How to Start a Sustainable Trucking Company

Julie Starr • May 14, 2022



Today’s trucking industry is rapidly changing. The emergence of e-logs and other digital compliance solutions has made it possible for fleets to operate more efficiently . The increased adoption of telematics and connected vehicles improves fleet uptime and monitors driver performance to help reduce accidents. These changes also make drivers happier, safer, and more productive by eliminating unproductive waiting time, cutting downtime during maintenance, and proactively monitoring vehicle performance. This has led to an increased demand for companies that can provide services related to this type of truck—known as sustainable trucking companies.

Do your research into sustainability in trucking .

Before deciding to start a sustainable trucking company, make sure you have researched the viability of this type of business. And if you are thinking of investing in an existing sustainable trucking company, you should conduct due diligence to determine its financial viability. As mentioned above, the demand for clean diesel trucks has grown significantly. This has created a new market for sustainable trucking companies to take advantage of this demand. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind before entering this market. Sustainability currently plays a significant role in trucking. But since it is a relatively new concept for many truckers, you need to do your part to educate the industry on how to be sustainable and why it is essential. 

Align with sustainability allies and partners

Reaching out to various allies and partners can help you get your sustainable trucking company up and running quickly and efficiently. Some of the most important partners to consider are policymakers, regulators, logistics providers, and customers. Working with policymakers and legislators can help ensure that your business complies with the latest regulations and that your customers can remain compliant. 

Logistics providers such as truck manufacturers, fleet owners, fleet management companies, and suppliers can provide you with essential equipment and services to help you get your business off the ground. These include everything from vehicles to maintenance and telematics services, helping you get your business off the ground and running efficiently. 

Ensure drivers are on board with your sustainability efforts

Before you hire any drivers looking for careers in truck driving , you should ensure they are on board with your sustainability efforts. Drivers can be excellent advocates for your sustainability efforts by sharing their knowledge with your customers. Likewise, they can also help you improve your sustainability efforts by providing feedback and recommendations on how you can do better. 

Use eco-friendly fuel sources .

In addition to using clean diesel trucks, sustainable trucking companies also work to reduce pollution and achieve greater fuel efficiency. One of the most effective ways to do this is by using bio-based or renewable fuels in vehicles. While diesel engines have been proven to run on blends of bio-based and renewable energies, trucks that operate on natural gas reduce emissions by up to 99% .

Use technology to improve route planning and logistics .

A vital part of any sustainable trucking company is the planning and logistics behind each trip. These include the route, fuel efficiency, and more. Some key technologies that can help improve these efforts include the following: 

  • Satellite-based navigation systems 
  • Real-time traffic information 
  • ELD technology
  • IoT devices 
  • Real-time fuel prices
  • Digital maintenance logs 

These technologies can help you plan the best route, avoid traffic jams, minimize idling time, track maintenance, reduce fuel usage, etc. They can also help you plan your trips using various sustainability factors, such as fuel prices and the weather. The IoT devices and real-time data that these technologies provide can also allow you to provide better service to your customers. This includes tracking the location of shipments, managing inventory, and ensuring drivers are meeting delivery timeframes.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.