Port officials in New York/New Jersey are reportedly preparing to reveal specifics for a clean truck program likely to resemble existing emissions programs in southern California.

According to the Journal of Commerce, the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey will reveal the plans in mid-February. The port will reportedly hand out $28 million in combined local and federal grant money to replace 600 older trucks working at the port.

OOIDA watched clean truck programs closely as they were implemented in California. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach banned pre-1989 trucks from entering their ports in 2009. In January 2010, trucks with 1993 model year engines and older were banned. By 2012, only trucks meeting 2007 model year diesel engine emissions standards will be allowed at the ports.

As part of restricting access, the southern California ports required truck owners to enter into expensive concession agreements.

OOIDA worked to create a day-pass exemption so long-haul truckers could make occasional visits to the ports at Los Angeles and Long Beach without participating in the concessions plans that were part of their clean truck programs.

A lawsuit filed by ATA has sought to overturn portions of the Los Angeles port’s Clean Truck Program.

The Association will be following developments at the New York/New Jersey Port Authority closely, said Joe Rajkovacz, OOIDA director of regulatory affairs.

“The devil is in the details,” Rajkovacz said. “Most of these financial funding schemes have been set up to benefit the motor carrier, not the individual truck owner who is the one actually needing the assistance.”

– By Charlie Morasch, staff writer
charlie_morasch@landlinemag.com