Today’s Pickup: California ports to charge clean truck fee

Clean Truck fund

Good day,

Adding to the spate of environmental regulations governing freight movement at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the two facilities are working on a new fee-based program aimed at transitioning fleets to zero emissions by 2035. 

In a recently released  draft of its economic study for a Clean Truck Fund rate, a project directed by the 2017 Clean Air Action Plan update, the ports have proposed a fee of $10 per loaded 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) or $20 per loaded 40-foot equivalent unit (FEU). The fees would be charged to beneficial cargo owners (BCO) for containers hauled by truck. Zero-emission and Low-NOx vehicles would be exempt.

Did you know?

Mexico’s poinsettia exports are expected to total around $15.9 million in 2019, while Christmas ornaments generate $3 million to $4.5 million annually.

Via FreightWaves

Quotable:

“Returns provide opportunities for product re-use through secondary marketplaces, reducing environmental impact and allowing retailers to recapture a portion of a product’s value.

– A CBRE report documenting the challenges and opportunities associated with rise in holiday returns, via Supplychaindive

In other news:

Rivian giving Tesla a run for its money

Tesla may lose its big lead in the electrical vehicle market, as momentum and money follows rival startup Rivian. (Benzinga)

The town that lost a Walmart

How a small town in Texas survived the loss of a big box anchor store. (NYTimes)

Stabbing at Oregon truck stop under investigation as hate crime

A man seeking a job at an Arby’s restaurant at an Oregon truck stop was abruptly stabbed “without provocation.” (OregonLive)

Last minute holiday delivery

The last delivery Amazon made before Christmas 2019 was at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 24 in the company’s hometown, Seattle. (Marketwatch)

Next Gear Ventures raises $30M Israel auto-tech fund

The money will be used for investments in early-stage Israeli companies in the smart mobility and smart cities sectors. (englobes)

Final thoughts,

A sheriff’s office in Florida didn’t get any assistance from Amazon after catching one of the e-giant’s drivers stealing a customer’s package, according to an article in the Seattle Times. As the Times reported, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested the driver after detectives tracked down the vehicle he was using from homeowners’ association video and video from the residence where the package was stolen. But one of Amazon’s  loss prevention managers told detectives the retailer would not cooperate with law enforcement and identify its driver unless the sheriff’s office served a subpoena for its records at the corporate headquarters in Delaware.

Hammer down everyone!