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Port to Host Information Sessions on New Terminal Access Requirements for Truckers

Thursday, 30 July 2009
Contact: Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6222

To prepare for new state requirements that will take effect in less than six months, the Port of San Diego is holding three informational meetings for owners of diesel-fueled, heavy-duty trucks, also known as drayage trucks, that transport cargo to and from ports. The regulations will take effect Jan. 1, 2010.

The new drayage truck regulation requires truck owners to include their operator information with the California Air Resources Board truck registry by Sept. 30, 2009. The Air Resources Board adopted the regulation last year. It is aimed at reducing truck emissions and the registry is designed to ensure that trucks entering marine cargo terminals are complying with the rules.

Truck owners have until Jan. 1, 2010 to comply with the new state law, which requires trucks built before 1994 to be replaced or that the trucks be equipped with newer, cleaner burning engines. In addition, trucks built between 1994-2003 would be required to install a special filter designed to cut emissions.

In addition to the Drayage Truck Regulation (pdf), the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (pdf) requires that all vehicles entering marine terminals display a Transportation Worker Identification Credential and have a legitimate reason for being on a terminal. The Port of San Diego began enforcing this on December 30, 2008.

Screening of trucks is expected to cause long delays at the terminal entrances. To help alleviate gate congestion, the Port of San Diego is implementing a system that will require trucks that do business at the Port’s two marine terminals to pre-register on a web-based registration system.

Trucks making more than three trips per year to the terminals must have a radio frequency identification tag which will be used to automatically capture data for both the truck and its driver at the terminal security gate. This type of tracking is already in use at the Ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland.

To acquaint owners and truck operators of the new requirements and to explain about the new gate access system, the Port of San Diego will host three information sessions. The meetings will be held at 1 p.m., Monday, August 3, 2009, 1 p.m., Wednesday, August 5, 2009 and 9 a.m., Monday, August 10, 2009. All meetings will be held at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal in room 692.

Staff from the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue and National City Marine terminals will be at the information sessions to answer questions and to outline the next steps.