CLEAN TRUCK FEE COLLECTION STARTS TODAY, FEB. 18

Today, Feb. 18, 2009 PortCheck will begin the collection of the Ports’ Clean Truck Fee (CTF) at marine container terminals at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. All cargo, including intermodal cargo, must be claimed through starting PortCheck on Feb. 18.

Non-exempt cargo will not be allowed to enter or exit from a marine container terminal unless the cargo has been claimed by a credit account or the CTF paid through PortCheck. Under the Ports’ program, the cargo owner (the party named on the ocean bill of lading or their legal representative) is responsible for paying the CTF. All cargo must be claimed before the CTF can be paid.

The CTF was established by the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to pay for implementation of the Clean Trucks Program (CTP). Cargo owners are required to pay a CTF for cargo moved by trucks that do not meet the requirements of the CTP. Cargo contained in a 20-foot container will be subject to a $35 CTF. Cargo moved in containers larger than 20 feet will be required to pay a $70 CTF.

Customers can visit www.pierpass-tmf.org to learn more about PortCheck, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles Clean Truck Fee (CTF), and how to pay fee and claim cargo through PortCheck, as well as access frequently asked questions.

An archived webinar that explains how to use the PortCheck website, claim cargo, pay the CTF and other important elements of the program is available at https://portcheck.webex.com.

Customers can speak with a customer service representative for help with PortCheck-related issues by calling 1-877-863-3310. PortCheck customer service representatives can help callers with only PortCheck-related questions or concerns. They can not assist with issues related to the ports’ Clean Trucks Program, grants or leases for new trucks, port concessions, day passes or the drayage truck registry. Customers with questions about these topics should call
the Clean Trucks Help Line at 866-721-5686.

Customers can submit inquiries PortCheck customer service center by sending
an email to questions@portcheck.org.

For more information on PortCheck, please visit www.pierpass-tmf.org.

For more Information on the Clean Trucks Program of the Ports of Long Beach
and Los Angeles, please visit the ports’ web sites,
www.portoflosangeles.org/cleantrucks and www.polb.com/cleantrucks.

PortCheck Inc. Customer Service
1-877-863-3310 (inside the United States)
1-801-559-8078 (outside the United States)

Sources from: PierPass-tmf.org

Clean Trucks Program begins on February 18th, 2009

The Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles will begin to collect Clean Truck Fee starting Feb. 18.
This program will provide necessary fundings for greener trucks.
This is a follow-up of our previous post about the Clean Trucks Program and you may read our initial post here.

To claim the Clean Truck Fee for your container, you may visit http://www.portcheck.org or http://pierpass-tmf.org. If you are already registered in PierPass offpeak terminal access program, the system will automaticcaly upload PortCheck information into your account and you will be able to claim your containers upon accepting the terms and conditions of PortCheck.

For more information about Clean Trucks Program, please visit Port of Long Beach website.

Sources: Port of Long Beach

Clean Truck Fee Collection Delayed Pending Resolution of Regulatory Issues

LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 13, 2008 – Collection of the Clean Truck Fee (CTF) assessed by the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, which was to have begun on Nov. 17, will be delayed pending resolution of outstanding regulatory issues. An agreement filing relating to the ports’ arrangement with PortCheck is still pending with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), and the fee collection will be delayed while issues relating to that filing are resolved.

“The terminal operators and ports continue to work with the FMC to resolve remaining questions about the program,” said Bruce Wargo, president and CEO of PortCheck. “We hope to resolve the issues as quickly as possible.” PortCheck Inc. is the not-for-profit company created by marine terminal operators to collect the Clean Trucks Program tariff fees and administer a ban on older trucks as required by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

In the meantime, technical preparations for the fee collection continue. The new start date for fee collection is not yet clear, but PortCheck strongly urges cargo owners to complete preparations for claiming cargo online and paying the CTF. Prior to the availability of the official PortCheck website, PortCheck urges cargo owners that are not registered with PierPASS to register on the PierPASS site at www.pierpass-tmf.org. “We appreciate the level of cooperation from cargo owners in preparing for this new program,” Mr. Wargo said.

Once fee collection begins, non-exempt cargo will not be allowed to enter or exit from a marine container terminal unless the cargo has been claimed by a credit account or the CTF paid. Under the ports’ program, the cargo owner (the party named on the ocean bill of lading or their legal representative) is responsible for paying the CTF. All cargo must be claimed before the CTF can be paid.

(Source from: www.portcheck.org)

Clean Trucks Program

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have launched a Clean Trucks Program that will reduce air pollution from harbor trucks by more than 80 percent by year 2012.

The Clean Trucks Program is outlined in the Clean Air Action Plan, and will be administered jointly by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Diesel-powered harbor trucks are a major source of air pollution. The Clean Trucks Program calls for drayage truck owners to scrap and replace about 16,000 polluting trucks working at the ports, with the assistance of a port-sponsored grant or loan subsidy.

Beginning October 1, 2008, pre-1989 trucks will be banned. The program progressively bans all trucks that don't meet 2007 emission standards by 2012. To finance the $2 billion truck replacement program, the ports will levy on loaded containers ($35 per loaded twenty-foot equivalent unit) also beginning October 1, 2008. (Beginning January 2009, the ports will also collect a separate, $15 per TEU cargo fee to finance $1.4 billion in roadway, rail and bridge projects.)

For more information about the Port of Long Beach's Clean Trucks Program, click here. For more information about the Port of Los Angeles' Clean Truck Program, click here.

(Information from: Clean Air Action Plan)