eRating is a

certification Certification is part of testing, inspection and certification and the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestatio ...

, education, and labeling program for passenger vehicles in the United States. It was developed by Certification for Sustainable Transport (CST) at the

University of Vermont The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, commonly referred to as the University of Vermont (UVM), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont, United States. Foun ...

. CST uses eRating to rate vehicles based on several criteria. These include

greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate chan ...

per passenger mile, emissions,

alternative fuel Alternative fuels, also known as non-conventional and advanced fuels, are fuels derived from sources other than petroleum. Alternative fuels include gaseous fossil fuels like propane, natural gas, methane, and ammonia; biofuels like biodies ...

s, purchase of

carbon offset Carbon offsetting is a carbon trading mechanism that enables entities to compensate for offset greenhouse gas emissions by investing in projects that reduce, avoid, or remove emissions elsewhere. When an entity invests in a carbon offsetting ...

s, and training programs that promote energy efficient driving. If the vehicle meets enough standards, it receives an eRating certification.

Program description

The eRating program is an independent, third party certification, education and labeling initiative for owners and operators, manufacturers and passengers of transportation vehicles. The eRating also functions as a

sustainability Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long period of time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Sustainability usually has three dimensions (or pillars): env ...

index that weighs factors such as greenhouse gasses per

passenger mile The units of measurement in transportation describes the unit of measurement used to express various transportation quantities, as used in statistics, planning, and their related applications. Transportation quantity The currently popular units ...

, environmental impacts, and even the use of

s and technologies in the transportation industry. Two major works were used in developing the eRating : the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) United States antitrust law, antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. It ...

's Part 260-Guide for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims, and the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labeling Alliance (ISEAL) planning framework. In May 2012, CST finalized Step B-3, and transitioned to step E-1 to launch the eRating program. The CST was designed to help improve economic, environmental, and energy efficiency within the

passenger transportation Transport (in British English) or transportation (in American English) is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipelines, a ...

sector. The program uses research-based criteria to evaluate vehicles and includes the driver training programs "Idle Free" and "Eco-Driving 101" to improve efficiency.

Idle Free Training Program

This course teaches drivers about the health,

environmental Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, referring respectively to all living and non-living things occurring naturally and the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism ...

, and financial impacts of idling a vehicle. Health experts, vehicle manufacturers, and vehicle operators have all given their testimony about the advantages of idle-free driving. Upon completion of the course, drivers are then able to take an "idle-free pledge", in which they promise to follow the idling guidelines set forth in the course. Completion of this course earns 20 points towards an eRating certification.

Eco-Driving 101 Training Program

This course teaches drivers about eco-driving. Eco-driving is a set of simple driving habits that result in using less fuel, generating fewer emissions, and increasing safety. The course first explains the science behind eco-driving, as well as the environmental and mechanical benefits of doing so. Drivers are taught techniques such as avoiding aggressive acceleration,

speeding Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed, expre ...

and braking monitoring speed to maintain efficient and consistent speed; keeping

RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines. One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...

levels as low as possible for the speed and keeping the vehicle properly maintained, that they can use in their everyday driving in order to cut back on

fuel consumption A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chemical energy but ...

. The typical eco-driver can increase

fuel efficiency Fuel efficiency (or fuel economy) is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical energy, chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or Mechanical work, w ...

by 10-30%. For organizations putting their drivers through this online training program, 20 points will be awarded towards the organizations eRating certification once they reach the 80% driver completion threshold.

Benefits

The program benefits owners, operators, and manufacturers by helping them reduce vehicle operation costs, save energy, and promote their businesses. The program also benefits consumers by helping them identify and choose the highest performing, lowest impact forms of transportation. Whether displayed on a bus, boat, train, car, bicycle, or plane, an eRating certification label signifies that CST has thoroughly evaluated and certified the vehicle.

eRating levels and criteria

Various features of the vehicle being considered for certification are examined. There are four levels of certification for a vehicle(s) in the eRating program: e1, e2, e3, and e4. The CST uses a point system, or sustainability index, to determine the certification level of a given vehicle. Points are given for more efficient features and attributes of the vehicle, with 100 being required for entry level, or e1, certification. e1 certification represents entry-level certification and e4 certification indicates the highest level. Only the most energy efficient, lowest impacts forms of transportation are eligible for certification; a certification label on a vehicle, be it e1, e2, e3, or e4, lets consumers know that the vehicle has met a set of rigorous sustainability criteria.

Certification standards overview

The eRating program aims to provide recognition through certification to transportation systems, fleets, operators and individual vehicles that help the passenger transportation sector: * Reduce greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions * Increase energy efficiency * Utilize alternative fuels and new technologies The eRating program offered four levels of certification on a per vehicle basis to qualifying operators: e1, e2, e3 and e4 certification; e1 certification represents entry-level certification and e4 certification indicates the highest level of certification available. The application process determines which level of certification an operator qualifies. Points are earned based on the following: * Vehicle technology * Operation of the vehicle(s) at certain efficiency levels * Use of particular operating procedures within a company * Use of specific policies and educational programs within a company

Greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile

Points are earned if the vehicle's greenhouse gas emission levels are at least 50% below the U.S. average for 2000-2009 (.274 kg per passenger mile). Minimum qualifications for vehicles must be greater than or equal to an average of 148 passenger miles per gallon. Higher levels of efficiency earn greater points.

Criteria pollutant emissions

Points are awarded for the use of technologies that reduce emissions such as

carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...

sulfur dioxide Sulfur dioxide (IUPAC-recommended spelling) or sulphur dioxide (traditional Commonwealth English) is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless gas with a pungent smell that is responsible for the odor of burnt matches. It is r ...

volatile organic compound Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. They are common and exist in a variety of settings and products, not limited to Indoor mold, house mold, Upholstery, upholstered furnitur ...

s and

nitrogen oxide Nitrogen oxide may refer to a binary compound of oxygen and nitrogen, or a mixture of such compounds: Charge-neutral *Nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen(II) oxide, or nitrogen monoxide * Nitrogen dioxide (), nitrogen(IV) oxide * Nitrogen trioxide (), o ...

. Pollutant producing vehicles, such as those with leaky exhaust systems or that produce excessive amounts of smoke, are automatically disqualified for certification.

Alternative fuels

The use of

s besides gasoline or

diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine ...

earns a vehicle points ranging from 5-100 towards certification. Qualifying fuels must be used a minimum of 80% of the time.

Greenhouse gas offsets

Optional points can be earned by purchasing greenhouse gas offsets from endorsed carbon-trading programs. These GHG reduction credits must be purchased through the Climate Action Reserve or

Verified Carbon Standard The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), formerly the Voluntary Carbon Standard, is a standard for certifying carbon credits to offset emissions. VCS is administered by Verra, a 501(c)(3) organization. Verra is a certifier of voluntary carbon offsets. ...

or from another verified organization. These credits must be purchased in the region of intended use and must not be more than two years old. Generally 1 point will be awarded toward certification for every 5% of emissions offset.

References

{{Reflist Sustainable transport