Gateway Cities Fleet Modernization 

Program A Glance at Clean Freight Strategies: 

Gateway Cities Diesel Fleet Scrappage 

Program for Drayage 

The replacement of aging diesel trucks through the Gateway Cities Fleet Modernization Program 

has resulted in emissions reductions of 193 tons of nitrogen oxides and 43 tons of particulate matter 

annually in the South Coast Air Basin. The newer trucks also result in fuel savings for drivers. 

Introduction 

Fleet scrappage and modernization programs 

pay owners of older heavily polluting trucks to 

purchase newer, lower-emitting vehicles. 

Drayage fleets that serve U.S. ports and border 

facilities frequently use pre-1987 trucks that 

predate modern emissions control systems. 

These older trucks, which can remain in 

operation for decades, are a primary target of 

truck scrappage programs. The scrappage and 

replacement of pre-1987 diesel trucks with 

model year 1999 or newer trucks can result in 

up to 50 percent less NOx and 90 percent less 

PM being emitted. These replacement trucks 

can also reduce fuel consumption and 

greenhouse gas emissions associated with port 

facilities. 

Health Impacts

According to the MATES II Study by the South 

Coast Air Quality Management District, 70 

percent of cancer-linked air toxics in California’s 

South Coast Air Basin (SCAB) are the result of 

diesel emissions. The 27 cities that make up 

the Gateway Cities Council of Governments 

(GCCOG) are located in and around essential 

commerce centers, which rely heavily on diesel 

engines of all kinds to drive the area’s economy. 

This subjects people living in and around the 

Gateway Cities to high levels of the harmful 

pollutants and air toxics found in diesel exhaust. 

In 2002, the GCCOG initiated its Clean Air 

Program to address the challenges posed by 

diesel truck emissions at regional port facilities 

and throughout SCAB. Of particular concern is 

the large fleet of pre-1987 heavy diesel vehicles 

in use. It is estimated that within the SCAB 

there are approximately 10,000 model year 

1965 – 1987 heavy-duty trucks in operation. 

These vehicles severely impact air quality and 

human health, especially in areas of 

concentrated 

diesel engine operation such as intermodal 

freight facilities and port terminals. 

Program Description

The Gateway Cities Diesel Fleet Modernization 

Program established a target of replacing 3,000 

existing heavy-duty trucks, or about one-third of 

the pre-1987 truck fleet in the greater Los 

Angeles area. Under the program, these pre1987 HDVs are retired and replaced with 1999 

and newer model years. 

Some of the replacement trucks are then 

retrofitted with diesel oxidation catalysts 

(DOCs), and other PM and NOx control devices 

to further reduce emissions. Under the Fleet 

Modernization Program, it is estimated that 

each replacement reduces on average 0.55 

tons per year of NOx and 0.12 tons per year of 

PM. These estimates do not include any 

additional benefits resulting from retrofitting 

replacement vehicles with DOCs and NOx or 

PM control devices. 

Since the fleet modernization program’s start in 

September 2002, more than 350 trucks have 

been replaced, at a cost of approximately $8 

million. Of these, 230 awards were made under 

a special effort funded by the Port of Los 

Angeles (POLA) that focuses exclusively on 

truckers who frequently travel to and from POLA 

facilities. Based on best available estimates, 

over 5 years of program involvement, the 350 

replaced vehicles can be expected to reduce 

emissions by approximately 193 tons per year 

of NOx and 42 tons per year of PM. 

The Gateway Cities program provides an 

average grant award of $25,000 toward the 

purchase of a 1999 or newer replacement 

vehicle. Awardees average about 45,000 miles 

per year of driving, of which 85 percent must be 

within SCAB boundaries. Typically, awardees 

U.S. EPA Office of Transportation & Air Quality ! EPA420-F-06-004 ! (734) 214-4767 phone ! smartway_transport@epa.gov ! 

www.epa.gov/smartway 
Gateway Cities Fleet Modernization 

Program 

finance the remaining cost of the replacement 

truck (about $7,000-$10,000). At least some of 

this investment can be recouped through fuel 

savings that accrue through the use of a newer, 

more reliable and fuel efficient truck. For the 

Fleet Modernization Program, on average, the 

cost effectiveness for each five-year project is 

less than $9,000 per ton of NOx reduced. 

Program Funding

A total of $20,634,400 in funding has been 

allocated to date for the Fleet Modernization 

Program. By far the largest amount of funding 

comes from the Port of Los Angeles. In June 

2005, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor 

Commissioners voted to approve a 

Memorandum of Understanding that added an 

additional $4.7 million in funding to the fleet 

modernization program, augmenting POLA’s 

original $10 million allocation. The specific 

funding contributions of all four program 

sponsors are shown below: 

• $14,740,000 from the Port of Los Angeles 

(exclusively dedicated to trucks that haul to 

and from the Port of Los Angeles) 

• $2,144,400 U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency 

• $1,000,000 California Air Resources Board 

(CARB) 

• $2,750,000 in funds from the Mobile Source 

Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee 

(MSRC), which is administered through the 

South Coast Air Quality Management 

District 

Off-Road Program

In a second part of the Gateway Cities Clean Air 

Program, the Port of Long Beach (POLB) has 

taken a leadership role by facilitating efforts to 

install new emissions reduction technology on 

nonroad HDVs operated within POLB 

boundaries. This Diesel Emissions Reduction 

Program (DERP) introduces “clean diesel 

technology” to port terminal operators by 

retrofitting their HDVs with DOCs. These DOCs 

replace standard mufflers on heavy-duty 

equipment and can provide cost-effective 

emissions reductions. On nearly 200 nonroad 

HDVs, POLB tenants are using a California Air 

Resources Board (CARB) verified DOC and 

emulsified diesel fuel (a diesel-water blend) 

combination that provides a 50 percent 

reduction in diesel particulate matter emissions 

and a 20 percent reduction in NOx emissions. 

On 445 nonroad HDVs, POLB tenants are using 

a CARB-verified DOC combined with a 

crankcase emissions filtration system that 

reduces diesel particulate emissions by 25 

percent (actual reductions are believed to be 

higher). Under POLB’s full DERP effort, 638 

nonroad HDVs have been retrofitted with cleandiesel technology resulting in annual reductions 

of 14.7 tons of diesel particulate matter 

emissions and 42.8 tons of NOx emissions. 

The Port of Long Beach Diesel Reduction 

Program has received $2,075,000 in funding, of 

which $1,000,000 was a grant from CARB, 

$1,000,000 was a match from the Port of Long 

Beach, and $75,000 was from the EPA (through 

SCAQMD). 

Conclusion 

Nearly every major urban area and port in 

America has air quality that is severely impacted 

by a “legacy fleet” of older heavy-duty diesel 

vehicles. This program can be a model for other 

cities to follow. The cost effectiveness of the 

program makes it an attractive and voluntary 

option for these urban areas and port facilities 

to reduce emissions and improve air quality. 

Contact Information 

The Gateway Cities Clean Air program provides 

information on its Fleet Modernization Program 

including program guidelines, emissions 

calculation tools and dealer information online 

at: 

www.gatewaycog.org/cleanairprogram/overview 

/overview.html 

For more information please contact the 

Gateway Cities Clean Air Program at (800) 800-

4414. 

U.S. EPA Office of Transportation & Air Quality ! EPA420-F-06-004 ! (734) 214-4767 phone ! smartway_transport@epa.gov ! 

www.epa.gov/smartway