Special Report: Going Green

In years past, you would rarely see the words “trucking” and “environmentally friendly” in the same sentence, but times are changing. Two unfriendly realities – runaway diesel prices and proliferating anti-idling laws – are driving many truckers to take a hard look at ways to stop idling, save fuel and embrace new energy sources. This Overdrive Special Report looks at steps America’s truckers are taking to keep their businesses viable while helping to save the environment.

Beyond idling
We crunch the numbers to show the return on investment for a range of anti-idling devices, from integrated APUs and gensets to battery systems and solar panels.

Diesel’s competitors
New low-emissions fuels and blends make inroads in truck power.

No idle threat
As more jurisdictions make truck idling illegal, owner-operators are imposing their own limits on the increasingly expensive habit.

Small steps
Every day presents opportunities to leave a green footprint.

The rocky coast
Navigating the Golden State’s new emissions laws isn’t easy.

Why I run green
Ask three owner-operators why they’re changing their business practices, and you get three different sets of answers, all pointing in the same direction: the future.