Accounting for Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Trucking Production

Abstract

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been an issue consuming much of theclimate change policy debates and media coverage. Freight trucking is a major source ofGHG within the transportation sector. This paper measures and evaluates truckingefficiency and productivity for 48 contiguous states in the U.S. accounting for GHGemissions during the years 2000-2007. The results show that the trucking industry couldexpand desirable output and reduce GHG emissions by an average of 11 percent per year.The average abatement costs ranged between $26 million and $94 million per year. (L92,Q53)