Harbor Trucking Capacity in Southern California to be Cut in Half

Harbor Trucking Capacity in Southern California to be Cut in Half
March 19, 2008

The harbor trucking capacity in Southern California could experience a shortage of around 8,350 trucks and owner-operators by October due to conflicting Clean Trucks programs and the federal Transportation Worker Identification Credential program.

Addressing the 8th Annual Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference, John Husing, a Southern California economist who studied the harbor trucking scene in 2007, said that at present nearly 16,800 trucks arrive regularly at the ports, but this capacity is expected to be cut in half by this fall for three reasons: many drivers will fail to qualify for the TWIC biometric identification card, Clean Trucks programs of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are conflicting with one another over the use or non-use of the employee-driver model in the harbor, and all trucks built before 1989 will be banned from the harbor by this fall as they no longer meet the ports’ new emission standards.

Qualifying for the TWIC certification requires drivers to demonstrate proof of legal residency in the United States, a requirement which, according to recent surveys conducted by Husing on behalf on the ports, may drive 15% to 22% of the drivers to not even apply for a TWIC card at all.

Confusion further surrounds the harbor trucking scene. In February, a Clean Trucks program that does not require the use of employee-drivers was approved by the Port of Long Beach. Having paired up with the Teamsters Union and pushing for the unionization of harbor trucking, the Natural Resources Defense Council has threatened to seek legal ramifications against the port over such an issue.

On the other hand, the Port of Los Angeles is expected to release, in the next few weeks, its own version of Clean Trucks program, which is expected to require the use of employee-drivers. Curtis Whalen, executive director of the American Trucking Associations’ Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference, said that thousands of owner-operators will lose their jobs if Los Angeles adopts such an employee-driver model. If the Port of Los Angeles ever releases a Clean Trucks program that requires licensed motor carriers to use only employee-drivers, the trucking industry will take legal action against the port. Whalen stated that ATA could sue the Port of Los Angeles under the federal preemption clause that asserts the federal government’s authority to regulate rates, routes, and services in interstate transportation. ATA could also resort, in its dispute with the Port of Los Angeles, to the Federal Maritime Commission, which holds the responsibility of preventing discrimination in port transportation.

To cope with such an expected shortage, Husing said that more than 1,000 trucks will be added to the harbor later this year. Husing, who previously thought that compromise was within reach, is now no longer optimistic that the ports can work out their differences and agree on a joint Clean Trucks program by the Oct 1st deadline.