The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is working with leading transportation nonprofit CALSTART to roll out a $45 million incentive program to help electrify the port’s operators’ heavy truck fleets.
CALSTART hopes this latest incentive push will act as a catalyst for change at the Port of New York and New Jersey, helping scale up zero-emission terminal and drayage trucks and the associated charging infrastructure from exploratory pilot programs to more mainstream choices for the busy port’s tenants.
“Deploying zero-emission trucks at scale requires pairing accessible vehicle incentives with reliable, high-capacity charging,” said CALSTART Executive Vice President of Regional Market Acceleration Alycia Gilde. “By combining flexible financial support with streamlined program administration, our partnership with the Port Authority lowers the barrier to entry for drayage operators, modernizing the East Coast supply chain while delivering immediate, tangible air quality improvements to local port communities.”
The Programs
Dubbed the Clean Truck Incentive (CTI) Program and Green Drayage Accelerator (GDA), the $45 million in funding includes $39 million in point-of-sale vouchers for the purchase of zero-emission drayage trucks, yard tractors, and supporting charging infrastructure, as well as more than $5 million to develop five new EV charging hubs within 10 miles of port facilities.
Both programs, along with a separate $3 million planning grant to fund the creation of a Port Community Advisory Council, are funded through a larger $451 million grant awarded to the Port Authority through the US EPA’s Clean Ports Program — the largest sustainability grant in Port Authority history.
Port Leadership Weighs In
Port executives are optimistic that the additional funds will make a real difference in air and water pollution in and around the port.
“The Port Authority has committed to reaching net-zero by 2050, and we can’t get there without bringing our tenants, contractors, and partners like the trucking community along with us,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. “These new incentive programs make it financially realistic for drayage operators to switch to zero-emission trucks and yard equipment. Paired with other industry-leading programs and regulations, we’re making sure we back up our ambitious sustainability commitments with real action.”
The program joins other port electrification efforts, like the ones at APM Terminals Elizabeth operations and the more than $200 million being spent by Yusen Terminals in Los Angeles, all aimed at keeping containers moving without the diesel mess. Together, these initiatives signal a broader industry shift toward zero-emission freight operations at major US ports.
Source: CALSTART. Featured image via Volvo Trucks.
