Audit-Ready Carbon Reporting for Freight Trucking Operations
Track fleet fuel consumption, calculate ton-kilometer intensity, monitor vehicle efficiency, and report electric truck adoption for road freight.
The Industry Hotspot: Diesel Fuel Consumption and Empty Miles
Fuel represents 30-40% of trucking costsTrucking emissions concentrate in diesel fuel combustion for freight movement. Fuel consumption depends on vehicle type, cargo weight, route characteristics, and driving behavior. Class 8 heavy-duty trucks dominate long-haul freight with substantial annual fuel consumption per vehicle. Cargo capacity utilization affects ton-kilometer intensity. Fuller trucks spread fuel across more freight weight. Empty backhaul miles after delivery reduce overall efficiency. Load matching and network optimization minimize empty running. Vehicle fuel economy improvements come from aerodynamics, tire technology, and engine efficiency. Electric trucks eliminate tailpipe emissions for suitable routes. Hydrogen fuel cells pilot for long-haul applications. NetNada tracks fleet fuel consumption by vehicle and route, calculates ton-kilometer intensity, monitors capacity utilization, and reports alternative fuel adoption.
SASB Industry Definition
The Road Transportation industry operates freight trucking for long-haul and short-haul cargo including truckload, less-than-truckload, and specialized freight. Operations rely on diesel trucks consuming fuel for freight movement. Carbon intensity measured in grams CO2 per ton-kilometer depends on vehicle fuel economy, cargo capacity utilization, and empty backhaul frequency. Fleet efficiency improvements, alternative fuels, and electric truck adoption drive emission reductions.
Industry-Specific Carbon Accounting
No generic solutions. Metrics, data sources, and reporting aligned to Road Transportation operations.
Fleet Fuel Consumption Tracking
Truck fuel consumption varies by vehicle type, cargo weight, route terrain, and driver behavior. Telematics systems capture real-time fuel data by vehicle and trip. Fuel cards provide purchase-level consumption. Track fuel consumption by vehicle, route, and driver. Calculate fuel per mile and per ton-kilometer by shipment. Report fleet fuel efficiency trends and benchmark by equipment type.
Cargo Capacity Utilization Impact
Truck fuel consumption depends on total weight carried. Higher capacity utilization spreads fuel across more freight tons improving ton-kilometer intensity. Partial loads and empty backhauls reduce efficiency. Monitor cargo weight and vehicle capacity utilization by shipment. Track loaded versus empty mile ratios. Calculate effective ton-kilometers accounting for empty running.
Empty Backhaul Reduction
Freight flows often have directional imbalances requiring empty return trips. Empty miles consume fuel without freight revenue reducing network efficiency. Load matching connects backhaul opportunities. Track empty mile percentage by route and vehicle. Monitor load matching program effectiveness. Calculate fuel savings from reduced empty running versus baseline.
Vehicle Fuel Economy Improvements
Aerodynamic improvements including trailer skirts and boat tails reduce wind resistance. Low rolling resistance tires decrease friction. Modern engines with advanced controls improve combustion efficiency. Track vehicle specifications and fuel economy by model year. Calculate fleet-wide efficiency from vehicle replacement and retrofit programs. Report fuel savings from technology deployments.
Electric Truck Deployment
Battery-electric trucks eliminate tailpipe emissions for suitable routes. Range and charging time constrain applications to regional delivery and return-to-base operations. Infrastructure requires depot charging stations. Track electric truck fleet size and utilization by route. Monitor charging electricity consumption and grid intensity. Calculate emission reductions from electric versus diesel baseline.
SASB TR-RO Metrics Automation
Auto-generate disclosure including gross Scope 1 emissions, fleet fuel consumption, fuel efficiency trends, percentage of alternative fuel vehicles, ton-kilometers transported, and safety incident rates. Footnotes cite fleet size and service characteristics.
Product Features for Road Transportation
Use Carbon Data Uploader to import fuel card data, telematics records, load manifests, and electric truck charging for road freight emissions tracking. Learn more →
The Activity Calculator applies factors for diesel fuel, renewable diesel, and electricity for electric trucks—calculating fleet emissions and ton-kilometer carbon intensity. Learn more →
Road Transportation Case Studies
How entities in this industry use NetNada to solve carbon accounting challenges.
Challenge
Shipper customers required freight emissions for their Scope 3 logistics reporting. Fleet fuel consumption needed tracking across vehicles and routes for ton-kilometer intensity. Empty backhaul miles reduced network efficiency requiring optimization. Electric truck evaluation needed emissions and cost analysis. Vehicle replacement cycles required fuel efficiency business case.
Solution
Implemented comprehensive trucking carbon accounting tracking fuel consumption by vehicle and shipment using telematics and fuel card data. Calculated ton-kilometer intensity by route and freight type. Monitored cargo capacity utilization and empty mile percentages. Deployed electric trucks on suitable regional routes tracking charging and emission reductions. Generated shipment-specific emissions for shipper customer reporting.
Result
Established ton-kilometer carbon intensity baseline showing vehicle type and utilization impacts. Identified empty backhaul reduction opportunities through load matching programs. Demonstrated electric truck emission benefits on regional routes supporting expansion business case. Provided shipper customers with automated freight emissions data supporting their Scope 3 logistics reporting requirements and sustainability goal tracking.
SASB Disclosure Topics for Road Transportation
Material sustainability topics beyond emissions that investors and stakeholders expect disclosed per SASB standards.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
environmentTrack Scope 1 from truck fleet diesel consumption. Report Scope 2 from facilities, terminals, and EV charging. Calculate Scope 3 from vehicle manufacturing, maintenance supplies, and contracted carriers. Report emissions per ton-kilometer and per shipment.
Fleet Fuel Efficiency
environmentMonitor diesel fuel consumption by vehicle, route, and freight type. Track fuel per ton-kilometer and per mile. Report fleet fuel efficiency trends and vehicle specification improvements.
Cargo Utilization and Empty Miles
business modelTrack cargo weight per shipment and vehicle capacity utilization. Monitor empty backhaul frequency and empty mile percentage. Report load matching and network optimization programs.
Alternative Fuel and Electric Trucks
business modelMonitor electric truck deployments and charging infrastructure. Track alternative fuel consumption including renewable diesel and hydrogen. Report fleet transition strategy and emission reduction pathways.
Driver Safety and Training
socialReport accident rates and safety incidents. Track driver safety training and certification programs. Disclose eco-driving training and fuel efficiency coaching.
Customer Freight Carbon Reporting
business modelProvide shipment emissions for customer Scope 3 logistics reporting. Calculate emissions using weight, distance, and vehicle type. Disclose allocation methodology and emission factors.
NetNada tracks all SASB material topics, not just emissions. Our platform supports disclosure across environmental, social, governance, and business model topics relevant to your industry.
Road Transportation FAQs
Common questions about carbon accounting for this industry
Track Trucking Fleet Fuel, Ton-Kilometer Intensity, and Alternative Fuel Adoption
See how freight carriers monitor fleet efficiency, calculate shipment carbon footprints, and generate SASB-aligned disclosures—automated from telematics and operations data.