Werner to debut proprietary trailer skirt on Earth Day

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To commemorate Earth Day, Werner Enterprises will showcase its green initiatives on Friday, April 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include an in-depth look at Werner Enterprises’ “green” truck and trailer, educational booths from the company and OPPD, and tips from horticulture, gardening and energy conservation experts. At 11:30 a.m., Derek Leathers chief operating officer of Werner Enterprises and president of Werner Global Logistics, and Steve Phillips, senior vice president of operations, will discuss the company’s sustainability initiatives.

In an effort to further reinforce Earth Day’s message, the company will raffle off trees and distribute seed packs to associates during the event. In addition, the new Werner-developed SmartWay-certified advanced trailer skirt (estimated fuel savings 5 percent) will be on display. The skirt is designed to minimize aerodynamic drag and maintain smoother air flow by reducing the wind under the trailer. The name of the trailer skirt, which will be listed on the SmartWay website for verified technologies, also will be unveiled during this time.

“Werner Enterprises recognizes the important environmental role that the transportation industry has in creating a cleaner, greener environment for the future, and we take this leadership role very seriously,” Phillips says. “As we showcase our new proprietary trailer skirt, as well as our other numerous fuel-saving and sustainability initiatives, we are encouraging all our associates to continue to put into practice behaviors that help to promote a clean environment now and for future generations.”

Werner Enterprises strives to improve efficiency and is a member of SmartWay, a collaboration between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the transportation industry. In recent years, the company has replaced trucks with more aerodynamic models, installed auxiliary power units, updated engine technology to maximize efficiency, reduced idle time and developed more precise fleet management tools. Through its commitment to investing in technologies, proactive strategies and policies that increase fuel efficiency and decrease carbon emissions, Werner Enterprises says it has saved more than 30 million gallons of fuel and reduced the company’s carbon footprint by 350,000 tons in the past three years.