A bill designed to encourage off-peak-hours shipping work at California’s ports has passed that state’s Assembly and is now making its way through the Senate.

The bill, AB2024, passed the Assembly by a vote of 55-25. It is now before the Senate Transportation Committee.

Introduced by Assembly Member Rudy Bermúdez D-Norwalk, the bill would require the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to develop incentives for 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 also 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.