Pacific Coast Distribution Sustainability Initiatives

Goods Need to Move – Let’s Do it Cleaner, Smarter and Better for Everyone

The trucking industry as a whole does not have a great reputation for environmental and social responsibility. We are doing our part to be better.

As a member in good standing of SmartWay since 2014, our environmental impact is always at the forefront of our decision-making processes. That doesn’t make it an easy objective though. The mainstream consumer push for electrified transportation is a great idea, but practically speaking cost, weight limitations, range, and driver productivity are significant barriers for wide  industry adoption. Hydrogen is seeing traction in Europe, but is only emerging in Canada, and again cost is a significant barrier, as is adequate infrastructure.

The technology that we are most excited about is CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) trucks. Brand new to the market is a 15L engine that will allow heavier loads to be effectively hauled through the mountains and to our customers. While the cost of these trucks is still substantially higher than diesel trucks, they allow for significant environmental improvement without sacrificing operational efficiency.

• CNG produces 30% less Greenhouse Gases than diesel trucks
• CNG produces 90% less particulate matter than diesel trucks and therefore doesn’t require the inefficient and mechanically less reliable DPF systems
• CNG produces 95% less nitrous oxide emissions
• CNG trucks exceed 2027 EPA emissions thresholds

The other tangile opportunity we’ve implemented is the use of PetroCanada’s EcoDiesel. While also priced higher than regular diesel, it does offer a lower carbon density. Limited availability reduces efficacy for total fleet adoption, but put with the rest of Pacific Coast’s initiatives, we’re confident that we’re moving in the right direction.

An overview of key initiatives

Warehouses & Offices:

• We have replaced propane forklifts with units that are battery operated
• Utilization of high-capacity storage racking system that is all battery powered and semi-automated.
• Facilities have LED lighting  and we are transitioning light sensors to have automatic shut-off capability when the rooms/areas unutilized
• Installed foam dock seals on warehouse loading doors, to ensure a tighter enclosure when doors are open to load & unload trailers. This allows for more stable building temperatures when doors are open and reduces energy consumption while trying to adjust to temperature fluctuations.
• We utilize optimally controlled HVAC programming to maximize efficiency.
• We promote paperless transactions will all customers and staff. We are going to great lengths to digitize as many internal processes as possible, as well as automating internal processes to further reduce paper consumption.
• We have installed Dyson Airblades in all washrooms to reduce paper towel waste.
• Across our divisions (warehouse, transport, brokerage & mechanic shop), we recycle all paper, electronics, cardboard, plastic, wood, liquid, rubber and metal products possible. Additionally, we are implementing a food waste composting program to further our waste reduction goals.

Transportation Fleets:

As noted, we are active participants in the Environmental Protection Agency & Natural Resources Canada’s Smartway Program that encourages fleets to reduce emissions. Some of the items we have implemented to service this goal:

• Procurement of environmentally safe cleaning products to ensure our equipment is kept clean; reducing equipment maintenance and waste.
• We engage in active preventative maintenance of our equipment with regularly scheduled shop inspections.
• We operate late model trucks equipped with the most recent fuel economic design & carbon emission reduction features.
• We invest in additional truck fairings to optimize aerodynamics and reduce fuel consumption.
• Trailers are equipped with undercarriage air displacement trays, as well as side and top airflow fairings.
• Trucks have engine auto-shut off on extended idle times.
• Trucks are equipped with Webasto cab heaters and engine warming technology to reduce idle in colder temperatures.
• We started adding Carrier APU battery systems to highway tractors for heating and cooling the trucks year-round; further reducing idle-time in extreme weather conditions.
• We have Geotab devices installed in all our trucks for real-time truck telematics, GPS tracking & geofence updates.
• We have outfitted the fleet with Yokohama or Michelin low roll resistance tires, on all tractors and trailers, to enhance fuel economy.
• We have implemented Lean Principles to assist in dispatch efficiency for optimal productivity and routing.
• We have created a night shift, to increase productivity in reduced traffic volume periods. This strategic planning enables us to operate more fuel efficiently by reducing idle time sitting in traffic.

Without any capital expense, environmental impact can start right from the driver level, but we recognize that training is only part of the solution:

• Drivers are trained on the Smith System of defensive driving tactics.
• Drivers are trained to utilize cruise control as it allows the truck to operate at optimal levels, resulting on better fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions.
• We promote anti-idle polices for drivers and incentivization programs to encourage better driving behaviour specifically targeting fuel consumption.
• We run automatic trucks that promote more fuel-efficient driving practices.
• All trucks are governed at 105 km/hr to improve fuel economy.