Port of Los Angeles Awards $6 Million to Fund 22 Zero-Emission Trucks

SAN PEDRO — The Port of Los Angeles has awarded a total of $6 million to two trucking companies and their truck manufacturer partners to speed up the transition to zero-emission (ZE) drayage trucks serving the nation’s busiest container port. The grants will defray the cost of putting 22 pre-production emissions-free models in port service during 2023.

Two L.A.-area licensed motor carriers, Gardena-based MLI Leasing and El Segundo-based Performance Team, will receive $3 million each – the maximum funding per trucking company available under the port’s zero emission truck pilot program. Each carrier has partnered with a leading original equipment manufacturer to qualify for the incentive. MLI is working with Peterbilt and investing more than $3.4 million to produce and deploy 12 ZE trucks. Performance Team is working with Volvo and investing more than $5.6 million to produce and deploy 10 ZE trucks.

All 22 will be battery-electric models that will be on the road within the coming year. Each vehicle must make at least 50 drayage trips annually to Port of Los Angeles terminals.

The awards, approved by the Los Angeles Harbor Commission last week, represent the first distribution of Clean Truck Fund or CTF dollars by the Port of Los Angeles since April 1 when the San Pedro Bay ports began collecting $10 for every loaded 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) moving through the port by truck. The port expects to raise $45 million within the first 12 months and each subsequent year based on the current rate.

All CTF revenues will be used to offer incentives that accelerate the deployment of ZE trucks serving the San Pedro Bay ports. For the first three years, the Port has prioritized spending the money on truck vouchers, support for small fleets and independent owner-operators, matching funds to support electric and clean energy fueling infrastructure, advanced truck technologies, and innovative ZE concept trucks. Progress will be reported annually.

More information on the Port’s current Clean Truck Program is available here.

The Port posts information on all available funding opportunities to accelerate clean vehicles and technologies here and updates the listings as new programs become available. The site includes grants and incentives offered by regional, state and federal agencies.