Port of Long Beach begins new round of funding for truck owners

In addition to funding new liquefied natural gas or diesel-fueled trucks with engines that meet 2007 environmental emissions rules, the port said its “revised” Clean Trucks Program will also fund retrofit devices that reduce diesel soot and oxides of nitrogen emissions.

The Trucker News Services

5/20/2009

The Port of Long Beach has begun a new round of funding for subsidized leases and loans in its $42.5 million Clean Truck Financing Program to help truck owners meet the program’s requirements.

The application deadline is 4 p.m. Friday, June 5.

In addition to funding new liquefied natural gas or diesel-fueled trucks with engines that meet 2007 environmental emissions rules, the port said its “revised” Clean Trucks Program will also fund retrofit devices that reduce diesel soot and oxides of nitrogen emissions.

The revision provides for up to $20,000 in a one-time payment for a California Air Resources Board-verified diesel emission control retrofit device. The money must be used for the purchase and installation of an emissions control device that reduces diesel particulates at least by 85 percent and reduces NOx at least by 25 percent.

A single applicant may receive funding for no more than 10 vehicles but these 10 awards can be spread over the three categories (Liquefied Natural Gas, 2007-compliant LNG and diesel trucks and retrofit devices).

Application choices are between a subsidized lease and a subsidized loan.

Under the subsidized lease-to-own method, the applicant can receive funding for a pre-approved new truck under a 7-year lease agreement subsidized up to 80 percent by the port. Monthly payments may be as low as $300 for both diesel and alternative fuel/LNG trucks. Prepaid preventative maintenance by the port is included.

The port noted that because LNG trucks, the only alternative fuel trucks in the program at present, are more expensive, the subsidy for LNG trucks are $137,000, compared with $68,000 for the diesel trucks.

With the subsidized loan, applicants may receive funding for a pre-approved new truck, secure their own financing and receive a port grant of $67,000 for a clean diesel truck or $105,000 for an LNG truck. The grant will be paid out over a seven-year period.

All applicants must select a new truck from the Port’s pre-approved list, according to the port.

Truck owners can either obtain a 2007-compliant LNG or diesel truck through the port’s funding program.

The port noted on its Web site that funding is limited and that not all grant applicants will be accepted.

Follow The Trucker on Twitter at www.twitter.com/truckertalk.

The Trucker staff may be reached to comment at editor@thetrucker.com.