Clean Trucks Won’t Hinder Port

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Diversion of cargo to competing West Coast seaports would be minimal if authorities in San Pedro Bay implement their proposed clean-truck program, a new study shows, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reports.


The report, presented Monday to port commissioners in Long Beach, showed that the twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles would lose about 1.2 percent of their annual container throughput if authorities adopt a proposed taxi-cab style concession system for motor carriers operating at local marine terminals.


The truck plan, which awaits ratification by both port commissions, would restrict marine terminal access to trucking companies with the cleanest trucks operated by employee drivers.


It’s being pushed as a way to clean up diesel emissions from the estimated 16,000 big rigs hauling goods in and out of local ports each day, which health studies link to higher rates of asthma, lung disease and cancer.


In a worst-case scenario, shippers would divert roughly 190,000 containers elsewhere because of higher employee and shipping costs associated with the concession program, according to the study presented by market research firm Moffatt and Nichol.


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