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Freight is one of the biggest sources of supply chain emissions — so why is it still treated as an afterthought?

In this episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, I’m joined by Jared Spude, Vice President of Enterprise Solutions at Breakthrough, to unpack why freight has become sustainability’s blind spot — and why that’s now a resilience risk no supply chain leader can ignore.

Jared has spent over a decade working at the intersection of freight, fuel, and sustainability, helping shippers move beyond siloed decisions and into data-driven trade-offs between cost, service, and carbon. And the timing matters. Cost pressure is back. Regulation is shifting. Tariff volatility is creating decision paralysis. Yet freight remains one of the fastest ways to cut emissions without breaking the bank.

In our conversation, you’ll hear how empty miles alone account for a startling share of freight emissions — and why fixing them is harder than it looks. We break down why rail and intermodal are still massively underused, even with up to 70% emissions reductions on the table. And you might be surprised to learn that many companies are already paying for cleaner freight today… they’re just not measuring it, or taking credit for it.

We also dig into Scope 3, why ton-mile accounting can mislead growing businesses, and how the most resilient shippers are using data, visibility, and long-term carrier partnerships to make sustainability a business decision, not a side project. No silver bullets. Just stackable wins that add up.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Jared Spude and Breakthrough are reshaping freight sustainability — and what practical steps you can take tomorrow to build a more resilient, lower-carbon supply chain.

 If disruption hit tomorrow, would you know where your supply chain was most exposed? In 15 minutes my free scorecard helps you assess 27 resilience statements, calculate your score, and turn the result into three priorities and a 30 day action plan. You can download the scorecard free at tomraftery.com/scorecard.

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