Purolator is moving rapidly towards its sustainability goals, including decarbonizing its ground transportation operations. The company achieved a 14.1% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its 2020 baseline, according to its newly released 2024 sustainability report. The purchase of renewable energy allowed it to reduce Scope 2 emissions alone by 84% compared to the same baseline.
The company also reports adding 150 all-electric last-mile delivery trucks last year, bringing its on-road fleet of electric vehicles — including trucks, low-speed vehicles, and e-bikes — to nearly 200 units. Purolator also installed more than 260 EV chargers across 12 terminals and crossed the milestone of delivering more than 2 million packages using electric vehicles by early 2025, a big step toward its 2030 target of converting 60% of its last-mile fleet to electric.
During a panel discussion in May, Cindy Bailey, corporate sustainability officer at Purolator, said that the fleet currently has 6% of its last-mile fleet electrified today and plans to reach 14% by the end of the year.
Renewable diesel
And while fleet electrification is a major pillar of its decarbonization roadmap, the company also leaned into alternative fuels. In 2023, Purolator piloted the use of 100% renewable diesel fuel at three terminals in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, displacing more than 500,000 liters of petroleum diesel. Following the successful pilot, in 2024, the deployment was expanded to multiple sites in the Greater Montreal Area and Purolator’s largest facility, the National Hub Ontario in Mississauga.
As of December 2024, renewable diesel constitutes approximately 20% of Purolator’s total diesel use. In total, Purolator consumed more than 3.1 million liters of renewable diesel last year — a 15% year-over-year increase — exceeding its 2025 goal one year early.
Route optimization, shifting to rail, telematics
Route optimization is also helping reduce emissions. In 2024, more than 60% of Purolator’s delivery stops were optimized using the company’s latest route planning technologies. Since the program began, Purolator says it has cut more than 3.2 million kilometers of travel. The company’s first dynamically optimized terminal, launched in Ville Saint-Pierre, Que., last year, led to increased productivity and service levels. Additional terminals will be integrated in 2025.
The company also expanded its shift from truck to rail. After piloting 770 trips in 2023, Purolator transitioned an additional 2,820 trips in 2024, eliminating approximately 2,800 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions from those shipments by more than 75%.
Purolator also uses Geotab fleet management software and GPS tracking to monitor idling, harsh braking, and acceleration — driver behaviors that negatively impact fuel economy. Vehicles are outfitted with low-rolling resistance tires, aerodynamic fairings, tractor skirts, and speed limiters. The company says it also matches trucks to specific routes and payloads to maximize fuel and operational efficiency.
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