Post by vatruckinagnt on Nov 21, 2008 15:22:28 GMT -5
You owner-operator truckers should be writing letters to the FMC to stop this plan before they bring it here.
Traffic World
FMC Seeks to Block Clean-Trucks Plan
11 / 20 / 2008
By Bill Mongelluzzo
The U.S. District Court in Washington will hear arguments Dec. 5 by the Federal Maritime Commission and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on the FMC's request to block certain portions of the ports' clean-trucks program.
The FMC in a filing is seeking a preliminary injunction against those portions of the clean-truck concession plans that the commission believes will restrict trucking competition and result in an unreasonable increase in freight rates at the busiest U.S. container import gateway.
Specifically, the FMC in its filing Monday asked the court to restrain the Port of Los Angeles from taking further action on its requirement that only licensed motor carriers with employee drivers be allowed to operate at the port. Long Beach does not have an employee driver mandate.
Also, the commission asked the court to enjoin both ports from establishing truck purchase incentives and subsidies for some motor carriers but not for certain classes of operators.
Likewise, the FMC is seeking to prevent the ports from charging clean-truck fees for some operators but also establishing exemptions from those fees for certain operators.
The court announced the hearing date on Tuesday. The FMC in October announced its intention to seek a preliminary injunction. Since then, the commission has reached out to the ports in an effort to get them to change the objectionable provisions and therefore avoid court action. Apparently unable to reach agreement with the ports, the commission filed a motion for injunctive relief with the court.
The ports delayed collection of the clean-truck fee, which was scheduled to begin on Nov. 17. It is not certain when importers and exporters will have to begin paying the fee.
Los Angeles responded to the FMC action by charging that it strikes at the heart of the port's ability to reduce harmful pollution from harbor trucks. On Oct. 1, all pre-1989 trucks were banned from the harbor and since then more than 2,000 new, low-emission trucks entered service, the port stated.
"This action further demonstrates the FMC's fundamental misunderstanding of the ports' clean-trucks program and underscores the inappropriateness of the FMC's attempts to intervene and block programs that are outside of its expertise or jurisdiction," the Port of Los Angeles stated in a press release.
Traffic World
FMC Seeks to Block Clean-Trucks Plan
11 / 20 / 2008
By Bill Mongelluzzo
The U.S. District Court in Washington will hear arguments Dec. 5 by the Federal Maritime Commission and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on the FMC's request to block certain portions of the ports' clean-trucks program.
The FMC in a filing is seeking a preliminary injunction against those portions of the clean-truck concession plans that the commission believes will restrict trucking competition and result in an unreasonable increase in freight rates at the busiest U.S. container import gateway.
Specifically, the FMC in its filing Monday asked the court to restrain the Port of Los Angeles from taking further action on its requirement that only licensed motor carriers with employee drivers be allowed to operate at the port. Long Beach does not have an employee driver mandate.
Also, the commission asked the court to enjoin both ports from establishing truck purchase incentives and subsidies for some motor carriers but not for certain classes of operators.
Likewise, the FMC is seeking to prevent the ports from charging clean-truck fees for some operators but also establishing exemptions from those fees for certain operators.
The court announced the hearing date on Tuesday. The FMC in October announced its intention to seek a preliminary injunction. Since then, the commission has reached out to the ports in an effort to get them to change the objectionable provisions and therefore avoid court action. Apparently unable to reach agreement with the ports, the commission filed a motion for injunctive relief with the court.
The ports delayed collection of the clean-truck fee, which was scheduled to begin on Nov. 17. It is not certain when importers and exporters will have to begin paying the fee.
Los Angeles responded to the FMC action by charging that it strikes at the heart of the port's ability to reduce harmful pollution from harbor trucks. On Oct. 1, all pre-1989 trucks were banned from the harbor and since then more than 2,000 new, low-emission trucks entered service, the port stated.
"This action further demonstrates the FMC's fundamental misunderstanding of the ports' clean-trucks program and underscores the inappropriateness of the FMC's attempts to intervene and block programs that are outside of its expertise or jurisdiction," the Port of Los Angeles stated in a press release.