use.
For-hire truck carriers and private truck carriers should use the Truck Carrier FLEET Tool.
You are a for-hire truck carrier if:
D Freight shippers hire/contract with you to haul their goods
D At least 95% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control
D Less than 5% of your mileage is via trucks operated by contractors
D Less than 5% of your mileage is via other modes (e.g., rail, air or marine)
You are a private truck carrier if:
D You are a shipper that operates your own private trucking fleet that is NOT available for hire by other
companies
D At least 95% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control
D Less than 5% of your mileage is via trucks operated by contractors
D Less than 5% of your mileage is via other modes (e.g., rail, air or marine)
If you manage a dedicated truck fleet for another company along with a for-hire fleet, complete the Truck Carrier
tool for your company, assess your for-hire fleet, and separately assess the private fleet as part of your company's
submission.
Logistics Carriers should use the Logistics FLEET Tool to participate.
This category includes logistics companies, third-party logistics providers, fourth-party logistics providers, freight
forwarders and non-asset based carriers.
You are a Logistics Carrier if:
D Freight shippers hire/contract with you to haul their goods
D Less than 5% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control
D More than 5% of your mileage is via trucks operated by contractors
D Less than 5% of your mileage is via other modes (e.g., rail, air or marine)
Special Consideration: If more than 5% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control (e.g., your private fleet), but
you don't meet the definition of a Truck Carrier, you are still considered a Logistics Carrier. To participate in
SmartWay, you must use the Truck Carrier tools to assess your private fleet, and then enter those results into the
Logistics Carrier tool along with the data from the other fleets you contract with.
Multi-modal carriers should use the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool.
You are a Multi-modal Carrier if:
D Freight shippers hire/contract with you to haul their goods
D More than 5% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control
D You contract with a mix of truck, rail, air, and marine carriers to move the remaining 95% or more of your
mileage
If you fall into the Multi-modal or Logistics categories, please note that these tools contains carrier-specific
performance data for Class 1 rail carriers, but default averages data for other rail carriers. Performance values for
air and marine modes will be included in later versions of these SmartWay Tools.
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4. Reviewing the SmartWay Truck Carrier Partnership Agreement
To join the SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Multi-modal Carrier, you must agree to the language
on the "Partnership Agreement for Carriers." When you begin working within the tool, you will be asked
to check a box stating that you agree to the terms of the partnership agreement. This agreement must
be renewed annually.
Please review this language with the appropriate personnel within your organization before completing
or submitting a FLEET tool to EPA.
Partnership Agreement for Carriers
With this agreement, your company joins EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership and
commits to:
1. Measure and report to EPA on an annual basis the environmental performance of your
fleet(s) using EPA's SmartWay Multi-modal tool. (Existing fleets must report the 12 months
of data for the prior year ending December 31. Newly formed companies require a
minimum of 3 months of operational data.)
2. Have performance results posted on the EPA SmartWay website/database.
3. Agree to submit supporting documentation to EPA for any data used to complete this tool
and agree to EPA audit of this data upon request by EPA.
In return, EPA commits to:
1. Promote company participation in the Partnership by posting Partner names on the EPA
SmartWay Website and in related educational, promotional, and media materials. EPA will
obtain express written consent from the Partner before using the Partner's name other than in
the context of increasing public awareness of its participation as described here.
2. Provide companies with industry-wide performance benchmark data as this data becomes
available to EPA.2
3. Assist Partners in achieving emission and fuel usage reduction goals (subject to Federal
Government Appropriations).
General Terms
1. If the Partner or EPA defaults upon this agreement at any point, the agreement shall be
considered null and void.
2. Either party can terminate the agreement at any time without prior notification or penalties or
any further obligation.
3. EPA agrees not to comment publicly regarding the withdrawal of specific partners.
4. EPA reserves the right to suspend or revoke Partner status for any Partner that fails to
accomplish the specific actions to which it committed in the SmartWay Transport Partnership
Agreement and subsequent Agreements.
5. The Partner agrees that it will not claim or imply that its participation in the SmartWay
Transport Partnership constitutes EPA approval or endorsement of anything other than the
Partner's commitment to the program. The Partner will not make statements or imply that EPA
endorses the purchase or sale of the Partner's products and services or the views of the
organization
6. Submittal of this SmartWay Multi-modal Tool constitutes agreement to all terms in this
Partnership Agreement. No separate agreement need be submitted.
2 Individual corporate data will be treated as confidential business information.
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5. Reviewing the Software and Hardware Requirements to Use the
SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool
The SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool is designed in Microsoft Excel Forms and requires the
following software and hardware:
A 2003 or later version of Microsoft Excel
Excel security level set at Medium or lower
A PC running Windows XP or newer operating system, or a Mac that is running the
Windows XP operating system The tool does not currently work using the Mac
operating system
A minimum of 5 megabytes of free disk space. More disk space may be required based
on the number of fleets you define in your tool
Adequate memory (RAM) to run Microsoft Office
A monitor resolution of at least 1,024 x 7683
Please check the user's guides for your computer, online support, or your company's IT department to
make sure your system is set up to use the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool.
We encourage you to make sure that you virus software is up to date, and scan your PC before putting
data in the Multi-modal Carrier Tool.
3 The tool will also work at 800 x 600 resolution, but many of the screens will appear with scroll bars.
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6. Next Steps
Now that you understand the basics of the SmartWay program and the SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier's
role in the program, are clear about which SmartWay FLEET tool(s) are right for your company, and
understand the software and hardware required to participate, it's time to start gathering data about
each of your fleets.
If you are ready to characterize your for-hire or private truck fleet, please visit
www.epa.gov/smartwaylogistics/partnership/trucks.htm to download Part 2- Multi-modal Carrier FLEET
Data Collection Overview and Workbook.
If you have determined that all or part of your operations require completion of the Logistics Carrier
FLEET tool or the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool, you will find resources for gathering data for these
fleets on the www.epa.gov/smartwaylogistics/partnership/logistics.htm web page or the
www.epa.gov/smartwaylogistics/partnership/multimodal.htm web page, respectively.
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