Tecma Transportion Services’ head, John Rippee, explains that Clean Transportation certification in Mexico is becoming more common.

Tecma Group of Companies:

Welcome to another installation of Tecma Talk podcasts. If you are frequent listener to these recordings, you know that they are discussions with experts that are both internal and external to the Tecma Group of Companies. The discussions basically center around issues that have to do with manufacturing in Mexico and related topics. Today we have the privilege of speaking with John Rippee, a Tecma Group internal expert. He is joining us. John, how are you? Could you please introduce yourself to the listeners.

John Rippee:

I’m fine. I am the current Vice President of Border Solutions at Tecma. I’m specifically responsible for increased efficiencies for border crossing, customs processing and compliance. My job is to constantly try to make the importation and exportation of goods moving in and out of our borders as invisible and efficient as is possible for Tecma clients. If you can run a business without the worry and concerns related to late shipments, long border lines and all the troubles that come with those issues, then you are typically a happy customer. Our goal here at Tecma is to make this happen.

Tecma Group of Companies:

John, recently Tecma was able to put a feather in its cap. A team of folks from the organization went down to Mexico City and received, in English it’s called the Clean Transport in Mexico certification or award, while in Spanish it’s called “Transporte Limpio.” From what I understand, there is an EPA program that is something that mirrors this program in Mexico. Could you explain a bit about both what Mexico’s Clean transport certification program is, as well as the EPA “Smartways” program that mirrors it?

John Rippee:

Some years ago, the EPA, in the United States, came up with the Smartway Transport Partnership. Currently there are close to three thousand companies in the US that are involved in that program. Essentially, what it does is that it promotes in vehicle technologies that reduce fuel consumption and emissions in the United States. That makes the air in cities cleaner, and it makes communities more “livable.” It has been very successful with its branding. A lot of people listening to this recording will be very familiar with the brand “Smartway,” because they may see a lot of trucks going up and down the road with the logo on them. It became very successful via branding, because, now, companies that are Smartway get preferred contracting with a number of companies that exist out there. Mostly because, one, they want to be “green,” and, two, it’s also cheaper. If you can reduce your emissions, you burn less fuel and fuel costs money. That is the basis of the entire program. Most of the participating companies have seen about a ten to twenty percent reduction in fuel consumption, which translates into a ten to twenty percent reduced cost of the fuel that is being purchased for moving product.

Mexico has seen this success of the Smartway Program over the years, and several years ago decided to mirror that program. They set their agents up and taught them how to audit and to train companies to take measures to receive Clean Transportation certification in Mexico. Since Tecma has its own logistics company for cross border trade activities, the company decided to enter into that program because it made sense. We want to contribute to the creation of a sustainable and livable city, and we certainly want to reduce the shipping costs that go directly to our clients. So both Smartways and Transporte Limipio, or Clean Transport, officials are looking to expand the programs to include more participants. This will help to reduce fuel consumption related emissions. We’ll probably see the creation and expansion of similar programs occur[...]