Shippers Appeal to NY, Newark on Harbor Truckers

A broad group of retailers and other shippers called on the mayors of New York and Newark, N.J., to withdraw their support for changes in federal law that would allow local regulators to bar independent owner-operators from harbor trucking.

The 29 organizations, including the National Retail Federation and the National Industrial Transportation League, said they had “grave disappointment” with support the mayors announced Oct. 19 for the effort led by the Port of Los Angeles, which has targeted independent operators as part of its effort to limit truck pollution at the port.

Writing to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Newark Mayor Cory Booker, the groups noted legal challenges to the Los Angeles regulations have been aimed only at provisions focused on economic regulation and not those touching on emissions and the environment.

“The argument that port trucking services should be exempted from federal preemption in order to improve air quality is fallacious, and has nothing to do with clean air,” the letter said.

The groups noted Los Angeles officials have said the clean air effort is moving ahead of schedule at the port even though the provisions affecting drivers have not been implemented because courts have ruled they violate federal law.

“We fully support efforts by the ports, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, to improve their air quality,” the letter said. “However, there is absolutely no need for a change to longstanding federal law to achieve this goal, nor any justification on outlawing independent owner-operator trucking firms from serving our nation¹s ports.”

A full copy of the letter can be read here.