Guest Feature by Flock Freight
For nearly five years, Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages has partnered with Flock Freight for their over-the-road freight. On and off the road, our companies align on environmental and social pursuits that are woven into our core products and services.
In industries with traditionally high carbon emissions, both Flock and Waiākea are finding new, sustainable ways to disrupt and innovate. The transportation industry runs almost entirely on fossil fuels, and is one of the highest emitting sectors [1] in the U.S. By shipping with environmentally-conscious partners like Flock, Waiākea reduces the impact of both their physical products and their transportation.
Flock’s approach to environmental and social impact is centered around our core Shared Truckload service, FlockDirectⓇ. FlockDirectⓇ offers an alternative to the traditional shipping modes of less-than-truckload and truckload. Less-than-truckload is best suited for small shipments that fill less than 10 feet of a trailer. Moving through the hub and spoke system, these shipments change trucks several times during transit and travel out-of-route miles as they are unloaded and reloaded at different warehouses on the way to their destination. This creates longer delivery times, more opportunities for damage, and increased emissions.
If shippers want their goods delivered on time and damage-free, they often turn to truckload service, even when they might only fill half of a trailer. In a recent research study, Flock found that 43% of shippers reported shipping partially empty truckloads with an average of 29 linear feet of unused deck space in 2023. Based on the findings, this is the equivalent of 1 in 4 truckloads in 2023 moved completely empty. Shipping your freight in a trailer with empty space wastes both money and fuel. In a FlockDirectⓇ Shared Truckload, 2-4 shipments share space on the same trailer and remain loaded until delivery. Flock’s patented technology enables shippers to pool together shipments on an optimized route. When shippers use FlockDirectⓇ, they avoid up to 40% of emissions compared to traditional LTL or underutilized truckload.
In 2023 alone, Waiākea saved [2] 595metric tons of emissions by shipping FlockDirectⓇ. These emissions savings are a result of emissions avoided during transit via FlockDirectⓇ, and offsets applied to the remaining emissions.
In addition to direct emissions reductions and pathways to carbon neutrality, Flock Freight is a Certified B Corp and a Public Benefit Corporation. We are also a partner of the EPA SmartWay program and committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2040 under The Climate Pledge. Flock’s annual impact report summarizes our environmental and social impact and transparently conveys the company’s impact areas.
For the third year running, Waiākea is one of Flock’s top emissions-avoiding customers due to their use of FlockDirectⓇ. You’ll spot them in Flock’s 2021, 2022, and 2023 impact report. Flock supports Waiākea’s climate neutral commitment by ensuring all of the freight they move using FlockDirectⓇ runs carbon neutral.
Below, you’ll find a real example of a Shared Truckload that included a Waiākea shipment. In this example, Waiākea saved 16% on shipping costs, the driver earned more money than the standard truckload alternative, and Waiakea’s shipment avoided .75 metric tons of CO2e compared to the truckload alternative. The shipments used 100% of the space on the trailer, maximizing efficiency. On top of the direct emissions avoidance, Flock offset the remaining emissions for Waiākea’s shipment, ensuring carbon-neutral transport.
Flock Freight is proud to partner with Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages to not only streamline shipping processes, but also make a significant environmental impact. By utilizing FlockDirectⓇ Shared Truckload service, Waiākea has consistently been one of Flock’s top emissions-avoiding customers. Waiākea’s devotion to people and the planet aligns with Flock Freight's values as a Certified B Corp, and our public benefit purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to amplifying each other’s impact for years to come.
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https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions
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The emissions calculation methodology and associated claims have not been validated by an independent third party. Flock has chosen to make the methodology free and publicly available in the spirit of transparency and collaboration in this white paper.