The avalanche of mandates for electrification of heavy-duty trucking is the biggest challenge facing US surface transportation in 2024. Werner wants partners in state government who recognize taking the internal combustion engine off roadways by 2040 or 2045 could have ramifications on fragile supply chains, not to mention the electric grid.
Werner helps reduce emissions from diesel particulate matter, CO2 and other known pollutants, while running the cleanest technology on the market. Looking ahead, we recommend a careful transition to electric — along with hydrogen, compressed natural gas and other energy sources as utilities and infrastructure allows.
Currently, we are focused on refreshing our fleet to our historical best-in-class levels. We have significant scale as a top six public truckload carrier with nearly 8,300 trucks. This requires us to “catch up” from the supply chain issues that troubled OEMs and their ability to meet equipment delivery requests the last several years.
This increased investment will lower the average age of our trucks and trailers, which in turn will decrease maintenance expenses, increase uptime and enhance service levels while also preparing us for future emissions changes. Having the most safe and modern equipment positions us well as the market strengthens while benefiting both our professional drivers and customers.
As for future growth, Werner is committed to growing our fleet and remaining highly optimistic about 2024. Our future fleet growth will likely be weighted towards portions of our fleet supporting our dedicated, expedited, final mile and cross-border Mexico service offerings.