More than 7,000 trucks using the Northern Corridor each month are at the centre of a regional drive to cut carbon emissions by 10 per cent by 2030.

The Northern Corridor Green Freight Strategy 2030 aims to make freight transport along the major trade route cleaner, more efficient and sustainable as six countries step up efforts to reduce the environmental impact of cross-border trucking.

The corridor links the Port of Mombasa to landlocked countries in East and Central Africa and covers Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda.

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Jescah Indangasi, Deputy Director of Transport Policy and Planning at the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA), said a recent study found that trucks operating along the corridor generate about 340,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

She said the Kigali-Rusizi road accounts for 84 per cent of the emissions recorded along the routes covered by the study.

More than 7,000 trucks use the corridor every month, travelling about 1,600 kilometres from Mombasa to Kigali.

The strategy seeks to encourage transport operators to adopt cleaner technologies and more efficient practices, while reducing fuel consumption, emissions and operating costs.

An eco-driving campaign on greenhouse gas emissions has been launched in Kigali, bringing together fleet managers, transport operators, truck drivers, policymakers and regulators.

The campaign is intended to raise awareness of the environmental and climate impact of freight transport while giving drivers practical skills to improve fuel efficiency, safety and vehicle performance.

Indangasi said the Green Freight Strategy 2030 targets a 10 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency, a 10 per cent reduction in carbon emissions intensity and a 12 per cent reduction in particulate matter, black carbon and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 2030.

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Fuel efficiency means using less fuel to travel the same distance, while particulate matter, black carbon and NOx are pollutants associated with the burning of fuel, particularly in diesel engines.

"Drivers put eco-driving techniques into practice on the road, demonstrating how better driving habits can save fuel, cut emissions, reduce vehicle wear and improve road safety. We have to reduce emissions by 10 per cent, equivalent to 34,000 tonnes, along the routes,” Indangasi said.

She said heavy commercial vehicles are among the biggest fuel consumers along the Northern Corridor, making improvements in driving practices an immediate way of reducing emissions.

"Because fuel consumption is directly linked to greenhouse gas emissions, eco-driving offers an immediate and affordable way for transport companies to lower fuel costs and their carbon footprint while improving safety and reducing maintenance costs,” she said.

The initiative also supports Rwanda’s commitment to low-carbon and climate-resilient development.

Rwanda’s updated Climate Action Plan, known as NDC 3.0, targets a 53 per cent reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 compared with business as usual, subject to full implementation and international support.

The plan identifies rising demand for road transport and fossil fuels as key emissions challenges and prioritises cleaner vehicles, low-carbon fuels and greater energy efficiency.

Indangasi said eco-driving complements these measures by improving the efficiency of vehicles already operating on the country’s roads.

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"Eco-driving complements these national measures by improving the efficiency of vehicles already operating on Rwanda’s roads. It translates climate policy into practical daily action by drivers and fleet operators, while supporting cleaner air, safer roads and more efficient regional trade,” she said.

Under the initiative, drivers are being trained in techniques including smooth acceleration and braking, optimal gear shifting, speed management, anticipation, vehicle maintenance and safe vehicle handling.

The training is expected to help reduce fuel consumption and emissions while lowering vehicle operating and maintenance costs and improving road safety.

The plan targets eco-driving training for 1,000 drivers and aims to improve climate resilience on at least 2,000 kilometres of roads, Indangasi said.

Lazarus Musyoka, a Kenyan truck driver and trainer, said 600 truck drivers have so far been trained, including 200 Rwandan drivers.

For some drivers, the training has changed their understanding of the environmental impact of their work.

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Jacqueline Dushimirimana, a truck driver who uses the Mombasa-Dar es Salaam-Uganda-Rwanda route, said she had previously been unaware of the extent to which trucks contribute to air pollution.

"I was just driving without knowing any driving practices for improving fuel efficiency,” she said.

Abdallah Twizeyimana, another truck driver, said changing drivers’ behaviour could help reduce fuel costs while improving air quality.

Justin Kanyagisaka, head of the Association for the Protection and Consolidation of the Rights of Professional Drivers in Rwanda (ACPLRWA), said fuel-efficiency practices should be incorporated into driving-school training before motorists obtain driving licences.

"People learn to obtain driving licences, but practical training is rare,” he said.

The initiative is part of the Northern Corridor’s broader ambition to develop an eco-friendly, safe, sustainable and competitive trade and transport route while supporting the transition to low-carbon freight transport and greener regional logistics.