Rolling Truck Program Delayed… Yet Again

Since 2008, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) has been trying to reduce emissions from older diesel trucks that were put in service before current air emissions technologies were required. Emissions from these older trucks are a major source of nitrogen oxide, black carbon and particulate matter, which have been proven to cause a growing list of health hazards. Learn more.

The VFPA worked with trucking companies to create a Rolling Truck Age Program to phase out older container trucks serving the port. According to Port spokesperson Naomi Horsford “once the Rolling Truck Age Program is fully implemented VFPA expects to see a reduction of 37.5 tonnes of Particulate Matter (the equivalent of 200,000 passenger vehicles annually) and a reduction of 575 tonnes of Nitrogen Oxide (equivalent to 80,000 passenger vehicles annually).”

The program was originally scheduled to go into effect in 2019. The BC Truckers Association has long supported it. To date more than 85% of operators have voluntarily complied. Other west coast ports such as LA/Long Beach and Seattle/Tacoma already have very similar programs in effect.

But due to pushback from United Truckers Association, which represents 310 truckers still driving non-compliant trucks, the program has been repeatedly delayed and diluted (the cutoff was extended from from 7-year-old trucks to 14). Last year, it was delayed until April, 2023. Last week, due to UTA pushback, it was again postponed until at least January 2024.

The SRA has drafted a letter of concern (click here to read) to Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra.