WASHINGTON — The Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) is partnering with Smart Freight Centre to release a request for proposal (RFP) for zero-emission trucking service attributes through its zero-emissions trucking program, GMA Trucking.
According to a media release, the RFP targets the deployment of approximately 250 Class 8 battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell trucks representing up to 14 million miles traveled per year. For context, only 760 new Class 8 zero-emission trucks were put on US roads in 2023. This pilot initiative represents a first-of-its-kind procurement leveraging a book and claim system to scale adoption of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks and increase access to zero-emission trucking services for companies with ambitious climate targets. The RFP seeks to overcome utilization, infrastructure and market challenges associated with Class 8 zero-emission truck deployment by connecting US carriers with corporate customers ready to take meaningful action to address their road freight emissions.
“This is a very clear, very loud demand signal for any carrier paying attention,” said Kim Carnahan, GMA CEO. “Companies want zero-emission trucking services and are willing to make the investments needed to access them. This pilot procurement is just the beginning. As with similar buys in aviation and maritime, we expect the second round to eclipse this one many times over.”
Zero-emission trucks make up less than 1% of the new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles on the road today. Without demonstrated demand from the market, the trucking industry is likely to remain off track in reducing emissions at the rate needed to meet climate targets, according to the release.
Launched in 2023, GMA Trucking works with trucking customers interested in advancing decarbonization within heavy-duty road transportation through a buyers alliance and book and claim model similar to that used by the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) and the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA). Over the course of 2024, CarbonLeap, Etsy, Kuehne+Nagel, Netflix, Reckitt, and others have joined previously announced founding members eBay, Green Worldwide Shipping, Meta, PepsiCo, and REI Co-op. Procurement through GMA helps members achieve their “Scope 3,” or value chain climate targets, according to the release.
The release noted that selected carriers will “gain a new source of revenue to recapture the higher costs of deploying and operating zero-emission trucks compared to traditional internal combustion vehicles. They will also be able to expand zero-emission trucks to regions and routes where uptake is currently slow or nonexistent.”
“Book and claim systems drive greater investment into low carbon transport solutions, and its implementation for zero-emission trucks can channel aggregated demand to innovative road freight carriers” said Christoph Wolff, CEO of Smart Freight Centre. “As with book and claim systems for all transport modes, Smart Freight Centre will ensure that emissions attributes can be calculated, accounted for, and reported in the most robust and transparent way.”
Following the proposal review process, GMA Trucking will facilitate multi-year, bi-lateral contracts between participating members and carriers. Based on the robust projected demand and findings from the RFI conducted earlier in 2024, GMA Trucking anticipates awarding contracts to multiple carriers.
Following the pilot procurement, GMA Trucking plans to run recurring RFP processes to help its members purchase zero-emission trucking service attributes on an ongoing basis and accelerate the decarbonization of the heavy-duty trucking sector, which accounts for more than 3% of global carbon emissions. By demonstrating the demand for these services among corporate buyers, the program seeks to jumpstart the adoption of zero-emission trucks in underserved regions, helping reduce costs as additional supply enters the market, the release noted.
Carriers interested in reviewing and responding to the RFP may access it on GMA’s website at this link. GMA Trucking will host a webinar for potential RFP respondents on Jan. 17, 2025, at 12 p.m. EST. Those interested in participating in the webinar can register here.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
