South El Monte, California (December 19, 2023) – Partners of the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative (JETSI) project today announced that Schneider has deployed all 50 of its battery-electric Freightliner eCascadia trucks funded through the project, making the company one of the largest zero-emission Class 8 fleet operators in the nation. The JETSI project – a landmark initiative that will ultimately deploy 100 Class 8 battery-electric trucks across Southern California – is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in overburdened communities.
“Schneider’s successful deployment of 50 new zero-emissions trucks that are transporting goods across Southern California is an example of how companies are stepping up to achieve a clean air future,” said California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph. “We applaud Schneider’s leadership in the transition to the use of cleaner technology and their commitment to sharing information through the JETSI project to help other fleets.”
The 50 battery-electric trucks that Schneider operates through its Southern California intermodal operations center in South El Monte, California, are used primarily in regional haul routes around the Los Angeles and Inland Empire region on trips under 200 miles. Schneider’s Freightliner eCascadia drivers can complete six to eight trips per day before recharging the trucks at its depot. Schneider began scaling its battery-electric Class 8 fleet in early 2023 and in November became the first major carrier to announce that it had hauled 1 million zero-emission miles of customer freight with its Freightliner eCascadia fleet.
“These electric trucks are real-life evidence of the progress that public-private partnerships can make toward cleaner air,” said Wayne Nastri, Executive Officer, South Coast Air Quality Management District. “We are optimistic that groundbreaking announcements like these become routine in the near future.”
Schneider’s 50 JETSI funded Freightliner eCascadia trucks will result in more than 2.55 tons of weighted criteria pollutant reductions, crucial to improving air quality in the Southern California communities where they operate. This innovative zero-emission fleet will accelerate Schneider’s progress toward achieving its goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 7.5% per mile by 2025 and a 60% per mile reduction by 2035.
“We are incredibly proud to reach the milestone of receiving and deploying 50 battery-electric trucks for the JETSI project,” said Schneider Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Rob Reich. “With nearly 100 battery-electric trucks now in our fleet, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint along the industrial corridor, but also paving the way for a greener future across our entire industry.”
JETSI project funding from California Energy Commission (CEC) enabled construction of the supporting charging station at Schneider’s South El Monte facility. The 4,900-square-foot charging site – engineered and constructed by Black & Veatch – features 16 350 kW dual-corded dispensers, allowing up to 32 battery-electric trucks to charge simultaneously.
“The JETSI project is demonstrating how to build out a zero-emission goods movement system, deploying both charging infrastructure and battery-electric trucks at an impressive scale,” said California Energy Commission (CEC) Commissioner Patty Monahan. “The CEC is proud to support this project and others that are deploying infrastructure for zero emission trucks and are helping reduce toxic diesel pollution in communities across the state.”
To learn more about JETSI, please visit: www.JETSIproject.com.
To hear a Schneider driver’s firsthand experience operating Freightliner eCascadia trucks, view this video.
For more information on Schneider’s fleet sustainability initiatives, please visit: www.schneider.com/company/corporate-responsibility.
