A Puget Sound incentive program that helps drayage truck owners purchase newer, lower-emission trucks to improve regional air quality recently replaced its 200th truck, the program announced June 6.
The Seaport Truck Scrappage and Replacements for Air in Puget Sound 2 (ScRAPS 2) is a joint program of the Northwest Seaport Alliance and Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to reduce diesel particulate emissions in the region.
ScRAPS 2 encourages owners to replace trucks with engines manufactured between 1994 and 2006 with newer models built to meet updated US Environmental Protection Agency standards.
The program reimburses eligible truck owners for part of the cost of a new truck and demolishes and recycles the older model at local vehicle recycling facilities. Truck owners who buy a truck with a model year 2010 engine or newer receive as much as $27,000 in return; a truck with a model year 2007 to 2009 engine yields up to $20,000.
Launched in May 2014, the program was expanded earlier this month to make it easier to qualify for trucks primarily serving the NWSA’s South Harbor. Now 200 trips to either the North or South harbor qualifies truck owners for the incentive program.
The program supports the Seaport Alliance’s Clean Truck Program target for all port-bound trucks to have model year 2007 or newer engines by Jan. 1, 2018. Trucks with engines built after 2007 emit 10 times less particulate pollution than older ones.
The Seaport Alliance and Clean Air Agency estimate that taking 200 older trucks off Puget Sound roads could result in an annual reduction of nine tons of diesel particulates and 114 tons of oxides of nitrogen.
The program, which says it has enough money to replace an additional 125 trucks, is funded by a handful of federal agencies as well as the Washington State Department of Ecology and the Northwest Seaport Alliance, which is comprised of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma.
About 2,500 trucks visit Seattle and Tacoma marine terminals each day.
