Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority and the Kenya Transporters Association have intensified a joint campaign to promote eco-driving and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
NCTTCA has partnered with Smart Freight Centre to train transport managers in smart freight transport management.
The four-day training is designed to strengthen fleet management, improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
The training comes a fortnight after the Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) and the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote eco-driving and sustainable freight transport in Kenya and across Northern Corridor.
The partnership supports implementation of the Northern Corridor Green Freight Strategy 2030, which focuses on improving fuel efficiency, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing road safety and promoting sustainable fleet management.
Under the strategy, the NCTTCA is targeting a 10 per cent improvement in freight fuel efficiency, a 10 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions intensity, a 12 per cent reduction in particulate matter, black carbon and nitrogen oxide emissions, and the training of at least 1,000 heavy commercial vehicle drivers in eco-driving by 2030.
The 2025 Northern Corridor greenhouse gas emissions baseline report for the Kenyan section of the corridor estimates annual emissions at approximately 2.59 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
The Mombasa to Nairobi stretch accounts for about 1.58 million tonnes, Nairobi to Malaba 0.93 million tonnes and Mau Summit to Busia approximately 84,000 tonnes.
Kenya Transporters Association chairman Newton Wang’oo said fuel remains the single largest operating cost in road freight transport, accounting for 50 to 55 per cent of trip costs, and every litre saved directly improves profitability and competitiveness.
“Fuel is costing 50 to 55 per cent of all the costs of a trip. As prices continue to go up, usually by over five per cent, the aspect of fuel in a transport company is rising higher and higher,” Wang’oo said.
He said continuous optimisation of fleet operations, adoption of smart freight management technologies and investment in driver training are critical.
Eco-driving, he explained, saves fuel through correct driving behaviour and should be integrated into driving school curricula.
“Through eco-driving, transporters can save 150 litres on a return trip from Mombasa to Kampala, a distance of 2,300 kilometres. We are also helping in emissions reduction while making money through just a change of behaviour,” Wang’oo said.
He also urged long-distance drivers traversing the Democratic Republic of Congo to take precautions against Ebola and insecurity.
“For us, we are monitoring the situation. There is also insecurity in that part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s both Ebola and insecurity. We have not yet locked down, but we really want our drivers to take care of their health. Health is more important to us than delivering cargo or making money,” he said.
Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority executive secretary John Deng said the training aligns with the Green Freight Strategy and is part of broader capacity building for the sector.
“Freight transport supports Kenya’s trade and the livelihoods of many people. Making it more efficient strengthens business performance while supporting climate change mitigation and protecting public health,” Deng said.
“This training is part of the capacity building of the institutions because the fleet managers are the institutions we need to support the operations on the ground.”
Project manager at the Centre, Carol Mutiso, said the organisation is supporting a climate-friendly transition in the logistics ecosystem.
“We are supporting logistics and ecosystem transition that is climate-friendly and supporting skills development. We are partnering with partners like the Northern Corridor so that we can make this transition for the logistics ecosystem,” Mutiso said.
Smart Freight Centre Trainer Abdool Kamdar said global road freight demand is expected to double between 2015 and 2050, making it imperative to decouple growth from emissions.
“We have a strong responsibility to make sure that that demand increase does not translate to a carbon dioxide emissions increase. Through the Smart Transport Manager training, we aim to reduce the cost of freight, the complexity of freight and the negative impacts of freight,” Kamdar said.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The push comes as transporters grapple with rising fuel prices and climate pressure. By focusing on driver behaviour rather than expensive technology, the strategy offers a low-cost, high-impact fix. Savings of 150 litres per long haul trip show economic logic, while emission cuts align with Kenya’s climate commitments.
