The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles enacted the Clean Trucks Program late in 2008, banning pre-2007 big trucks from the San Pedro Bay port complex. The result has been a phenomenal 97% reduction in toxic diesel particulate matter emissions from trucks, according to the most recent air quality reports from the harbor press releases.
The port didn’t just force the region to modernize private trucks — it did the same for its own trucking fleet, which led to a 79% decline in smog-forming nitrogen oxides, 91% fewer sulfur oxides, and 24% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The port plan also reaches emissions from ships, locomotives, container yard equipment, and harbor craft like tugboats.
The Clean Trucks Program restricts new trucks entering service at the ports to be 2014 or newer model year, but only those that joined the Port Drayage Truck Registry. However, trucks already registered as of Sept. 30 can continue operating at the ports, as long as they are current on their annual dues and compliant with emission regulations set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
The reason for this last part is that smaller trucking companies faced more financial pressures to meet emissions standards and some have closed doors as a result.
Seeing the worsening of air quality in our own country especially in Delhi NCR region we will have to resort to such measures otherwise our children will also end up with asthma to the point where these children will never have fully developed lungs.
Reference- Cleantechnica, Port of Long Beach PR