Carrier Corp. is reducing fuel usage and global green house gas (GHG) emissions following a systematic analysis of its fleet of trucks and cars.

With over 3,000 vehicles in North America that are utilized for sales, service and repair of commercial products, Carrier was able to reduce emissions to date by more than 30 percent since 2006 by deploying a variety of strategies, including right-sizing vehicles and monitoring driving patterns using global positioning system (GPS) data to removing unnecessary weight from vehicles.

Carrier Corp. is a unit of United Technologies Corp.

Before right-sizing efforts began, Carrier service technicians used standard, one-size-fits-all vehicles. The business reality is that some need large trucks, while others carry less equipment and are better served by more compact vehicles that cost less and are more fuel efficient. Carrier changed its sales fleet as well, removing trucks and offering hybrids and smaller engine vehicles.

Carrier incorporated GPS technology in its service fleet, which provided visibility into driving practices. The system provides data for fuel economy performance across the country and has led to an average mile per gallon increase of nearly 7 percent. The GPS system is also being used as a dispatch tool to increase customer service. With their exact location known, service technicians can be deployed quickly in emergencies.

Carrier's GPS system generates data that has provided visibility to other savings opportunities, for instance, carrying unnecessary equipment in trucks increased both weight and gasoline usage; trucks now carry only the tools and parts that are required.

"Greening our fleet is another example of Carrier's environmentally sound business practices," stated Erv Lauterbach, president, Carrier Building Systems and Services. "We have generated more than $1 million in fuel savings since 2008, and our reduction in GHG emissions since 2006 is equivalent to removing more than 3,000 cars from the road. We are committed to sustainability across our products, services and operations."

"Green products start at green companies," said John Mandyck, vice president, Carrier Sustainability and Environmental Strategies. "Greening our fleet is one way Carrier has reduced its greenhouse gas footprint by 33 percent since 2006. In addition to our broad portfolio of sustainable products and services, we've been greening our own company for two decades. That's sustainability inside and out."