The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners adopted a strict truck ban effective Jan. 1, 2010, on trucks with older engines as part of ongoing efforts to reduce seaport diesel pollution. Drayage trucks with engine year models earlier than 1994 will be banned at the Oakland seaport, and trucks with 1994-2003 engine year models must be retrofitted with diesel particulate filters to enter port maritime facilities.
Port of Oakland officials say the drayage truck ban goes well beyond California Air Resources Board regulations by establishing a turnaway requirement for noncompliant trucks at the seaport. CARB regulations allow noncompliant trucks to serve the seaport so long as certain information about each truck is recorded and reported to CARB for enforcement.
“We are going above and beyond the state regulations by putting into effect a very tough truck ban,” says Omar Benjamin, port executive director. “This will make a significant difference in cleaning up the air for Oakland and the region.”
The truck ban would require that the seaport facility operator deny entry to drayage trucks, with limited exceptions, for those who cannot demonstrate compliance with CARB’s January 2010 clean trucks deadline.
