Less-than-truckload player Con-way Freight said it will shave one day off transit times to 460 U.S. destinations.

The move is part of an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, cut re-handling and service exceptions, improve on-time delivery and create a more efficient operation.

The initiative will affect lanes between Southern Texas and the Northeast, Chicago and Southern Florida, and Chicago and Southern Texas.

"Now, advanced technology has enabled us to continuously evaluate ways to move freight more efficiently and directly from origin to destination, reducing miles, handling and fuel consumption along the way," said Greg Lehmkuhl, executive vice president of operations, Con-way Freight. "This network re-engineering will reduce transit times for our customers, while helping them control inventory, manage supply chain costs and ultimately get product to market faster."

Since the launch of Con-way Inc.'s sustainability initiative in early 2008, Con-way Freight has been continually identifying and adopting practices and technologies to improve service and operating efficiency while reducing carbon emissions. The new initiative should reduce Con-way Freight's total operating miles by 16.6 million per year, the carrier says. It is also expected to save a projected 2.6 million gallons of diesel fuel annually, eliminating approximately 58.6 million pounds of carbon emissions from the environment.

"The changes made possible through our predictive modeling technology are part of a long-term approach to continuous improvement and optimized network design that maximizes the use of our existing infrastructure," said Lehmkuhl.