LONG BEACH, Calif. — After months of debate, the Port of Long Beach harbor commissioners voted to approve a plan calling for replacement of at least half of current port drayage diesel trucks with trucks powered by clean alternative fuels — specifically liquefied natural gas (LNG) or other alternative power technology.

The Clean Truck plan will kick in on Oct. 1 2008. At that point, all model trucks older than 1989 are banned. On Jan. 1, 2010, the ban extends to trucks built before 1994. About 16,800 older diesel trucks currently in operation are targeted.

Jan. 1, 2012, is when all trucks must meet 2007 federal emission standards or better.

The Port of LA is expected to go ahead with a plan that bans
carriers from hiring independent drivers to work the port.

Despite the tough stance, some environmental critics say the Clean Truck Plan doesn’t go far enough because it allows carriers to continue to choose whether to use employee drivers or independent owner-ops.

Originally, the plan called for licensing drayage companies working the ports only if they used employee drivers. That way, argued proponents, it would be easier for trucking firms to replace older, polluting equipment if the trucks belonged to the carrier rather than an independent owner-operator.

Also, eliminating the number of contract independent operators would easier to unionize drivers. So it’s no coincidence the Teamsters Union has been a strong supporter of the employee-only proposal.

The neighboring Port of Los Angeles, which co-developed Clean Air Plan, says it might likely divert from Long beach’s decision and continue with the all-employee licensing standard.

The Long Beach plan will provide the same financial incentives to carrier companies and owner-ops, such as lease-to-own programs for LNG trucks and retrofit grants of up to 80 percent.