Hirschbach Motor Lines and Lineage Logistics today announced the deployment of five Orange EV electric yard trucks to Lineage facilities in the greater Kansas City area. The move is another noteworthy step in the companies’ sustainability journeys, adding to a diverse array of measurable, impactful carbon reduction and efficiency initiatives.

Hirschbach, whose core mission is to strengthen communities by providing safe, reliable, and innovative transportation solutions, is providing zero-emission spotting services for two Lineage facilities in Kansas. An industry leader in freight supply chain efficiency, Hirschbach has won multiple EPA SmartWay Excellence Awards, in part by aggressively reducing empty route miles and idling time to reduce emissions and maximize fuel economy.

“The Spot by Hirschbach team has been focused on bringing technology into the customer yards that we service, and Orange EV’s electric yard trucks are an exciting next step for us to continue to do the right thing for our customer, our driver team, and the environment,” said Kevin Lage, Hirschbach’s Sr Director Commercial Team. “Our goal is to have 20% of our spotter fleet converted to EV by Q3 of 2023.”

With its core business devoted to storing, handling, and transporting temperature-controlled food products in the United States, Lineage has long been focused on energy efficiency. The company participates in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay® Transport Partnership. Lineage has also been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy for four consecutive years and received a Better Project Award in 2022. Carbon reductions go hand-in-hand with decreases in energy consumption, and each of Lineage’s “Million Little Things” efforts add up, helping to meet their Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

“As the world’s leading temperature-controlled industrial REIT and logistics solutions provider, Lineage plays a significant role in the global food supply chain. Accordingly, we have and always will take our commitment to sustainability seriously,” said Jim Thompson, Vice President of Transportation and Logistics at Lineage. “We are proud to partner with companies like Hirschbach and Orange EV to further reduce our carbon emissions.”

Orange EV trucks utilize electricity, the most carbon efficient vehicle fuel on the market today, and have a maximum powertrain efficiency of more than 90%. At the Lineage sites in Kansas, Hirschbach operates Orange EV yard trucks up to 20 hours a day, 6 days a week. Under these heavy-use conditions, switching from diesel to electric eliminates more than 100 tons of carbon dioxide per truck annually along with diesel particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants emitted as a result of diesel combustion.

“Increasing supply chain efficiency can sometimes require considerable reimagining of operations,” said Zack Ruderman, Orange EV VP of Sales and Marketing. “Switching to electric yard trucks, however, can be a seamless transition. We are proud to work with fleets like Hirschbach and Lineage who embrace innovation, are committed to the environment, and understand the myriad benefits of electric operation.”