Almost half the automotive fleets in the country, 49 percent, are now measuring their emissions, according to a recent survey by fleet management services provider PHH Arval.

Among the companies tracking their emissions, 65 percent are using the actual fuel data as the basis for their measurement, according to a report in Today’s Trucking.

This is PHH’s fourth annual survey of fleet operators. The survey was designed to gauge fleet managers’ insights into environmental issues, how fleets are implementing solutions that would reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and more. In 2008, slightly more than a quarter of all fleets (28 percent) were measuring their emissions. There have been significant gains in this area in the past two years.

Despite the economic climate, there is continued interest in environmental issues. Seventy five percent of respondents reported they had been asked about the environmental impact of their fleets in the last year. This compares to 74 percent in 2009 and has largely remained flat since 2007, the first year of the survey. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said they have an environmental goal for their fleets, up slightly from last year. In addition, the economic climate accelerated progress for some respondents and slowed it for others. Twenty eight percent said the economy accelerated their programs (compared to 21 percent last year), and 20 percent said it slowed their plans (compared to 9 percent last year).

Although the number of people that identify cost as a barrier to greening their fleets has fallen slightly each year, it continues to be significant at 42 percent (down from 46 percent in 2008). Twenty nine percent of respondents have been finding cost savings as they reduce emissions. This is slightly up from last year (25 percent). Seventy-four percent of fleet managers are reaching out to drivers to enlist their help with fleet environmental goals.

However, fleet operators remain cautious about adopting new alternative fuels. Although gasoline hybrids are being accepted, other technologies such as electric, diesel and compressed natural gas are trailing.

A copy of the survey results can be obtained here. Carrier Corp said recently that it had reduced GHG emissions by 30 percent and saved $1 million since 2008 by tracking its fleet’s emissions. A study by the American Transportation Research Institute recently found that the accounting systems many fleet operators use to track emissions data are flawed.

- Environmental Leader staff

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