Transporting goods from point A to point B is necessary for the flow of commerce but can be heavy on CO2 emissions. Now with a little help from route-planning software trucking companies and other large delivery services can use less fuel, reduce overall emissions, and save money.

UPS has modified their package-flow technology to determine more efficient routes for delivery vehicles called Roadnet Transportation Suite. The suite can eliminate idle-heavy routes such as those including several left-hand turns.

Roadnet uses an underlying map database that can penalise or disable lefthand turns in the route planning process. The system is well suited to the delivery business because drivers can run circular routes, ending up where they started.

Using this technique, Roadnet customers generate surprising savings on fuel and emissions. Collectively, Roadnet clients save an estimated 54.4m gallons of fuel a year and can cut about 85,000 trucks and cars out of their logistics systems.

This technology will also help reduce the number of empty trucks on the road. After goods have been delivered vehicles return empty to their point of origin. Knowing which trucks can take on additional cargo and in what direction they're heading could create opportunities for shipping and delivery partnerships, cutting down the need for overall vehicles and the fuel and emissions associated with them.

Pepsi and Anheuser-Busch are two companies with large delivery fleets that are trying out the software. Other companies that have already made efforts to reduce business-wide emissions include FedEx, which has introduced a number of electric or hybrid vehicles into their delivery fleets.

Via World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD); UPS