The Energy Saving Trust has launched a Freight Portal to help HGV operators reduce their fuel use.

Following the UK Government’s new strategy aimed at reducing HGV carbon emissions, including a voluntary commitment agreed with industry to reduce emissions by 15% by 2025, the new Freight Portal will be a hub for fleet managers with the help and advice they need to cut their fuel costs.

Freight operators are being urged to start measuring their fleet’s performance in a bid to save fuel and cut costs as part of an overarching plan to help reduce the industry’s emissions.

Around a third of a fleet manager’s costs will be related to fuel, making it one of the industry’s biggest expenses.

Freight Portal will showcase schemes that are suitable for operators and procurers to establish a gold standard for freight operations’ fuel costs and carbon footprint – and will share examples of how companies have managed to improve their business by cutting fuel costs by improving fuel efficiency.

Matthew Eastwood, head of transport at Energy Saving Trust, said: “Moving freight is an expensive business – and fuel makes up one of the largest proportions of this cost. It makes complete business sense to tackle fuel costs, but it’s not always easy to know where to start.

“As an independent resource filled with advice, real-world examples, and links to receive practical help, Freight Portal will be a definitive source of information and advice to help the freight industry reduce their costs and improve profitability – this will ultimately lead to reductions in carbon emissions and improvements in air quality for us all in the process.”

In addition to launching the new portal, Energy Saving Trust is working with the Department for Transport and industry to identify the best way to measure, monitor and manage carbon emissions from their vehicles, helping managers quantify how effective their efforts are in reducing environmental impact.

Eastwood added: “If operators start measuring their impact and start implementing measures to save fuel, that will improve their profitability and reduce CO2 emissions, which in turn will help the industry meet the commitment of a 15% reduction as mentioned in the Road to Zero Strategy.

“There is real enthusiasm for the goals outlined in the Road to Zero and we’re delighted to get started down this road with the Freight Portal.”

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