Knight Transportation Receives 1,000^th 2007 EPA Emission Standard Engine

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Knight Transportation, Inc. (NYSE: KNX) announced, in continuing a commitment of maintaining modern equipment for Driving Associates and customers, refraining from cycle purchasing around new EPA standards, and contributing to a cleaner environment, the receipt of its 1,000^th tractor equipped with an engine certified to meet the 2007 EPA emission standards. Despite competitive efforts to delay buying these more costly, but cleaner burning engines, Knight Transportation continues to practice and implement environmentally friendly strategies as an integral part of its business model.

As a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership Program since 2004, Knight was honored with the Partners in Excellence Award in 2007. Through this program, Knight Transportation is able to quantify the positive effects on the environment that are a result of these efforts. Some of Knight’s efforts include:

Maintaining an updated and modern fleet of tractors

Refrain from cycle purchasing around new EPA standards

Emphasis on aerodynamic body styling

Optimized tractor/trailer gap

Reduced tractor weight specifications

Use of lightweight, high cube, 53 foot trailers

Operating at lower speed limits

Optimized engine technology

Fuel efficient tires

Utilization of in-cab heaters that do not require the engine to idle

Use of ambient temperature idle management sensors

These are just a few examples of the strategies implemented and Knight continues to look for cost effective ways to make positive contributions to the Hometown environments in which it serves. The EPA’s SmartWay model estimates that through these efforts, Knight Transportation annually eliminates 892 million lbs of CO2, 3.5 million pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx), and 98,000 lbs of particulate matter.

Knight Transportation leads the industry by example in embracing these cleaner burning engines, which now represent nearly 30% of its company-owned fleet. Through innovation and technology, diesel engine manufacturers continue to make significant advancements in these engines. As an example, in some major metropolitan areas, the air going into the engine has more particulate matter than the exhaust coming out of the engine. Consider the advances that heavy duty diesel engines have made within the last five years:

• In 2002, heavy duty diesel engines reduced NOx emissions by 38%
• In 2007 heavy duty diesel engines reduced particulate matter emissions by 99% and NOx emissions by another 40%

Beginning with the availability of a new generation of engines in 2010, Knight expects to continue to improve by reducing NOx emissions another 90%, making these emissions almost non-existent.

Kevin P. Knight, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “With respect to the environment, Knight Transportation is heavily engaged in doing our part. Our mission is to deliver value, on time, to our customers, shareholders and employees with passion, energy, and integrity, in a cost-efficient, safe, flexible, and productive environment. All of this can and is being done, with consideration for the world in which we live and depend on.”

Knight Transportation, Inc. is a truckload carrier offering dry van, refrigerated, and brokerage services to customers through a network of service centers located throughout the United States. As “Your Hometown National Carrier,” Knight strives to offer customers and drivers personal service and attention through each service center, while offering integrated freight transportation nationwide and beyond through the scale of one of North America’s largest trucking companies. The principal types of freight we transport include consumer staples, retail, paper products, packaging/plastics, manufacturing, and import/export commodities.