Clean air programme to tackle truck emissions

“Diesel-powered harbour trucks are a major source of air pollution that absolutely must be cleaned up. This is one of our most daunting challenges,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission president James C. Hankla.

The CAAP calls for drayage truck owners to scrap and replace the oldest of about 16,000 trucks working at the ports, and to retrofit the others, with the assistance of a port-sponsored grant subsidy. The new programme would allow only port-licensed concessionaires, operating ‘clean’ trucks, to enter port terminals without having to pay a new truck impact gate fee.

‘Clean trucks’ are defined as 2007 or newer vehicles, retrofitted trucks manufactured in 1994 or later or trucks that have been replaced through the Gateway Cities truck modernisation programme. Trucks manufactured in 2007 are 90% cleaner than older trucks. Year by year, the oldest trucks would be barred until only trucks meeting the CAAP clean standard would be permitted in the ports.