Proposed Clean Trucks Program tariff would clean air without disrupting cargo flow.
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday, October 29, will consider a proposed Clean Trucks Program tariff that would progressively ban the dirtiest trucks and ensure that only clean trucks call at Port of Long Beach shipping terminals.
The port tariff would achieve an 80 percent reduction in truck emissions over a period of just more than five years.
The dirty truck ban would start October 1, 2008, by excluding pre-1989 trucks. By January 1, 2014, trucks that do not meet 2007 federal standards would be banned from Port service.
“The Port is proposing this action in order to start cleaning the air as soon as possible,” said Richard D. Steinke, Port of Long Beach Executive Director. “The tariff will help us improve air quality and still allow the drayage truck market to find solutions to move goods without interruption or economic disruption.”
The tariff proposed by the Port of Long Beach is consistent with CARB’s proposed regulation on the drayage truck industry, which is scheduled for adoption in December. The port tariff, however, would provide clean air benefits earlier than CARB’s proposed schedule.
The tariff’s ban will rely on proven electronic identification technology known as RFID – Radio Frequency Identification. RFID tags will be placed in trucks and RFID tag readers will be installed at Port terminal gates to ensure access only for clean trucks.
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. on October 29. The meeting will be webcast live. To view the webcast, go to www.polb.com. The board meets in the board room of the Port Administration Building at 925 Harbor Plaza, Long Beach.