The Northwest Seaport Alliance Managing Members voted Tuesday to update the Clean Truck Program, requiring trucks, as of April 1, to either have a 2007 or newer engine or equivalent retrofit, or receive a pass that allows access to the international container terminals until owners receive compliant trucks—no later than Dec. 31, 2018.

To receive this pass, truck owners must demonstrate they are in the process of complying with the standard through the purchase of a compliant truck or the installation of a retrofit to lower their truck's emissions to an equivalent level. The application for this pass will be available by March 1 on the NWSA website at www.nwseaportalliance.com/trucks. 

The Managing Members affirmed that the 2007 engine model standard will remain in place until at least 2025.

Here’s how the Clean Truck Program will work beginning April 1:

• Seattle: Trucks entering Seattle container terminals must have a valid RFID tag. RFID tags will only work for trucks with a 2007 or newer engine. RFID tags for trucks not meeting the 2007 engine or newer standard will be turned away unless the driver has an approved pass. Contact eModal at 866-758-3838 or visit www.emodal.com to apply for a tag.
• Tacoma: Trucks entering Tacoma container terminals must have a green Clean Truck Program sticker. Trucks with existing yellow stickers will be turned away unless they have an approved pass. Register online at www.portoftacoma.com.

Beginning Fall 2018, all trucks entering NWSA international container terminals in both Seattle and Tacoma will require a valid RFID tag – clean truck stickers will no longer be used. [NOTE - if you currently use an RFID tag in Seattle, this will also work in Tacoma].

More information and updates may be found at www.nwseaportalliance.com/trucks. 

Background

In 2008, the ports of Tacoma, Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., adopted the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, with a goal to have 100 percent of the drayage trucks serving container terminals with cleaner diesel technology – a 2007 engine with diesel particulate filter or equivalent by Jan. 1, 2018.

In 2000, the U.S. EPA signed emission standards requiring heavy-duty truck engines to reduce diesel particulate emissions by at least 90 percent beginning with 2007 model engine year. Exposure to diesel particulate matter has adverse public health impact.

To help reach the goal, the ports of Seattle and Tacoma invested more than $15 million in matching grant funds to spur truck conversion and invest in gate infrastructure. More than 410 trucks were scrapped and replaced with new trucks through partnership with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and funding through DERA, CMAQ and Department of Ecology grants.

Despite these efforts, as of the end of 2017, only 53 percent of the roughly 4,500 trucks serving NWSA terminals met the 2007 engine or newer standard.

At the Jan. 16 Managing Members meeting, staff presented a recommendation to grant a 90-day grace period to the original goal date of Jan. 1, 2018, effectively making the new date April 1, 2018.

The NWSA held open houses Feb. 3 in Seattle and Tacoma to connect truck drivers with resources to help them comply with the recommendation.