The Problem

Prior to the deregulation of the trucking industry in 1980, port truck drivers enjoyed a middle class standard of living. Today, big box retailers and steam ship lines are fueling a race to the bottom, forcing trucking companies to compete by undercutting each other and paying drivers less. Since deregulation, many trucking companies shifted employees to "independent contractor" status. The trucking companies now pass the cost of owning and maintaining trucks onto drivers and avoid paying payroll taxes, Social Security, Medicare and workers' compensation. The result is a workforce that's living in poverty.

Sweatshop Working Conditions: After clearing expenses, many truck drivers make as little as $8 an hour and receive no benefits. They can barely support their families and cannot afford health care let alone truck replacements, upgrades and maintenance required to meet new State mandated environmental standards.

A broken port trucking system forces drivers to sit idle in their trucks for hours everyday while their trucks spew out toxic diesel emissions that the truckers and residents of the surrounding port communities are forced to breathe.

Public Health Crisis

Port diesel pollution is associated with high rates of cancer and asthma. Diesel pollution is five times higher in West Oakland than in other parts of Alameda county.

The California Air Resources Board conducted a Health Risk Assessment study of West Oakland that found that West Oakland residents are about 2 1/2 times more likely to get cancer than other people living in the Bay Area. The elevated potential risk levels are primarily due to on-road trucks. In addition, the study found 18 potential premature deaths annually occurring among people 30 years and older, 290 asthma attacks, 2,600 days of work lost and 15,000 "minor restricted activity episodes".

According to the American Lung Association, one in five West Oakland children has asthma, and the West Oakland area has the highest asthma hospitalization rates in California.

Chronic Unemployment

West Oakland residents living in the neighborhoods next to the Port, who are primarily low-income, receive all the health risks of truck pollution, but none of the economic benefits. Trucking companies offer no effective local hire programs for West Oakland residents.

Responsible Business Undercut

Responsible trucking companies who treat workers with respect and use less polluting trucks are being put at a competitive disadvantage by trucking firms and big box shippers who drive rates down by abusing the broken system.

The Solution

The Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports strongly supports the adoption of a comprehensive Clean Trucks Program by the Oakland Port Commission that would:

• require all port trucking firms to enter into concession agreements that incorporate environmental, community and labor standards;
• grant "independent" drivers employee status, giving them the right to join a union and organize for better working conditions;
• require trucking companies to operate only clean emission trucks;
• provide off-street parking for trucks outside residential neighborhoods;
• create a strong local hire program for Oakland residents; and
• support small, local businesses to meet the standards.

Historic Victory at Los Angeles Harbor

In March, 2008, the Los Angeles Harbor Commission voted unanimously to approve a strong and sustainable diesel emissions reduction plan that requires the trucking industry to to buy and maintain a clean-techology fleet and to employ truck drivers who currently operate as "independent contractors." The Los Angeles program serves as a model for how to make all West coast ports green and work friendly.

Port of Oakland

The seven-member Board of Port Commissioners is responsible for management of the Port Department. The day to day operations of the Port are run by Executive Director Omar Benjamin and other Port of Oakland officials.

The Port of Oakland is developing a Comprehensive Truck Management Plan. In March, 2008, the Port Commission began the process of instituting a new trucking model to reduce diesel emissions. In an effort to achieve an 85% reduction in health risk from its operations by 2020, the Commission voted unanimously to levy fees on containers passing through the Port. The fees are expected to generate $520 million and will be used to mitigate air pollution by retrofitting and replacing dirty trucks.

The Commission directed Port staff to hire a consultant to conduct an Economic Impact Study on making drivers employees of the trucking companies, and to report back to the Commission on the next steps to phase in the Comprehensive Truck Management Program by the end of June.

The Commission, however, failed to include any language that addresses how to institute an effective local hire program. Questions also remain as to how much of the old dirty truck fleet will be replaced through the container fees. How much of the costs of truck replacement, upgrades and maintenance be shouldered by low-wage truck drivers?