Transportation Pollution Canada -Road Freight

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Transportation and Pollution in Canada

Road Freight Transport

Transportation in general is the second largest source of air pollution in Canada. The combustion of fossil fuels to power vehicles, large trucks, buses, cars, trucks and recreational vehicles, rail and marine, has major adverse impacts on the environment and to the health of all Canadians.

In a Nation as vast as Canada, transportation is a vital component of both the economy and the modern Canadian lifestyle. Transportation is the life blood of industry and the tie that binds production to consumers. Without efficient transportation, retail would lose customers, entertainment would diminish and families would find it harder to come together. Without economical, speedy transportation, the Canadian economy would suffer greatly.

When we see the smog that is produced from the vehicles traveling our highways and city streets; knowing the effects internal combustion engines have on the environment and health, it is easy to recognize the importance of reducing the detrimental impacts of all forms of transportation.

Greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation rose 36% from 1990 to 2004. By 2004, moving people and goods by road accounted for 19% of total greenhouse gas emissions. (environmentandresources.ca) Transportation is also responsible for 50 percent of smog forming emissions in Canada.

Freight transportation has doubled in the number of heavy-duty diesel vehicles from 1990 to 2004. Greenhouse gas emissions from this class of vehicles has increased 83% over the same period. This is partly due to the advent of “just-in-time” delivery systems, which eliminate the need for the manufacturing and commercial sectors to keep large inventories in stock. (environmentandresources.ca)

How much of the increase in transport vehicles was due to the contracting of driver owned tractors which alleviated much of the costs on to the drivers themselves? Many transport companies were spared much of the maintenance and efficiency factors involved with freight transportation. Delays at shipping terminals and road conditions became driver responsibility which allowed the freight companies to contract more drivers, hence more transport vehicles.

Even though engine efficiency and emission controls increased dramatically, the sheer numbers of hauler tractors caused pollution factors attributed to the transportation industry to rise through the 90s and early 2000s beyond the increase in freight volumes. Partial loads and empty truck runs, bob-tailing, more than doubled through this time period. Couple that with drivers having to cheat their logs in order to break over even and it all becomes a safety issue as well.

Where does Canada go from here to manage the problems arising from the Road Freight transportation industry?

There are great demands for more infrastructure in order to handle the increased traffic volumes and increase vehicle safety, especially within urban areas. Increasing the ability to handle more traffic may only increase the overall damage to the environment and greenhouse gas emissions.

Building new highway, road and bridge infrastructure or increasing the capacity of what is presently existing, requires millions (if not billions) of dollars. Who should pay? Regardless of how these improvements are paid for, whether by Federal and Provincial monies, or by special tax levies, or by tolls, in the end the burden all comes down to consumers.

Will the increase in fuel costs cause the transportation industry to rethink how Canada delivers the goods?

Regardless of how or why the road freight transportation developes further, unless it means substantial decreases to pollution and green house gas emissions, can any injection of Canadian tax payer capitol be worth it?

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