2024 SmartWay Excellence Award Truck Carrier Semifinalist Application Instructions and Evaluation Criteria

SmartWay

mental Protection Agency*

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

2024 SmartWay Excellence Award
Truck Carrier Semifinalist Application
Instructions and Evaluation Criteria

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your company has qualified as a SmartWay Excellence Award semifinalist and is invited to apply for Award
consideration. Partners are Award semifinalists because they meet the SmartWay Excellence Award
performance criteria. Carriers that qualify as 2024 Award semifinalist meet a set of emissions-based criteria
that clearly distinguish the environmental performance of their fleets. Review the 2024 SmartWay
Excellence Award Criteria for details on truck carrier Partners.

Award semifinalists are also in good standing and have two years of data on file with EPA SmartWay
including an on-time Partner Tool submission in the current and prior calendar year.

In addition to meeting these performance-based criteria, to qualify as a SmartWay Excellence Awardee, a
truck carrier Partner also demonstrates leadership and engages in programs and activities that align with
SmartWay's goals to make freight more sustainable, including the following:

^ Leadership in freight emissions accounting, disclosure, and sustainability achievements

^ Technology and operational excellence

Stakeholder collaboration

V- Integrated freight management

EPA Form Number: 5900-488 | OMB No. 2060-0663 I Expiration Date: 03/31/2025

Burden Statement: This collection of information is approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act,
44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. (OMB Control. No. 2060-0663). Responses to this collection of information are
voLuntary (Energy PoLicy Act of 2005; citation 109-58). An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a
person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unLess it displays a currently vaLid OMB
control, number. The pubLic reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is
estimated to be 3.25 hours to compiLe and submit the SmartWay SemifinaList Application form. This is a
one-time submittal Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the
provided burden estimates and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden to the
Regulatory Support Division Director, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2821T), 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460. IncLude the OMB controL number in any correspondence. Do not send
the completed form to this address.

EPA-420-F-24-010 | February 2024 | SmartWay Excellence Award | epa.gov/smartway

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"^vSmartWay

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency +

This application is an opportunity for your company to highlight, share, and potentially be recognized for its
leadership in these activities as a 2024 SmartWay Excellence Awardee.

In addition to the environmental performance results derived from the 2023 Truck Carrier Tool submission
(note that this submitted data is from the 2022 calendar year), the 2024 SmartWay Excellence Awards will
consider semifinalist application responses and associated supporting documentation.

The semifinalist application will bejudged on a point system that evaluates leadership based on specific
categories that include:

^ Make freight and freight emissions a part of your company's environmental disclosures, sustainability
reports and plans. Use SmartWay's freight performance reports to develop strategies and set targets to
mitigate and reduce freight emissions. Achieve goals, share, and celebrate freight efficiency gains.

Implement best practices, strategies and technologies that effectively reduce freight emissions,
including carbon, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides.

^ Collaborate with shippers, logistics companies, suppliers, and other stakeholders in support of your
company's freight sustainability goals.

^ Wholistically address freight emissions from all fleets and operations across company business units,
including other fleets or different divisions, brands, and direct subsidiaries.

For Truck Carriers, there is a total of 95 possible points for the Award semi-finalist applications. The possible
total credit for each question is presented below:

SEMIFINALIST APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Truck Carriers

Qi: CSR/ESG REPORTING FOR FLEETS AND COMPANIES (ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL

FOOTPRINT)

02: FLEET TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

Scoring

20
20
20

25

10

Q3: FREIGHT STRATEGY INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

Q4: STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION

Q5: COMPREHENSIVE TOOL (DATA) REPORTING

95

EPA-420-F-24-010 | February 2024 I SmartWay ExceLLenee Award | epa.gov/smartway

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency +

DETAILED APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

For all items that you check off in the application questions:

^ Describe and summarize your company's Leadership activities and outcomes the company achieved
during 2022 - 2023.

^ Limit responses to a maximum of 1,000 words. ALL responses must be addressed and submitted via this
appLication.

In addition to your response (as onLy a secondary means to support typed statements in this appLication),
provide web Links to cLearLy identified sources that support and/or document your company's efforts
wherever appropriate.

• PLease test the web Links prior to submission to SmartWay.

• When incLuding web Links is not possibLe, cLearLy identified digitaL attachments wiLL be accepted.
Identify supporting documentation with the Partner name, question number, and checkbox letter.

• PLease emaiL attachments to smartway_transport@epa.gov. No hard copies of documentation wiLL be
accepted or considered.

PREPARATION NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE SMARTWAY EXCELLENCE AWARD
SEMIFINALIST APPLICATION:

^ Preview the appLication in its entirety before you begin to determine:

• You have the information or knowLedge required to compLete the appLication.

• The peopLe at your company best suited to assist you with responding to specific appLication
questions.

Identify the person who compLeted the 2023 SmartWay Shipper T00L at your company. This individuaL
shouLd be consuLted as a resource or reference when compLeting the appLication.

EPA-420-F-24-010 | February 2024 | SmartWay Excellence Award | epa.gov/smartway

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency +

^ Determine which staff at your company is best suited to respond to a section of the application. Some
suggestions regarding appropriate staff to consult are offered below:

Truck Carriers Role

SustainabiLity or Environmental Manager

Transportation or FLeet Manager

Logistics Manager

SustainabiLity Director, Community Liaison

Company SmartWay Contact

^ Gather your data and examples before beginning the narrative in response to each question. Before

submitting your application please be sure that your descriptions include the following:

• clear, concise and complete summaries (1000-word limit) when requested, providing details to
checked responses;

• actual achievements and outcomes, as well as activities and efforts that have taken place during
2022-2023;

• evidence, proof or documentation which substantiates submissions with specific application
questions cited; clearly identify all sources with your company name, the question number and
checked item from the application for digital attachments; and

• quality and substantive summaries, descriptions, and documentation.

ONLINE APPLICATION FORM INSTRUCTIONS:

Please review your responses before submitting your application to SmartWay. Click the "Edit" button on the
review page to return to revise responses. You must click the "Submit" button to send your application to
EPA.

To save your progress, please click the "Save Draft" button. You will have 15 days to complete the
application using the same computer and browser.

The "Reset" button will delete a saved or partially completed application.

Please complete and submit the application by the due date of Monday, April 29, 2024, 5 pm PT.

EPA-420-F-24-010 | February 2024 | SmartWay Excellence Award | epa.gov/smartway

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"^vSmartWay

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency +

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

In addition to Partner and contact information, you can expect the following questions about your company's
efforts in calendar years 2022-2023:

Qi: What does your company do to include greenhouse gases, freight emissions reductions, and
SmartWay in its sustainability planning and reporting program? Please provide an overview. Cite specific
efforts identified above.

^ Q2: What innovative fleet technology policies, fuel and equipment purchases, and/or research efforts did
your company make to improve fuel efficiency and reduce pollution from freight operations?

• Please provide an overview of your company's fleet technology actions. Cite specific efforts
identified above.

^ Q3: What innovative practices, policies, strategies and efforts has your fleet made to help improve freight
efficiency or mitigate environmental impacts?

• Please provide an overview of your company's freight strategy and implementation efforts. Cite
specific efforts identified above.

^ Q4: How has your company demonstrated leadership and collaborated with stakeholders?

• Please identify the entities and provide an overview of the interactions that your company
coordinated or influenced.

^ Q5: Does your SmartWay Truck Tool capture or include freight movement from all business operations?

• If yes, please elaborate and provide the names of the business units.

EPA-420-F-24-010 | February 2024 | SmartWay Excellence Award | epa.gov/smartway

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