Route Optimization Saves UPS 3 Million Gallons of Gas

Sept. 2, 2008 - UPS saved three million gallons of gas and 30 million miles driven last year thanks to a fleet of computer programs geared toward shaving the distance its packages travel before reaching their destination, according to the company's 2007 sustainability report.

Known as Package Flow Technology, the company uses specially designed routing hardware and software, and telematics, the use of technology to gather and analyze data, to identify more energy efficient routes and improve fuel efficiency.

The technology has helped the company develop policies such as minimizing the number of left turns drivers take, thus lowering their idle time while waiting for oncoming traffic to pass. UPS has also used the technology to gain knowledge on their fleet and drivers' performance to lower fuel use.

These measures have contributed to the company reducing their emissions by 32,000 metric tons in 2007. This is the same as taking 5,300 passenger cars off the road for a year.

In addition to lowering fuel use, the company is also introducing low carbon vehicles into their U.S. and Canadian fleets. The company currently employs over 2,000 green vehicles which include hybrid and compressed natural gas trucks.

To read UPS' 2007 sustainability report, click here(PDF).