60% Fuel Savings by Walmart?

I just read an article from 2009 that said their stated goal is to cut fuel usage by 50% by 2015. But that's just a goal, not a guarantee. They're testing different types of hybrid trucks and aerodynamic add-ons for trailers, but I don't think they've adopted any of those things fleet-wide.

 

Hit the nail on the head with that one.

 

Well one thing they've been doing is increasing the number of DC's they have so that they can cut down on the mileage their trucks have to run.

 

If they really have the know how to reduce fuel usage by 60%.
Someone should be kind enough to point out to them that they are wasting their time with those stores they have.

 

Was this just for the trucking side of the business? They have been on the cutting edge of energy management in their stores since the late 80's. All stores report usage daily and are kept within 10% +/- their predictions and prearranged electric purchase agreements.

 

Increased number of DC's, subcontracting to outside carriers, and way overloaded trailers (not wieght-wise, but cube-wise. Thaik packing 12 lbs. of crap into a 5 lb. crap bag). And superior dispatching on thier in-house fleet. I'm not a fan of Wally-world by any stretch of the imagination, but after talking to some of their drivers, I guess thier in-house dispatch is top notch...

 

I think you hit it on the farming out...... always seen like Greatwide pulling their stuff and was told at interview in 08 that they farm out the refer stuff....ok fine....

But I saw something the other day....and I had to look twice to be sure......a chocolate colored Pete / sleeper pulling a wally trailer with blue wally logo's on the door and it wasn't one of those aerodyne jobs. It was a 378 or 379.

So ! Did Wally take this one from dealer cause he had to have it ??????

OR

Is Wally contracting o/o's direct ??

 

Farming work out then claiming 60% fuel savings , if this is what is happening it daft.
It is like saying you made 100% fuel saving by parking your truck and never using it.It means nothing.
What is this claim about , increased efficiency (Good) or out sourcing your pollution (Same old)?

 

I'm convinced this is just another example of corporate creative accounting! Wal-Mart had always advertised it's "corporate image" as strong/or stronger than it's pricing. There has always been advertising about Wal-Mart "the corporation" and the now millions of reasons they are/and you should think they're wonderful. It matter little on Madison Avenue how these claims can be/or have to be backed up. Wal-Mart's ad budget is probably as high as their fuel bill--just like any other major corporation. So as long as they can show "something" on paper they go with. Since right now the big thing is GREEN Wal-Mart (along with most other corporations) is jumping on the bandwagon--Just trying to give the public what it(wal-mart) thinks they want to hear--I personally have never bought into this standard ad company school of thought--BUT somebody on Madison Ave must believe it works--because look at all the money spent on it!
Just my $.02