From Our Print Edition

A survey of more than 500 transportation leaders reveals that nearly 94% of industry professionals say consumer demand for more sustainable products makes reducing emissions a top priority for next year.

Electric and alternative energy vehicles are among the most in-demand green solutions, according to the 2023 State of Transportation study published by Green Bay, Wis.-based transportation management technology provider Breakthrough. As such, 99% of shippers agree (and 79% strongly agree) that they would take advantage of those technologies if carriers in their networks offered them. On the carrier side, 97% see value in adding EVs to their fleets, and 59% plan to do so by the end of 2023.

“Inflation, volatile fuel prices and capacity fluxes will continue to weigh heavily on the transportation industry, making it more important for organizations to prioritize efficiency measures,” says Matt Muenster, chief economist at Breakthrough. “Despite these economic hurdles, the desire for sustainable practices remains. With an abundance of intermodal capacity and a surge of investment in alternative energy technology and vehicles, shippers and carriers have an opportunity to shift toward more eco-conscious operations.”