California’s plan to reduce vehicle emissions kicks in for trucks as early as 2024

In April, the California Air Resources Board set a timeline for transitioning trucks in the state to zero emissions by 2045. More recently, the agency launched a program called CalFleet Advisor that aims to help drivers get familiar with the state’s plan and connect them to financial assistance. 

The move is one piece of California’s mission to cut emissions and targets the largest source of air pollution in the state, which comes from vehicles. 

The agency’s rule requires some vehicles to start transitioning as early as next year. Among the first are drayage trucks, which are typically seen driving containers to and from seaports and railyards throughout the state. 

Andre Freeman, manager of the air board’s freight policy section, said these trucks operate in ports like Stockton and West Sacramento. But the majority of these trucks are in use at the coast. 

“The ports of L.A. and Long Beach alone handle nearly a third of the containerized cargo that goes through the United States,” he said. “So there's a lot of stuff that hits our coastline and then drayage trucks distribute them.” 

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Tony Brasil, chief of the Air Resources Board’s Transportation and Clean Technology branch, said communities living alongside areas where drayage trucks operate face disproportionate negative health impacts. He said this is why the agency is prioritizing their transition. 

“That's where the drayage truck category is critical,” he said. “Every truck there needs to be cleaned up in a relatively aggressive timeframe.” 

Brasil described CalFleet Advisor as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to keep drivers up to date on the transition, as the truck market continues to evolve. He added that the market for zero-emissions trucks is growing. 

“As of today, there's a little more than 150 different models available to purchase of zero-emission trucks,” he said. “So there’s a fairly wide variety out there but the market is younger.” 

He said many of the concerns truck drivers once had about these vehicles, like if they could cover the mileage necessary to do their jobs, has been addressed in recent years. When the air board surveyed box truck drivers in the state, he said they heard that most trucks need to drive about 100 to 200 miles in a day. While 15% reported they drove over 200 miles a day on average, he said the electric vehicles available today can cover most of their needs. 

Brasil said trucks that cover longer distances, like 500 or 600 miles a day, will have a few more years before they’re required to start transitioning. 

“The regulation is actually phased in over the next two decades … to provide time for the market to develop and for higher mileage trucks to be deployed later when there's more infrastructure,” he said.