While the Covid-19 pandemic, rising costs and skills shortages were still big issues in 2023, cutting emissions of carbon dioxide remains the greatest medium- to long-term challenge facing road transport. With the UK committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, sales of new non-zero-emission vehicles 26 tonnes and below to be banned by 2035 and larger trucks by 2040, the industry is less than three buying cycles away from the end of its reliance on fossil fuel.

While yet more demonstrator programmes are underway into the practicalities of zero-emission vehicles, successful operators are already setting great examples by demonstrating that cutting carbon emissions is viable and cost effective today using existing technology.

The Low Carbon Award will be given to the operator who has made significant progress in reducing its carbon emissions over the past 12 to 18 months by: significantly improving the efficiency of a diesel or gas vehicle fleet through measures such as better routeing and scheduling; reducing empty running or improving load fill; reducing fuel consumption through improving driver performance; using alternative low carbon fuels such as biofuels, hydrogen or electricity.

This Award is open to third party or own account operators running 11 or more commercial vehicles.

Judges will want to see:

• How you measure the carbon footprint of your fleet, preferably using some recognised methodology or third party audit;
• What opportunities you identified to reduce carbon emissions from your and subcontractor vehicles;
• What initiatives you have taken;
• The outcomes in terms of reduced emissions (such as total tonnes of CO2 or grams of CO2 per tonne-kilometre) and improved efficiency.