TMC, NASHVILLE -- The North American Council for Freight Efficiency and the Carbon War Room announced the creation of “Trucking Efficiency,” an industry collaboration that aims to double the freight efficiency of cargo movement.

The Carbon War Room is a global nonprofit founded by aviation visionary Sir Richard Branson to accelerate the adoption of business practices that reduce carbon emissions at “gigaton” scale and advances the low-carbon economy.  

Collaboration among key players in the trucking sector will extend benefits found in shipping, aviation, energy efficiency in buildings, and island economies, its leaders believe. The groups announced the effort Sunday at the Technology and Maintenance Council annual meeting.

“In a few short years, NACFE has become a place where fleets, new technology suppliers, truck and trailer builders, NGOs and government groups come together to share detailed and previously unpublished information on new technologies,” said Scott Perry, vice president of Ryder System, a three-year NACFE board member and recently elected chairman. "This collaboration will turbocharge these efforts.”

The collaboration aims to double efficiency through the elimination of market barriers to information, supply and demand. NACFE provides trucking firms with unbiased assessments of currently available technologies, starting with previously published confidence reports, as well as organizing workshops around the country, said Mike Roeth, NACFE’s executive director. 

Next, the operation will deliver an easy-to-use online platform for sharing this valuable information.

The Confidence Report series developed from the need for better data on the benefits and challenges when adopting new technologies, Roeth said. Confidence Reports provide introductions to promising categories of fuel-efficiency products and methods, covering the key details of their applications, benefits, and implementation challenges. 

The reports are produced with public information and otherwise-private data that are shared with the group. The Confidence Reports aim to serve as the first such source for fleets when considering an efficiency feature to specify on new equipment and will include a payback prediction and a confidence rating.

The series so far has covered Tire Pressure Systems (August 2013), 6x2 Axle Configurations (January 2014), and Sleeper Tractor Idle Reduction Solutions (due out in April 2014). Another, on automated mechanical transmissions, has kicked off, and a team is reviewing the potential for other reports on driver coaching, engines, light-weighting and others.

More information about the freight and carbon groups is at www.nacfe.org and www.carbonwarroom.com