A California lawmaker wants the state to offer incentives to truckers and others involved in intermodal freight at the state’s ports to move freight during off-peak hours.

AB2024, introduced by Assembly Member Rudy Bermúdez D-Norwalk, would require the Secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to offer incentives to port terminals, railroads, trucks and distribution centers to increase off-peak hour traffic.

The bill lists several goals that it says would be achieved by the move:

• Reduced emissions from trucks involved in intermodal freight;
• Reduced truck idling;
• More attention paid to equipment maintenance;
• Better port and cargo security;
• Streamlined freight movement; and
• More accurate identification of cargo at port terminals.

The bill calls for the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to recommend changes to California’s laws that would specify the incentives and disincentives and suggest other possible changes, such as mandatory port operation hours, changes in port appointment systems and technology upgrades.

The bill is currently in the Assembly; according to the General Assembly’s Web site, it may be heard before a legislative committee March 18, although no specific hearing has been set yet.