California approves banning new diesel trucks at ports from 2024

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved the measure called Advanced Clean Fleets, which would prohibit the sale of all new medium and heavy-duty vehicles by 2036 and ban new diesel trucks from ports and railyards from next year.

The new regulation applies to local, state and federal government vehicles as well as fleets owned by entities with annual revenues of $50m or more that own, operate or direct at least one vehicle in California and have a total of 50 or more vehicles. It applies to medium- and heavy-duty on-road vehicles weighing more than 3,856 kg, as well as off-road yard tractors and light-duty mail and package delivery vehicles.

Drayage trucks, particularly those used to transport containers and freight from ports and rail yards, will be able to register with CARB beginning January 1, 2024, if they are zero-emission. While provisions are in place to phase out older trucks and ensure that they are used to their full capacity, dryage trucks will be required to be zero-emission by 2035. This basically prohibits the use of diesel truck fleets at Californian ports beginning in 2035.

The abrupt end of diesel vehicle sales is part of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s aim to reduce pollution in the state. Critics argue that the transition will be extremely expensive and burdensome for the industry, which also lacks the infrastructure to support zero-emission trucks. 

The American Trucking Association criticised California’s implementation of the rule, which must now be authorised or rejected by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration. The organisation said that because the vehicles are substantially more expensive and “charging and refueling infrastructure is nonexistent,” the cost will be passed on to the consumer.

“California is setting unrealistic targets and unachievable timelines that will undoubtedly lead to higher prices for the goods and services delivered to the state and fewer options for consumers,” American Trucking Association president and CEO Chris Spear said in a statement. “As it becomes clear that California’s rhetoric is not being matched by technology, we hope the Board will reverse course and allow trucking companies the freedom to choose the clean technologies that work best for their operations.”