Sustainability
Benefits of Rail
Railroads are the most environmentally efficient way to move freight over land. But don’t take our word for it. Check out these facts:*
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On average, railroads are 4 times more fuel efficient than trucks.
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Moving freight via railroads reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 75%.
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Freight railroads account for just 0.6% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
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A single freight train can replace several hundred trucks, reducing highway damage and congestion.
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Railroads move 1 ton of freight an average of 473 miles on a single gallon of fuel.
*Source: Federal Railroad Administration
Benefits of Barge
Moving freight via barge is a safe, cost-effective, environmentally sound mode of transportation. Inland barges, like those loaded/unloaded at IEI Barge Services, carry approximately 15 percent of the nation’s freight. With its economy-of-scale advantages, barge efficiency is hard to beat:*
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An inland barge can carry 5 times its own weight.
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Barges move 1 ton of cargo 647 miles on one gallon of fuel.
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More than half of U.S. grain exports, and a quarter of our petroleum products and electric power generation relies on the inland waterways transportation system.
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The latest barge designs are constructed with double hulls, double sides, or a double bottom to ensure structural integrity.
*Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Maritime Administration