The Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved a new Clean Truck Fund (CTF) spending plan for fiscal years 2025 through 2027, directing an estimated $120 million toward zero-emission (ZE) truck deployment and supporting infrastructure. The three-year plan will guide how CTF revenues will be allocated to meet the Port’s 2035 zero-emission drayage goal.
Lisa Wunder, acting director of environmental management at the Port, emphasized that this new plan serves as a flexible framework for how funds will be used, not a commitment to specific projects. Individual programs and proposals will return to the board for approval as they are developed.
As of April 2025, the Port has collected more than $130 million, with $125 million available for investment after administrative costs. Of that, only $13 million has been spent to date, despite $94 million being earmarked, highlighting the need for accelerated implementation.
Key initiatives from the past three years are continuing and expanding under the new plan:
- Zero-Emission Truck Vouchers: The Port will continue offering ZE truck purchase incentives — $75,000 per truck for fleets with 21-49 trucks and $100,000 for fleets with 20 or fewer trucks. More than 100 vouchers have already been redeemed to date, with more than 200 pending.
- Infrastructure Partnerships: $12.5 million has been committed toward public charging infrastructure at eight regional sites in collaboration with the South Coast AQMD. A new public charging station in Wilmington is also in the contracting phase.
- Demonstration and RFP Programs: The Port is preparing to release additional requests for proposals this summer under the $412 million “Clean Ports” grant. That includes $25 million in CTF funds to be matched with $50 million in federal grant dollars for the purchase of battery-electric trucks.
- Support for External Grant Proposals: The Port has committed $6 million in co-funding to support California Energy Commission grant applications for highway charging projects.
Wunder acknowledged that although funding is robust, uptake has been slow due to barriers like high fuel and insurance costs, infrastructure limitations, and uncertainty around state and federal regulatory enforcement. For example, CARB’s waiver to mandate 100% ZE drayage by 2035 was recently rescinded by the EPA, weakening the regulatory “stick” that might have driven faster fleet turnover.
Recognizing these realities, the new plan emphasizes targeted RFPs, increased incentives, and continued infrastructure support, with the flexibility to shift allocations based on market readiness.
While the plan passed unanimously, commissioners raised important concerns. Commissioner Bettis questioned whether current incentive levels are sufficient without strong regulatory pressure. He supported the plan but urged staff to explore larger “carrots” to accelerate adoption.
Commissioner Renwick took a more critical stance, calling the current CTF revenue structure a “failed idea.” He warned that the $10 per TEU fee — intended to be paid by cargo owners — often trickles down to independent drayage drivers, many of whom are low-income immigrants.
“We are taxing the wrong people,” Renwick said, advocating for a full reassessment of how CTF funds are collected and distributed.
Commissioner Williams called for a more holistic view of infrastructure investment, emphasizing the need to understand how Port dollars are being leveraged with external funding and how total infrastructure capacity aligns with the number of ZE trucks deployed.
