Final Report
Prepared for Natural Resources Canada
Supplier Name: Phoenix SPI
Contract Number: CW2341261
Award Date: 2023-12-11
Contract Value: $78,044.58 (including applicable taxes)
Delivery Date: 2024-03-27
Registration Number: POR # 097-23
For more information, please contact: nrcan.por-rop.rncan@canada.ca
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.
This public opinion research report presents the results of a 15-minute telephone survey of 300 representatives of the Canadian freight transportation industry who were involved in or knowledgeable about the management or implementation of trucking fuel efficiency programs and policies within the business’ fleet of vehicles. The fieldwork was conducted from January 3 to February 1, 2024.
Permission to Reproduce
The information in this publication may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from Natural Resources Canada, provided that due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the information reproduced; that Natural Resources Canada is identified as the source institution; and that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the information reproduced or as having been made in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of Natural Resources Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Natural Resources Canada at: nrcan.por-rop.rncan@canada.ca.
Catalogue number: M144-294/2024E-PDF
International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 978-0-660-70736-5
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Sondage de 2024 sur les programmes de transport écoénergétique de marchandises mené auprès de l'industrie.
Related Publication (Registration Number: POR # 097-23):
Catalogue number: M144-294/2024F-PDF
ISBN: 978-0-660-70737-2
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources, 2024.
The department of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) commissioned Phoenix Strategic Perspectives (Phoenix SPI) to conduct survey research to assess Freight Transportation Medium and Heavy-duty Vehicle (MHDV) industry awareness and uptake of fleet energy assessments, truck and trailer retrofits and engine repowers.
The Greening Freight Programs (SmartWay, SmartDriver and the Green Freight Program) are three programs that provide training, tools, and resources to help Canada’s fleets lower fuel consumption, operating costs, and harmful vehicle emissions. The purpose of the research was to assess perspectives on reducing fuel use and improving energy efficiency in freight transportation among the MDHV industry.
The specific research objectives included:
The results of this research will be used to: 1) enhance NRCan’s understanding of inflection points and potential federal funding assistance needs to increase the uptake of ZEV purchases and retrofits; and 2) to inform program and policy development for natural resources or in relation to Government of Canada and Ministerial priorities.
A 15-minute telephone survey was conducted with a random sampling of 300 representatives of the Canadian freight transportation industry who occupy a position of owner/operator or senior level manager.
The sampling frame was purchased from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B Canada) and drawn from NAICS code 4841 (General Freight Trucking)—specifically: 48411 (Local) and 48412 (Long Distance) and NAICS code 4842 (Specialized Freight [except Used Goods] Trucking Local—specifically: 484220 (Local) and 484230 (Long Distance).
All respondents were involved in, or knowledgeable about, the management or implementation of trucking fuel efficiency programs and policies within the business' fleet of vehicles. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of respondents described themselves as very knowledgeable in this regard and 63% as somewhat knowledge.
The results were weighted to reflect the actual distribution of businesses operating in this sector in Canada and can be considered accurate to within ±6%, 19 times out of 20. The margins of error are greater for results pertaining to subgroups of the total sample.
The fieldwork was conducted from January 3 to February 1, 2024. More information on the methodology can be found in the Appendix: 1. Technical Specifications.
The contract value was $78,044.58 (including applicable taxes).
I hereby certify as a Senior Officer of Phoenix Strategic Perspectives that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not contain any reference to electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leader.
(original signed by)
Alethea Woods
President
Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc.
Company Profile
Government Funding Programs
Fleet Energy Assessments
Retrofits
Repowering
Fleet Profile
Concluding observations
The following are offered as concluding observations:
In total, 85% of the interviews were completed in English and 15% were completed in French. All respondents were involved in, or knowledgeable about, the management or implementation of trucking fuel efficiency programs and policies within the business’ fleet of vehicles. Specifically, 37% of surveyed freight industry representatives described themselves as very knowledgeable in this regard and 63% characterized themselves as somewhat knowledge. This section of the report provides a profile of the companies represented in the survey. Information about these companies’ fleets can be found in Section 7: Fleet Profile.
Just over one-third (35%) of companies have their head offices located in Ontario, and almost as many (31%) are headquartered in the West. Following this, 18% of companies are headquartered in Atlantic Canada and 16% are located in Quebec.
| Atlantic Canada | 18% |
| Quebec | 16% |
| Ontario | 35% |
| West | 31% |
Q4. In which province or territory is your company's head office located? Base: n=300; All respondents.
Six in 10 (60%) companies employ between five and 99 employees. Specifically, 12% employ five to nine employees, 35% employ 10 to 49 employees, and 13% employ 50 to 99 employees. Three in 10 (29%) companies employ up to four employees (i.e., are micro-sized companies), while one in 10 (11%) have 100 or more employees.
| Less than 5 | 29% | 5-9 | 12% |
| 10-49 | 35% | ||
| 50-99 | 13% | ||
| 100-249 | 6% | ||
| 250-499 | 2% | ||
| 500 or more | 3% |
Q5. How many employees work for your company? Base: n=300; All respondents.
Consistent with the 2023 survey, the vast majority (91%) of companies employ fewer than 100 drivers. Specifically, 53% employ five to 99 drivers and 38% employ up to four drivers. Among companies that employ five to 99 drivers, 13% employ five to nine, 33% employ 10 to 49, and 7% employ 50 to 99 drivers. Relatively few companies (7%) employ 100+ drivers. The median number of drivers employed by responding companies is eight.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5 | 36% | 38% |
| 5-99 | 55% | 53% |
| 100-249 | 4% | 4% |
| 250 or more | 2% | 3% |
Q6. How many of these employees are employed as drivers for your company? Base: n=300; All respondents.
More than one-third (38%) of companies provide eco-driving training to their truck drivers, while 60% do not. The incidence of eco-driving training is unchanged year over year, but compared to 2022, there has been a considerable increase in the proportion of companies offering this training to drivers. In 2022, 17% of companies provided eco-driving training to their drivers compared to 38% in 2024.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| My company does not offer eco-driving training to its drivers | 59% | 60% |
| My company offers eco-driving training to its drivers | 39% | 38% |
Q33. Does your company offer eco-driving training to its truck drivers? Base: All respondents.
Companies headquartered in Atlantic Canada (70%), micro-sized companies (73%), and those with fleets of fewer than five trucks (70%) were most likely to not offer eco-driving training. In addition, companies that do not offer eco-driving training to their drivers were more likely to be unfamiliar with federal green transportation programs (72%), to consider government funding programs that support fleet retrofits to be unimportant (69%), and to be unaware of repowering as a cost-effective alternative (68%).
In addition to offering eco-driving training, many of the surveyed companies track fuel efficiency metrics. More than eight in 10 companies track both the total kilometers travelled annually (85%) and the fuel consumption of their freight trucks (85%). In addition, three-quarters (75%) track the average speed of their trucks, 71% track driving habits, such as keeping steady speeds, coasting to decelerate, etc., and two-thirds (65%) track idle time. At least half track annual average payload (54%) and the empty kilometers travelled annually (50%).
| Total kilometers travelled | 85% |
| Fuel consumption | 85% |
| Average speed | 75% |
| Driving habits | 71% |
| Idle time | 65% |
| Annual average playload | 54% |
| Empty kilometers travelled annually | 50% |
Q32A-G. Thinking about the freight trucks that your company uses, which of the following do you track…? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: n=300; All respondents.
This question was not asked of survey respondents in 2023, but it was asked of respondents in 2018 and 2022. The table below compares the 2024 results to those of 2018 and 2022.
| 2018 (n=300) | 2022 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | Difference between 2022 and 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total kilometers travelled | 89% | 89% | 85% | -4% |
| Fuel consumption | 91% | 90% | 85% | -5% |
| Average speed | 70% | 65% | 75% | 10% |
| Driving habits | 66% | 69% | 71% | 2% |
| Idle time | 70% | 63% | 65% | 2% |
| Annual average playload | 53% | 52% | 54% | 2% |
| Empty kilometers travelled annually | 58% | 51% | 50% | -1% |
This section of the report presents respondents’ views of government funding and awareness and use of government green transportation programs.
Nearly two-thirds (63% compared to 69% in 2023) of freight transportation representatives said that government funding programs that support fleet retrofits are at least somewhat important. Specifically, 38% view these programs as very important, while an additional 25% consider them somewhat important. Conversely, one-quarter of respondents consider government funding programs to be not very (13%) or not at all (15%) important.
| 2024 (n=300) | 2023 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| Very important | 38% | 39% |
| Very important | 25% | 29% |
| Not very important | 13% | 13% |
| Not at all important | 15% | 13% | Don't know | 9% | 6% |
Q7. How important are government funding programs that support fleet retrofits? Base: All respondents.
Larger companies were more likely than micro-sized companies to attribute importance to government funding programs that support fleet retrofits (76% of companies with 50 to 99 employees and 80% of companies with 100+ employees versus 58% of micro-sized companies). In addition, companies that offer eco-driving training (71%) and companies aware of provincial and territorial rebate programs for greening freight transportation (81%) were more apt view these funding programs as important.
As indicated in figure 7, familiarity with federal green transportation programs is fairly low, ranging from 14% who are familiar with the Green Freight Assessment program to 21% who are familiar with the Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative. Taken together, just over half (57%) of respondents rated themselves as familiar with at least one of the five federal green transportation programs. This represents a significant increase since 2022 when this question was last asked of survey respondents and approximately one-third (36%) rated themselves as familiar with at least one of the federal green transportation programs.Footnote 2
| Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative | 21% |
| SmartWay Transport Partnership | 17% |
| SmartDriver Training Program | 16% |
| Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicles Program | 15% |
| Green Freight Program | 14% |
Q8A-Q8E. How familiar are you with the following federal green transportation programs? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: n=300; All respondents.
As is the case with federal green transportation programs, awareness of provincial and territorial rebate programs for greening freight transportation continues to be limited. Fifteen percent of freight transportation companies surveyed are aware of these programs, while more than eight in 10 (84%) are not aware of them. Awareness of the provincial and territorial rebate programs is unchanged year over year.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| Not aware of rebate programs | 86% | 84% |
| Aware of rebate programs | 13% | 15% |
| Don't know | 1% | 1% |
Q9. Are you aware of any provincial/territorial rebate programs for greening freight transportation? Base: All respondents.
Respondents from companies headquartered in Atlantic Canada (94%) were more likely to be unaware of these rebate programs (compared to their counterparts in Quebec, 71%, and Ontario, 83%).
Very few companies participate in green transportation programs. Seven percent participate in the SmartWay Transport Partnership program (compared to 9% in 2022), 2% in the Green Freight Program (compared to 5% in 2022), and 1% each in the Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (compared to 8% in 2022), SmartDriver Training (compared to 11% in 2022), and Incentive for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero Emission Vehicles Program.
There has been virtually no change in participation rates since 2018 and 2022, when 74% of companies surveyed did not participate in green transportation programs. This year, more than three-quarters (78%) of surveyed companies reportedly do not participate in any such programs.
Seven percent of respondents volunteered that their company participates in other green transportation programs. Programs grouped in the “other” category include Heavy-duty Vehicle Efficiency (HDVE) Program, the Manitoba Efficient Trucking Program, and Ontario’s Green Licence Plate Program, among others.
| SmartWay Transport Partnership Program | 7% |
| Green Freight Program | 2% |
| Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiatve | 1% |
| SmartDriver Training | 1% |
| Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicles Program | 1% |
| Other | 7% |
| None/we don't participate in any green transportation programs | 78% |
Q10. Which green transportation programs, if any, does your company participate in? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: n=300; All respondents.
Companies that do ,not participate in green transportation programs were more likely to be headquartered in Atlantic Canada (89%) than in Quebec (80%) or Ontario (75%) and to have fewer than five employees (93%).
This section of the report discusses fleet energy assessments.
One in 10 (9%) companies have had a third party conduct an energy assessment of their fleet. Among companies that have not undergone an energy assessment (n=282), 26% (compared to 20% in 2023) would consider engaging a third party to conduct such an assessment.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| % of companies that had a 3rd party energy assessment | 6% | 9% | 2023 (n=282) | 2024 (n=274) |
| % of companies that would consider a 3rd party energy assessment | 20% | 26% |
Q12. Has your company ever had a third party conduct an energy assessment of your fleet? Base: All respondents. Q14. Would your company ever consider having a third party conduct an energy assessment of its fleet? Base: Companies that have not had a third party conduct an energy assessment of their fleet.
Companies with fewer than five employees (93%) and companies that have not implemented retrofits (91%) were more likely to have not had an energy assessment conducted by a third party.
Most representatives of companies that have had a third party conduct an energy assessment of their fleet (n=26) said that the assessment was important when determining retrofits should be made to the company fleet.
Freight industry representatives who said that their company would not consider having a third party complete an energy assessment (n=202) were most likely to point to lack of need when asked to explain why. This is consistent with 2023. This year, four in 10 said their company does not need an assessment because they are not planning to retrofit their fleet (34%) or there is no need to retrofit their fleet (6%). Other reasons for not considering an energy assessment included the perception that a third-party assessment lacks value and is not worth the cost (19%) and that they are too expensive (13%). The full range of responses can be found in figure 11.
| 2023 (n=226) | 2024 (n=202) | |
|---|---|---|
| Don’t think one is needed/not planning to retrofit fleet | 33% | 34% | Lack of value/it’s not worth the cost | 17% | 19% | Cost/they are too expensive | 13% | 13% | Lack of management buy-in | 5% | 7% | One is not needed/already taken care of | 15% | 6% | Lack of awareness/didn’t know about energy assessments | 8% | 5% | Don’t trust the results | 8% | 5% | Lack of time to look into/meet with auditors | 2% | 3% | Don't know | 15% | 19% |
Q15. Why hasn't your company considered a fleet energy assessment? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: Companies that did not consider a fleet energy assessment.
This section of the report discusses the retrofits implemented by companies in the past year.
Seventy-two percent (virtually unchanged from 2023) of companies have not implemented any retrofits to the trucks in their fleet in the past year. The incidence of implementing retrofits is consistent year over year: 25% implemented retrofits this year compared to 22% in 2023.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| Did implement retrofits | 22% | 25% |
| Did implement retrofits | 74% | 75% |
Q16. In the past year, has your company implemented any retrofits to its truck fleet? Base: All respondents.
Companies based in Quebec (73%), those with private fleets (39%), companies familiar with federal green transportation programs (33%), and companies aware of provincial/territorial rebate programs for greening freight transportation (51%) were more likely to have implemented retrofits.
Among companies that have implemented retrofits in the past year (n=75), half (52%) have retrofitted up to four trucks, including 28% that retrofitted one truck. One in five companies (20%) retrofitted five to 10 trucks and 15% retrofitted more than 10 trucks in the past year. The number of trucks that had been retrofitted in the past year ranged from one to 150, with the median number of trucks retrofitted being three.
| One | 28% |
| Two | 14% |
| Three to four | 10% |
| Five to 10 | 20% |
| More than 10 | 15% |
Q17. How many of your company's truck fleet has been retrofitted in the past year? Base: n=75; Companies that implemented retrofits to their truck fleet in the past year.
More than half (58%) the companies that completed retrofits in the last year implemented cab heaters (compared to 71% in 2023)Footnote 3. Following this, approximately four in 10 companies implemented cab coolers (44%), predictive cruise (41%), and auxiliary power units (41%) in the last year. The full range of retrofits completed by companies over the last year can be found below in figure 14.
| 2023 (n=65) | 2024 (n=75) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cab heaters | 71% | 58% |
| Cab coolers | 54% | 44% |
| Predictive cruise | 52% | 41% |
| Auxilliary power units | 38% | 41% |
| Low rolling resistant tires | 41% | 35% |
| Route optimization technology | 57% | 33% |
| Battery HVAC | 34% | 31% |
| Aerodynamic mud flaps | 43% | 31% |
| Telematics | 40% | 26% |
| Boat tails | 33% | 25% |
| Side skirts | 36% | 23% |
Q18. Which of the following retrofits has your company completed in the past year? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: Companies that implemented retrofits to their truck fleet in the past year.
Half of companies surveyed (52%) reported at least one barrier when it comes to retrofitting their fleet. Barriers remain diverse, although cost was the most frequently reported barrier experienced, with nearly four in 10 (39%) mentioning cost this year compared to 29% of survey respondents in 2023. Conversely, almost one-quarter (23%) of these companies encountered no obstacles to retrofitting their trucks compared to more than one-third (37%) in 2023.
The complete list of barriers identified by respondents is outlined in figure 15. The types of barriers grouped in the “other” category include the age of the vehicles or equipment, geography/location, truck turnover (i.e., they replace trucks relatively frequently, so retrofitting is not needed), driver preferences (i.e., some do not want changes), the downtime for retrofitting, questions/concerns about performance, among others.
| 2023 (n=65) | 2024 (n=75) | No barriers | 37% | 23% |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 29% | 39% |
| Supply chain/vehicle or part availability | 10% | 4% |
| Lack of knowledge/expertise | 7% | 2% |
| Reliability | 4% | 1% |
| Lack of human resources/time | 3% | 1% |
| Fleet working conditions/environment | 2% | 3% |
| Lack of management buy-in | 1% | 2% |
| Competing priorities | 1% | 3% | Other | 4% | 3% |
| Don't know | 14% | 25% |
Q19. What barriers does your company face when it comes to retrofitting its fleet? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: Companies that implemented retrofits to their truck fleet in the past year.
This section of the report presents respondents’ views and actions in relation to repowering.
More than half of freight transportation companies surveyed are aware that repowering existing truck engines can be a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a new Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vehicle. Awareness, then, has increased year over year, from 45% in 2023 to 57% in 2024. One in five (22%) companies have already repowered existing fleet engines.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | Aware that repowering existing truck engines can be a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a new OEM vehicle | 45% | 57% |
|---|---|---|
| Company has repowered existing fleet engines | 19% | 22% |
Q20. Are you aware that repowering your existing truck engines can be a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a new OEM vehicle? / Q21. Has your company repowered any of its existing fleet engines? Base: All respondents.
The following groups of companies were more likely to be aware that repowering existing truck engines can be a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a new OEM vehicle: companies aware of provincial/territorial rebate programs for greening freight transportation (74%), companies that have repowered their fleet engines (81%), and companies that offer eco-driving training (65%).
The majority of companies that have repowered existing fleet engines (n=65) have repowered less than a quarter of these engines (57% compared to 64% in 2023). Conversely, 22% have repowered a quarter to half of their fleet engines, and 16% have repowered more than half their fleet engines (compared to 10% in 2023).
| 2023 (n=58) | 2024 (n=65) | |
|---|---|---|
| 0-25% | 64% | 57% |
| 26-50% | 15% | 22% |
| 51-75% | 4% | 3% |
| 76-100% | 6% | 13% |
Q22. What percentage of your company's fleet engines have been repowered? Base: n=65; Those who repowered existing fleet engines.
Among freight transportation companies that have repowered existing fleet engines, the vast majority (88%; compared to 94% in 2023) use diesel fuel. Very few companies use propane (2%) or hydrogen (2%) to fuel their repowered fleets.
| Diesel | 88% |
| Propane | 2% |
| Natural gas | 2% |
| Other | 2% |
| Don't know | 11% |
Q23. Which fuel types do your company's repowered fleet use? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: n=65; those who repowered company’s fleet engines.
Nearly one-third (64%) of respondents said their company is not thinking about repowering any of its fleet engines in the next two to three years. Among companies not interested in repowering any fleet engines (n=186), there has been an increase in those who cited high costs as the reason (30%, up 10% from 2023). On the other hand, there has been a decrease in those who feel it will have no value or will not provide cost-savings (23%, down 20% from 2023) and those who said their company is planning to buy a new fleet (22%, from 14% from 2023).
| 2023 (n=181) | 2024 (n=186) | |
|---|---|---|
| No value/not enough cost savings | 43% | 23% |
| No need/planning to buy a new fleet | 36% | 22% |
| Cost/too expensive | 20% | 30% |
| Lack of information/research | 11% | 5% |
| Lack of management buy-in | 1% | 5% |
| Other | 4% | 3% |
| Don't know | 6% | 9% |
Q25. Why is your company not interested in repowering any of its fleet engines? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: n=186; those whose company is not considering repowering.
Surveyed industry representatives were asked whether different types of information would be useful for decision-making about their company’s investments in fuel reducing technologies, initiatives, or programs.
Half or more felt that each of the following would be useful. Two-thirds (65%) viewed information on fuel consumption ratings for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles as useful when it comes to decision-making, while just over half considered on-road performance of energy efficient technologies (58%) and business cases for adopting energy efficient technologies and practices (54%) useful information. Forty-six percent each attributed utility to stories on fleets transitioning to decarbonizing operations and to data on the energy efficiency of Canada’s HDV fleet.
| Fuel consumption ratings for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles | 65% |
| On-road performance of energy efficient technologies | 58% |
| Business cases for adopting energy efficient technologies and practices | 54% |
| Stories on fleets transitioning to decarbonizing operations | 46% |
| Data on the energy efficiency of Canada’s HDV fleet | 46% |
Q11. When it comes to decision-making about company investments in fuel reducing technologies, initiatives, or programs, are any of the following types of information useful? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: n=300; All respondents.
This section of the report presents a profile of the truck fleets of responding companies.
The type of fleet reported by companies continues to be varied, with 39% exclusively operating for- hire fleets and 37% exclusively operating private fleets. Among the rest, one-quarter (24%) operate both for-hire and private fleets. Year-over-year changes are not significant.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| For hire | 39% | 39% |
| Private | 33% | 37% |
| Both | 27% | 24% |
| Don't know | 2% | 1% |
Q26. Is your fleet... Base: n=300; All respondents.
Companies based in Quebec (86%) are the most likely to operate a private fleet.
Almost half of companies operate fleets of fewer than 10 trucks—specifically, 32% have one to four trucks and 17% have five to nine trucks in their fleet. The single greatest proportion—34%—have 10 to 49 trucks in their company fleet. Just 15% of companies have 50 or more trucks in their fleet, including 8% with more than 100 trucks. The median number of trucks in the fleets of responding companies was 10. Fleet size has changed very little since 2023. .
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 30% | 32% |
| 5 to 9 | 21% | 17% |
| 10 to 49 | 36% | 34% |
| 50 to 99 | 9% | 7% |
| 100+ | 5% | 8% |
Q27. How many trucks are in your company's fleet? Base: n=300; All respondents.
Four in 10 (41%) freight industry representatives said that up to one-quarter of their company’s fleet is less than five years old (compared to 41% in 2023). Following this, two in 10 (19%) said that 26 to 50 percent of the trucks in their company’s fleet are less than five years old. In total, therefore, six in 10 (60%) companies operate fleets where up to half the trucks are less than five years old. At the other end of the scale, approximately one-third (36%) reported that more than half the trucks in their company’s fleet are less than five years old, including 22% who said that 76% or more of the trucks in their fleet met this criterion.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| 25% or less | 48% | 41% |
| 26% to 50% | 15% | 19% |
| 51% to 75% | 8% | 14% |
| 76% or more | 26% | 22% |
Q28. Approximately what percentage of trucks in your fleet are less than five years old? Base: n=300; All respondents.
Forty-nine percent of freight transportation companies surveyed have dry vans in their fleet, while 18% have flatbeds, and 17% have specialized trucks. Year-over-year changes are not significant. The full list of trucks is listed below in figure 24.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dry van | 41% | 49% |
| Heavy haul | 25% | 14% |
| Flatbed | 22% | 18% |
| Specialized | 13% | 17% |
| Cubed van | 13% | 12% |
| Work truck | 7% | 6% |
| Tanker | 4% | 7% |
| Mixed | 3% | 1% |
| Expedited | 3% | 2% |
| Package | 2% | 1% |
| Auto-carrier | 1% | - |
| Garbage trucks | 1% | - |
| Other | 4% | 9% |
Q29. What type of trucks are in your company's fleet? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: n=300; All respondents.
Seventy-five percent of companies surveyed use their trucks for regional deliveries, 61% for long hauls, and 32% last mile deliveries.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| Regional delivery | 68% | 75% |
| Long hauls | 63% | 61% |
| Last mile delivery | 40% | 32% |
| None of these | 3% | 2% |
Q30. Are your trucks used for...? [Multiple responses accepted] Base: n=300; All respondents.
The majority (68%) of surveyed companies said that their trucks travel more than 200 kilometers daily. Specifically, 25% travel between 201 and 500 kilometers, 36% travel between 501 to 1,000 kilometers, and 7% travel more than 1,000 kilometers daily. The median number of kilometers travelled daily was 500 kilometers.
| 2023 (n=300) | 2024 (n=300) | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 50 kms | 2% | 4% |
| 51 to 100 kms | 5% | 5% |
| 101 to 200 kms | 10% | 8% |
| 201 to 500 kms | 24% | 25% |
| 501 to 1,000 kms | 36% | 36% |
| Over 1,000 kms | 12% | 7% |
| Did not know | 12% | 15% |
Q31. In an average day, how many kilometers do your trucks travel? Base: n=300; All respondents.
The following specifications applied to this survey:
| NAICS code | No. of interviews |
|---|---|
| General freight: local (484110) | 149 |
| General freight: long distance (484121, 484122) | 134 |
| Specialized freight trucking excluding used goods (484220, 484230) | 17 |
| Total Numbers Attempted | 7,004 |
| Out-of-scope - Invalid | 1,549 |
| Unresolved (U) | 3,532 |
| No answer/answering machine | 3,532 |
| In-scope - Non-responding (IS) | 1,336 |
| Language barrier | 18 |
| Incapable of completing (ill/deceased) | 29 |
| Respondent refusal | 434 |
| Callback scheduled/not completed | 777 |
| Termination | 78 |
| In-scope - Responding units (R) | 587 |
| Completed interview | 300 |
| Quota reached | 6 |
| Not eligible | 281 |
| Response RateFootnote 4 [R=R/(U+IS+R)] | 10.76% |
| NAICS code | Unweighted | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| General freight: local (484110) | 149 | 139 |
| General freight: long distance (484121, 484122) | 134 | 144 |
| Specialized freight trucking excluding used goods (484220, 484230) | 17 | 17 |
1st POINT OF CONTACT/GATEKEEPER:
Hello/bonjour, my name is [Interviewer's name]. Would you prefer to continue in English or French? / Préférez-vous continuer en anglais ou en français? May I speak to someone at your company who is most familiar with fuel efficiency tracking and management within your organization?
IF ASKED BY GATEKEEPER:
I'm calling on behalf of Phoenix SPI, a public opinion research company. We're conducting a survey for Natural Resources Canada about important issues facing the freight transportation industry across Canada. May I speak to the person who is most familiar with the fuel efficiency programs and policies within your company's fleet of vehicles?
RESPONDENT:
Hello/Bonjour, my name is [INSERT NAME]. I'm calling on behalf of Phoenix SPI, a public opinion research company. We're conducting a survey for Natural Resources Canada with people who have knowledge about fuel efficiency tracking and management within the freight transportation industry. The results of this study will help guide future public policy on clean energy technology and addressing climate change.
The survey takes about 15 minutes and is voluntary. Your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous, and the information provided will be administered according to the requirements of the Privacy Act, the Access to Information Act, and any other pertinent legislation.
This survey is registered with the Canadian Research Insights Council's survey validation system.
May I continue?
INTERVIEWER NOTE: IF A RESPONDENT ASKS ABOUT THE LEGITIMACY OF THIS SURVEY, SAY: This survey is registered with the Canadian Research Insights Council's survey validation system. The registration number is: 20231222-PH444.
A. Screening and Quotas
Before we start,
1. May I confirm that your company operates freight transportation trucks?
INTERVIEWER NOTE: IF ASKED WHAT FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION TRUCKS ARE, SAY: These typically include medium- and heavy-duty trucks used for moving goods and does not include vans.
2. How knowledgeable would you say you are with the fuel efficiency programs and policies within your company's fleet of vehicles? This includes the tracking, management or implementation of such programs and policies. Are you… [READ LIST]
3. [IF Q2=02] Can you direct me to someone at your company that is knowledgeable about the tracking, management or implementation of fuel efficiency programs and policies within your company?
4. In which province or territory is your company's head office located? [DO NOT READ LIST]
5. How many employees work for your company? Please include part-time employees as full-time equivalents. [DO NOT READ LIST]
6. And, how many of these employees are employed as drivers for your company?
B. Government Programs
7. In your view, how important, if at all, are government funding programs that support fleet retrofits? [READ LIST]
8. Using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is not at all familiar and 5 is very familiar, how familiar are you with the following federal green transportation programs? [READ LIST]
PROGRAMS (RANDOMIZE LIST)
RESPONSE OPTIONS
9. Are you aware of any [INSERT BASED ON Q4: provincial / territorial] programs for greening freight transportation?
10. Which green transportation programs, if any, does your company participate in? [DO NOT READ LIST; ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES]
11. When it comes to decision-making about company investments in fuel reducing technologies, initiatives or programs, are any of the following types of information useful? [READ LIST; PAUSE FOR A YES/NO AFTER EACH]
[RANDOMIZE]
RESPONSE OPTIONS
C. Fleet Energy Assessments
Changing topics,
12. Has your company ever had a third party conduct an energy assessment of your fleet? [INTERVIEWER NOTE: IF ASKED, SAY: ‘An energy fleet assessment is an analysis of your fleet’s performance that can be used to help your company decide whether to invest in fuel-reducing technologies and retrofit your fleet.’]
13. [IF Q12=01] How important are fleet energy assessments when determining which retrofits should be made to your fleet? [READ LIST]
SKIP TO Q16 UNLESS Q12=02 OR 03
14. [IF Q12=02,03] Would your company ever consider having a third party conduct an energy assessment of its fleet?
15. [IF Q14=02,03] Why hasn't your company considered a fleet energy assessment? [DO NOT READ LIST; ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES]
D. Retrofits
These next questions are about retrofits to your company's freight transportation trucks.
16. In the past year, has your company implemented any retrofits to its truck fleet? [INTERVIEWER NOTE: IF ASKED, SAY: 'By retrofits we are referring to upgrades made to your truck(s) with energy efficient devices'.]
17. [IF Q16=01] How many of your company's truck fleet has been retrofitted in the past year?
18. [IF Q16=01] Which of the following retrofits, if any, has your company completed in the past 3 years? [RANDOMIZE/READ LIST; ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES] [INTERVIEWER NOTE: IF ASKED, PLEASE REMIND RESPONDENTS THAT WE ARE ASKING ABOUT RETROFITS TO EXISTING TRUCKS.]
19. What barriers, if any, does your company face when it comes to retrofitting its fleet? [DO NOT READ LIST; ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES]
E. Repowering
Changing topics again,
20. Are you aware that repowering your existing truck engines can be a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a new OEM vehicle? [INTERVIEWER NOTE: IF ASKED, ‘OEM’ REFERS TO ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER. IF ASKED ABOUT ‘REPOWERING’, SAY: An engine repower consists of replacing an existing engine with a new one that has been certified to meet cleaner emission standards.]
21. Has your company repowered any of existing fleet engines?
22. [IF Q21=01] What percentage of your company's fleet engines have been repowered?
23. [IF Q21=01] Which fuel types do your company's repowered fleet use? [DO NOT READ; ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES]
24. [IF Q21=02,03 OR Q22=1-99%] Is your company thinking about repowering any of its fleet engines in the next 2 to 3 years?
25. [IF Q24=02] Why is your company not interested in repowering any of its fleet engines? [DO NOT READ LIST; ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES]
F. Fleet Profile
These last questions are about your company's fleet.
26. Is your fleet...[READ LIST]
27.How many trucks are in your company’s fleet?
28. Approximately what percentage of trucks in your fleet are less than five years old?
29. What type of trucks are in your company's fleet? [IF HELPFUL, PROMPT BY READING SOME ITEMS; ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES; IF A RESPONDENT MENTIONS A BRAND OF TRUCK, SAY: FOR THIS QUESTION, WE’RE INTERESTED IN THE TYPE OF TRUCK NOT THE BRAND]
30. Are your trucks used for… [READ LIST; ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES]
31. In an average day, how many kilometers do your trucks travel?
32. Now, thinking about the freight trucks that your company uses, which of the following do you track? [READ LIST; PAUSE FOR A YES/NO AFTER EACH]
[RANDOMIZE; ROTATE C AND D AS A BLOCK RANDOMIZING THE ORDER OF C AND D]
RESPONSE OPTIONS
33. Does your company offer eco-driving training to its truck drivers? Eco-driving training refers to any training designed to improve drivers’ knowledge of fuel efficiency techniques.
Finally,
38. What's your position within the company? [DO NOT READ LIST. ACCEPT ONE RESPONSE]
Thank you very much for your time and participation. The results of the research will be available to the general public, on the Library and Archives website, in the coming months.