Port Of Oakland Truckers Circle City Hall; Want Extension On Emissions Law

OAKLAND (KCBS) — A convoy of trucks circled Oakland City Hall during Wednesday's lunch hour as Mayor Jean Quan and air regulators met with members of the Port of Oakland Truckers Association over upcoming pollution rules.

Frank Adams, spokesperson for the truckers, said they want grant money and a year extension to the January 1st deadline for their engines to be 2007 model year or newer. The group pointed out the trucks will still be compliant for the rest of California until 2017.

"What that means is that they can't drive as of January 1st in the Port. They can drive a half a mile over here to Downtown Oakland legally. It doesn't make any sense. If it's legal in California until 2017, how come it's not legal to drive these trucks in the port?"

A spokesman for the Port, Isaac Kos-Reid, said the law has been in the books for five years and about 80 percent of truckers have already switched to the cleaner vehicles.

"Already these regulations have helped us clean up the air by 88 percent from trucks. That's a huge accomplishment for cleaner air and also for communities that are impacted by diesel emissions," he said.

Adams said replacing the trucks can cost from $60,000 to $80,000 and he expects some 800 port workers to lose their jobs over the new law.

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