CSX has announced the launch of an enhanced carbon emissions reduction calculator that will help companies achieve their supply chain sustainability objectives by converting from truck to rail.

The enhanced tool offers freight shippers increased insight into the environmental benefits of rail through analysis of customer-specific data to calculate potential greenhouse gas emissions saved by choosing rail over trucks.

“The environmental advantages of rail are real and measurable, and the enhanced CSX Carbon Calculator is able to provide customers with specific insight into how much less carbon dioxide is produced when they ship by rail instead of truck,” said Kevin Boone, executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Emissions reduction is an important element in supply chain strategies of many companies seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a healthier climate. The Carbon Calculator gives CSX customer’s reliable data for demonstrating the effectiveness of their sustainability programs.”

The new version of the Carbon Calculator is available to customers who use the ShipCSX online platform. The tool enables carload freight shippers to generate carbon savings analyses based on their historical shipment data; to view year-to-date totals and year-to-year trends; and to apply variables that provide additional insight for weighing carbon emission impacts when making supply chain decisions.

The Carbon Calculator draws on government and third-party studies of greenhouse gas emission factors of different transportation modes to calculate how much emissions are reduced when shipping by rail versus truck. The calculator incorporates freight type, distance and volume into its methodology.

Future versions of the Carbon Calculator will include the ability to calculate emissions savings on intermodal container shipments as well as advanced features that help companies evaluate supply-chain decisions that can further reduce their carbon footprint.