Long Beach to begin clean trucks fee

The Clean Trucks Fee is expected to raise about US$1m day or about US$1bn over the next few years at both San Pedro Bay ports to help finance the replacement of many of the 17,000 trucks that are a leading source of air pollution in Southern California.

Collection of the fee was scheduled to begin in November, but was delayed twice due to Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) review.

Beginning October 1, 2008, the Port took the unprecedented step of banning the most polluting trucks — the 1988 and older vehicles — the initial ban in a series planned under the Clean Trucks Program. On January 1, 2010, the Port will ban 1993 and older trucks, and un-retrofitted model year 1994 to 2003 trucks. By January 2012 all vehicles 2006 and older will be banned.