The Environmental Protection Agency is preparing a pollution-reduction program to encourage trucking firms to voluntarily adopt fuel-efficiency technology and practices,
according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
The target of the new program -- called SmartWay -- is to improve air quality and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
The newspaper said 13 companies have joined the SmartWay program, including FedEx Corp., CSX Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. Participating companies, such as Nike Inc., which don't transport goods, have agreed to use only carriers that participate in the program.
EPA spokesman Joe Martyak said if most U.S. ground carriers join the program, annual industry emissions could be reduced by the equivalent of removing 12 million cars from the road.
The program is modeled after the agency's Energy Star program, under which appliance makers may put EPA stickers on their products if they have improved their energy efficiency.