Northern Corridor transporters strike deal to cut fuel costs and emissions

The Northern Corridor Transit Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA) and the Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) have signed a three-year agreement that will make freight cheaper, safer and cleaner by cutting fuel use, emissions and road accidents.

The memorandum of understanding was signed in Mombasa by NCTTCA Executive Secretary Dr John Deng and KTA chairman Newton Wang’oo. The two noted that fuel efficiency, safety and environmental sustainability directly affect the competitiveness of regional economies and the cost of doing business.

“These objectives cannot be achieved by government institutions or regional organisations working alone. Transport operators and drivers are at the centre of the solution. KTA provides an important bridge to the industry.  Through this partnership, we can work directly with transport companies to translate regional green freight objectives into practical changes in fleet and driver operations,” he stated.

KTA will mobilise operators, facilitate industry participation and support wider adoption of sustainable freight practices under the pact.

Deng said the deal will involve engagement of transport and fleet managers, use of telematics and fuel-monitoring systems, practical application of eco-driving techniques, data collection, monitoring and peer learning among transport operators.

“Ultimately, we want participating companies to be able to demonstrate measurable improvements in fuel efficiency, environmental performance and road safety. The targets give us a clear direction,” he stated.

Under the Northern Corridor Green Freight Strategy 2030, the two parties are working towards a 10 per cent improvement in freight fuel efficiency, a 10 per cent reduction in carbon emissions intensity, a 12 per cent reduction in particulate matter, black carbon and nitrogen oxides emissions, and the training of at least 1,000 heavy commercial vehicle drivers in eco-driving by 2030.

Deng said eco-driving is about changing the way freight operations are managed and should become part of driver induction and refresher training, fleet management, vehicle maintenance, fuel monitoring, driver performance management and the everyday operating culture of transport companies.

“These are not targets that NCTTCA can deliver from an office. They have to be translated into action in transport companies, fleets and trucks operating every day along the corridor,” he added.

The northern corridor connects Kenya with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, supporting regional and international trade.

NCTTCA is an intergovernmental body based in Mombasa and oversees the regional agreement designed to foster a seamless, multimodal trade route linking the Great Lakes Region to the Port of Mombasa.

Wang’oo noted that the pact is a commitment by the public and private sectors to work together towards a transport industry that is more efficient, safer, more competitive and environmentally sustainable.

“As transporters, we are at the centre of this corridor. Every day, our trucks move the goods that keep industries operating, businesses trading and economies growing. We therefore have both an opportunity and a responsibility to ensure that the way we move cargo continues to improve,” he noted.

For KTA, he observed, the importance of this partnership is that green freight is not simply an environmental conversation but it is a business and operational conversation. He stated that fuel is one of the highest operating costs for any road transporter.

“If we can reduce unnecessary fuel consumption through better driving behaviour, better fleet management, proper vehicle maintenance, improved route planning and effective use of technology, we achieve several objectives at the same time. We reduce operating costs. We reduce emissions. We improve road safety. We reduce wear and tear on our equipment,” he stated.

On eco-driving, Wang’oo noted that driver behaviour has a direct relationship with fuel consumption, vehicle maintenance, road safety and overall fleet productivity.

“The programme therefore goes beyond simply teaching a driver how to consume less fuel. It includes fuel-efficient driving, acceleration and braking, vehicle inspection and maintenance, route planning, fatigue management, defensive driving, road safety and the proper use of telematics and vehicle technologies,” he observed.

He said the agreement allowed participating companies to retain ownership of their original operational and commercial data, while confidential commercial information is protected and external reporting should, wherever practicable, use anonymised or aggregated information.

He noted that the protection is important in building industry confidence and encouraging participation.

“We will mobilise and sensitise our members. We will help identify transport companies that can participate in the programme. We will facilitate engagement between NCTTCA and transport operators,” he assured.

Wang’oo affirmed that KTA will encourage participation by drivers, transport managers and fleet managers.

He said many transport companies today already have telematics, fuel-monitoring systems, Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and sophisticated fleet-management platforms.

“The question is no longer simply whether we have the technology. The question is: Are we using the information that technology gives us to make better decisions? Can we measure fuel consumption per kilometre?

“Can we identify excessive idling? Can we identify harsh acceleration and braking? Can we monitor driver performance? Can we compare vehicle utilisation? And, most importantly, can we use that information to continuously improve our operations?," he posed.

He noted that the MoU provides for monitoring fuel consumption, mileage, vehicle utilisation, driver performance, fuel-efficiency improvements, estimated fuel savings, emissions reductions and road-safety outcomes.

He stated that KTA will promote the use of telematics, proper fuel and mileage records, driver-performance monitoring and the integration of eco-driving into company operations.

“Most importantly, we will bring the practical realities of the transport industry into the programme so that the solutions developed are not merely theoretical, but solutions that can actually work in transport companies every day,” he said.

The MoU brings together NCTTCA’s regional coordination and technical mandate with KTA’s direct connection to the transport companies and operators who move goods along the corridor.

Deng said green freight should not be viewed only as an environmental agenda, as it makes business sense.

He said fuel is a major operational input for freight transport and improving the efficiency with which it is used therefore creates an opportunity to pursue environmental objectives while strengthening the operational efficiency of transport companies to make business sense.

“We intend to demonstrate that what is good for the environment can also be good for transport business and corridor competitiveness. From individual drivers to institutional change, NCTTCA has undertaken eco-driving training in northern corridor member states.

“One lesson is that driver mobility and turnover can make it difficult to sustain and measure the benefits of training over time. Through this partnership, we want to work increasingly with transport companies that can embed these practices within their own management systems,” he explained.

He urged transport companies to develop internal capacity, maintain appropriate fuel and mileage records, use fleet-monitoring systems where available, integrate eco-driving into induction and refresher programmes, and identify internal eco-driving champions.

“The goal is not merely to train drivers; the goal is to help build transport companies in which efficient, safe and environmentally responsible driving becomes standard business practice. Data will help us demonstrate impact. Another important feature of this partnership is its emphasis on evidence,” he said.

He said through the partnership, they will measure what happens after training, focusing on fuel consumption, mileage, vehicle utilisation, driver performance, fuel efficiency, emissions and road-safety outcomes.

He said appropriate anonymised and aggregated information can also contribute to the Northern Corridor Transport Observatory, the Northern Corridor Emissions Tracker and implementation of the Green Freight Strategy 2030.

“This will help us identify what works, improve our interventions and build a stronger evidence base for green freight policy and investment across the corridor,” he observed.

He said the MoU provides safeguards for commercially sensitive and personal information. Participating companies retain ownership of their source operational and commercial data. Road safety and green freight go together.

He stressed that eco-driving encourages smoother acceleration and braking, appropriate speeds, better vehicle inspection and maintenance, fatigue management, defensive driving and responsible use of vehicle technologies; all of which complement road-safety objectives.

“We therefore see fuel efficiency, emissions reduction, road safety and operational efficiency as mutually reinforcing objectives rather than separate agendas,” he said.

NCTTCA will provide technical guidance, support appropriate training methodologies and experts, coordinate capacity-building and monitoring, analyse programme results, document lessons and support linkages with the wider Northern Corridor Green Freight Strategy. 

The agreement provides for jointly developed implementation plans setting out activities, expected results, participating companies, responsibilities, timelines, performance indicators, monitoring requirements and resource needs.

“Our immediate priority should therefore be to translate this framework into practical activities with transport operators. We want to identify committed companies, establish appropriate baselines, train drivers and fleet managers, monitor performance and document results that can be replicated across the industry,” he noted.

Deng said the MoU will remain in force for three years, providing an important window to establish, test and scale sustainable approaches.