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EPA Award Touts Quad’s Success

Fuel-efficient truck fleet wins award

Quad/Graphics’ trucks may be white, but they run green.

The latest confirmation of that comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which awarded Quad/Graphics its Environmental Excellence Award for reducing air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from our freight transport activities.

Now 400 members strong, the EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership was formed in 2004 to implement straightforward but effective techniques to reduce fuel use and air pollutants from shipping operations. That year, Quad/Graphics created an aggressive action plan based on those techniques.

Smart strategies
After a successful pilot program, Quad installed diesel-powered auxiliary power units on our trucking fleet to heat and cool cabs so drivers don’t have to keep trucks running while parked. These units use just one-eighth of the fuel consumed when a truck is idling. Quad also installed technology that automatically shuts off a truck engine left idling for more than three minutes and activates the auxiliary power unit. Assigning two drivers per truck also reduced idling time.

In addition, Quad/Graphics is replacing older, heavier trucks with lighter, more aerodynamic trucks and longer trailers that reduce fuel consumption and have increased capacity. Quad is also reducing top speeds, using low friction lubricants and low-rolling resistance tires, performing engine upgrades, and training drivers how to save fuel.

Smart results
In 2004 alone, the SmartWay initiatives reduced carbon dioxide emissions within Quad’s fleet by more than 35 percent or 9,617 tons — the equivalent of taking 1,888 passenger cars off the road for a year. Nitrous oxide emissions decreased by more than 6 percent, while particulate matter was reduced 5 percent. John Drake, Fleet Manager for Duplainville Transport (part of Quad/Graphics’ Transportation Services Division), estimates that by 2007 Quad’s fleet will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent, with an estimated reduction in nitrous oxide levels of 55 percent and in particulate matter of approximately 42 percent. “In two years, our results have been amazing, and that just inspires us to do more,” John says.

For more information about SmartWay visit www.epa.gov/smartway.

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