By Karen Robes Meeks
To speed up air pollution reduction efforts, new drayage trucks coming to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach this fall will have to be a 2014 model year or newer.
The governing bodies for both ports recently passed the initial tariff change, which is expected to receive final approval in July and slated to take effect on October 1.
The new rule, however, would only apply to trucks not currently in the Ports Drayage Truck Registry – about 50 percent of trucks in the registry are 2010 model year and newer. Presently, drayage trucks that come to the twin ports must be 2007 model year or newer.
This move is the first of several to be made by the ports under the latest version of the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), an outline of initiatives to clear the pollution generated by those that operate at the ports. Passed in November, the 2017 CAAP Update features more stringent pollution-curbing efforts, including a goal to have zero-emissions trucks by 2035.
Visit www.cleanairactionplan.org for more details.