"New Partnership Launches for Efficient Long-Haul Operations of Mid-Weight Trucks, Focusing on Reducing Emissions and Fuel Consumption"
Announcing the Run on Less - Messy Middle: Decarbonizing North America's Long-Haul Trucking
The North America Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and RMI are excited to announce the kickoff of the Run on Less - Messy Middle, a groundbreaking event focused on heavy-duty long-haul return-to-base and over-the-road trucking. Scheduled for September 2025, this event marks the fifth instalment in the Run on Less series, which began in 2017 and has previously focused on diesel-powered trucks, regional haul, electric vehicles, and fleet depots with 15 or more electric vehicles.
The Run on Less - Messy Middle aims to bring clarity to the long-haul trucking sector, a segment that represents only 9% of total trucking but is responsible for 48% of heavy-duty trucking-related emissions. To achieve this, the event will explore a variety of zero- and low-emission technologies, including electric trucks, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, renewable natural gas (RNG), and advanced biofuels.
Key stakeholders from fleets, vehicle and engine manufacturers, fuel producers, and incentive organizations are involved in this multi-technology approach to reduce carbon emissions in the "messy middle" of the trucking sector’s decarbonization pathway.
Electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks are highlighted through guidance and confidence reports authored by experts like Rick Mihelic of NACFE, who analyzes emerging technologies including these zero-emission powertrains for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Renewable fuels such as RNG and biodiesel are actively managed and promoted by companies like Love’s Alternative Energy, focusing on portfolio deployment for heavy-duty renewable fuels, which provide lower carbon intensity fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Incentive programs led by organizations such as CALSTART are critical in accelerating adoption, including voucher programs like Washington’s Zero-emission Incentive Program (WAZIP) for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks, creating financial incentives for fleets to transition.
The event’s title "Messy Middle" refers to this complex transition phase where no single technology dominates, so multiple technologies and fuels compete and complement each other depending on infrastructure availability, operational requirements, and regulatory incentives.
NACFE is currently vetting fleets to participate in the Run and is seeking sponsors to help underwrite the cost of the Run on Less - Messy Middle. The event will feature 10 fleets deploying trucks with differing decarbonization solutions, including battery electric, hydrogen fuel cells, RNG, renewable and bio diesel, hybrids, and energy efficiency features for all fuel types. The Run on Less - Messy Middle will showcase the realities of the long-haul market to help fleets make more informed decisions about which powertrain options make the most sense for their Class 8 long-haul routes.
In addition to the on-road demonstration, NACFE's popular pre-Run Bootcamp series, metrics and dashboards on the Run on Less website, social media updates, blogs, videos, and a post-Run report sharing all findings will be part of the Run on Less - Messy Middle. The post-Run report from the Run on Less - Messy Middle will be published early in 2026.
For media inquiries regarding the Run on Less - Messy Middle, please contact Denise Rondini at 773-951-8563 or [email protected].
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