Inland Ports Projects Start Cleaning Up the Air   

The MSRC’s Inland Ports Program has four new project partners under contract. Green Fleet Systems will deploy five Mack near-zero emission natural gas Class 8 trucks to transport containers between the Ports and Corona. Premium Transportation Services will buy 15 near-zero semi-tractor trucks to transport goods from San Pedro to Fontana. Pac Anchor Transportation will purchase 23 Volvo VNL near-zero trucks. MHX, LLC will purchase up to 10 zero-emission trucks and infrastructure, and also received funding to deploy one zero-emission overhead crane that will be replacing diesel forklifts from service.

The Inland Ports Program is part of the MSRC’s 2018-21 Work Program designed to clean up the goods movement industry in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.  The regions of Riverside and San Bernardino consistently fall among the worst air quality rankings in the state and country according to the American Lung Association.

The MSRC initially offered more than $20 million to warehouses, distribution facilities and trucking companies in the Inland Empire for clean air projects related to their operations. Thanks to strong demand for the program, the MSRC ultimately increased its investments by awarding more than $37 million for the Inland Ports Program. The funding included purchasing and deploying zero or near-zero heavy-duty on-road trucks, off-road zero or near-zero cargo handling equipment such as yard tractors and heavy-duty forklifts, and electric vehicle support equipment.

Alfredo Barajas, President of Pac Anchor shared his enthusiasm for receiving the MSRC’s clean transportation investments. “The flexibility, the comprehensive funding and the freedoms afforded in the MSRC grant will make it feasible for us to invest in renewable energy and to continue to deliver on our commitment we set forth as a company. We are committed to finding innovative solutions for lowering our carbon footprint and lessen the impact on the communities we continuously serve. We are firm believers in sustainability: providing the cleanest technology while safeguarding the livelihood of our employees.”   

According to the Southern California Association of Governments, goods movement operations are responsible for approximately 47 percent of all NOx emissions, and about 18 percent of all PM2.5 emissions in the South Coast Air Basin. Heavy-duty trucks account for about 75 percent of NOx emissions and 61 percent the PM2.5 emissions from goods movement sources in Southern California. These transportation emissions continue to cause negative health impacts, from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease to consistently high rates of asthma.

The MSRC looks forward to continuing to support clean transportation investments in the Inland Empire to help reduce the negative health impacts of truck pollution.