Transport Partnership
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Rail Carrier Partner 2.O.I4Tool:
Getting Started Guide ^^9^.
2OI4 Data Year - United States Version
Unilc-d Stales
Environmijn-ial
Ag«ncv
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Transport Partnership
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Rail Carrier Partner 2.O.I4Tool:
Getting Started Guide
2OI4 Data Year - United States Version
Transportation and Climate Division
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
i:wJ Stales Office ofTransportation and Air Quality
ErYvironmenUl PnolBCtion EPA-420-B-15-017
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February 2015
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Introduction to Part I; GETTING STARTED GUIDE
This guide is Part 1 of a three part series to help rail companies 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 rail company;
3) Understanding the details of the SmartWay Partnership Agreement;
4) Meeting software/hardware requirements for participating in the program; and
5) Gathering the data necessary for participation in SmartWay.
Please review this guide carefully BEFORE attempting to gather your fleet/division data, or enter data
into the Rail Partner Tool or enter data. Understanding the basics of the program, reviewing the
Partnership Agreement and making sure your fleets/divisions fit the criteria for joining SmartWay as a
rail partner will save a great deal of time and simplify your joining process.
If you wish to explore the data requirements for Rail Partners, please review "Part 2: Data Collection
Overview and Workbook."
If you wish to explore the Rail 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.
Rail Partner Tool Users Guide Part 1 I P. 1
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1. Basic Information about SmartWay
Launched in 2003, SmartWay® 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
Six types of freight transport companies can join SmartWay:1
• Freight shippers
• Logistics companies (including 3PLs/4PLs2)
• Truck carriers
• Rail carriers
• Barge 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.
1 Tools will be provided for air and ocean-going marine carriers in the future.
2 3PLs/4PLs Third party logistics/fourth party logistics companies.
Rail Partner Tool Users Guide Part 1 I P. 2
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2. Joining the SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Rail Company
Rail companies that join the SmartWay Transport Partnership are known as "SmartWay Rail Partners."
Participation in SmartWay helps SmartWay Rail Partners:
• identify opportunities to improve efficiency;
• demonstrate efficiency to potential customers; and
• reduce fuel costs.
All SmartWay Rail Partners agree to complete and submit the SmartWay Rail Tool to:
• define fleet/division composition;
• characterize fleet/division activity;
• individually benchmark multiple fleets/divisions; and
• track annual changes in performance.
SmartWay Rail Partners also agree to follow the guidelines in the Carrier Partnership Agreement. A copy
of the Agreement is included in this document on page 5 and is also included in the Rail Tool.
Upon approval of a Rail Tool submission, rail companies will be identified as SmartWay Rail Partners 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 Rail Partners that meet SmartWay's Logo criteria are allowed to use the SmartWay Partner
logo on marketing and promotional material.
SmartWay Rail Partners 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 Rail Partner, you will need to:
1. Review the SmartWay Carrier Partnership Agreement; and
2. Review the software and hardware requirements to use the SmartWay Rail Tool.
Rail Partner Tool Users Guide Part 1 I P. 3
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3. Reviewing the SmartWay Carrier Partnership Agreement
To join the SmartWay Transport Partnership as a rail company, 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 Carrier 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 Tool. (Existing fleets/divisions 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 and Tool submittal status 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.
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 annual 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 Partner.
6. Submittal of this SmartWay Tool annually constitutes agreement to all terms in this Partnership
Agreement. No separate agreement need be submitted.
Rail Partner Tool Users Guide Part 1 I P. 4
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4. Reviewing the Software and Hardware Requirements to Use the
SmartWay Rail Tool
The SmartWay Rail 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 10 megabytes of free disk space. More disk space may be required based
on the number of business units you define in your tool
• Adequate memory (RAM) to run Microsoft Office
• A monitor resolution of at least 1,024 x 768
NOTE: The Excel web application in MS Office 365 (the cloud-based version of the Office operating
system) does not currently support the macros used in the SmartWay tools. Therefore SmartWay tools
do no function properly in Office 365 at this time.
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 Rail Tool.
We encourage you to make sure that you virus software is up to date, and scan your PC before putting
data in the Rail Tool.
Rail Partner Tool Users Guide Part 1 I P. 5
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5. Next Steps
Now that you understand the basics of the SmartWay program and the SmartWay Rail Partner's role in
the program, and understand the software and hardware required to participate, it's time to start
gathering data about each of your fleets/divisions. Please visit
http://www.epa.gov/smartway/forpartners/index.htm to download Part 2- Rail Carrier Data Collection
Overview and Workbook.
Rail Partner Tool Users Guide Part 1 I P. 6
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