On the first day of enforcing the “Port Truck ban,” a solid 92 percent of trucks were allowed through using sophisticated RFID technology to scan each truck’s number and compares it to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) database, in which all drayage trucks must be registered. Under the program, trucks with pre-1994 engines are denied access, as well as trucks with 1994-2003 engines unless equipped with a CARB-compliant, Level 3 diesel particulate filter. By the second day of enforcement, 94 percent of trucks were given access to the port. Drivers of the trucks that were denied were directed to on-the-spot help to identify and correct compliance problems.

The eight Marine Terminal Operators at the Port of Oakland, CA officially launched the so-called “Port Truck Ban” program yesterday as required by the port. The program prohibits trucks with pre-1994 engines from accessing the port. It also bans trucks with 1994-2003 engines unless they are equipped with a California Air Resources Board (CARB)-verified, Level 3 diesel particulate filter. Drayage trucks must also be registered with CARB and equipped with the new RFID tags the port is using to verify compliance.

According to Bruce Wargo, coordinator of program compliance for the Oakland Marine Terminal Operators and president and CEO of Pier Pass, using RFID technology to get the job done made a very difficult task possible. “By using technology to identify trucks electronically through the use of RFID tags and then validating each one against the CARB Drayage Truck Registry for CARB compliance, 92% of the trucks were allowed into the port terminals on the first day,” he said. “We feel like that was an excellent start. By the second day, things were even better; some 94% of the trucks were cleared to enter the port area.”

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