In Nashville, Tennessee, the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) is gearing up to unveil the fleets participating in its upcoming Run on Less: the Messy Middle program. This initiative aims to explore various alternative fueling options in the trucking industry. Scheduled for September, the tests will cover a wide range of fuel types including natural gas, diesel, biodiesel, renewable diesel, battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell electric, and hydrogen internal combustion engine trucks. The goal is to assess different powertrain solutions and evaluate the need for infrastructure changes to accommodate alternative-fueled vehicles. Fleet managers, including Paul Rosa from Penske, are optimistic about the insights the program will provide to optimize their assets. The program follows the success of previous initiatives like Run on Less: Electric Depot, focusing on electric tractor utilization. NACFE is also working on a “Back to the Depot” program to analyze changes in fleet operations post the electric depot program. Through webinars, workshops, and white papers like “Navigating the Messy Middle: The Move to More Sustainable Trucking,” NACFE is facilitating discussions on the evolution of longhaul trucking in the context of alternative fuel developments. Overall, the sentiment towards exploring alternative fuels in trucking is positive, with a focus on sustainability and operational optimization.