Natural Gas Trucks

Los Angeles-Long Beach Port Trucking Company Replacing Entire Diesel Truck Fleet with Near-Zero Emissions Natural Gas Trucks

 In Lead-up to Clean Air Day, Total Transportation Systems, Inc., teams up with Coalition for Clean Air to Celebrate the Switch

LONG BEACH, Calif. September 26, 2019 – Total Transportation Services Inc. (TTSI) today announced it is replacing its entire diesel trucking fleet with near-zero emission natural gas trucks, which it plans to fuel with carbon negative renewable natural gas. The announcement was made in conjunction with the non-profit Coalition for Clean Air (CCA) to raise awareness of the importance of natural and renewable gas trucking to help improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions the Los Angeles region, especially at the L.A. and Long Beach ports.

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), along with environmental health non-profit  BREATHE LA, fueling company Clean Energy, engine manufacturer Cummins Westport, and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) participated in today’s announcement. Twenty-five percent of TTSI’s investment in the new natural gas trucks was funded through CARB’s California Climate Investments initiative, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.

In any given month, 13,000 to 14,000 trucks call at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, emitting roughly 2,600 tons per year of smog-causing nitrogen-oxide emissions. TTSI’s 40 new near-zero emission heavy-duty compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks reduce this type of emissions by 90 percent. In addition, when fueled with renewable natural gas the trucks will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80 percent.

“If every one of the 14,000 trucks that call at these ports were changed to natural gas, it would have a major impact on air quality in the region,” said Vic LaRosa, President of TTSI. “We hope other haulers will follow our lead and make the switch as well.”

“Southern California needs to reduce its smog-forming emissions by 45 percent before 2023 to meet Federal standards,” said Dr. Joseph Lyou, President & CEO of Coalition for Clean Air. “Replacing diesel engines with near-zero emission trucks would take us a long way toward meeting Environmental Protection Agency rules and avoiding the loss of federal highway funding.”

“TTSI’s commitment to switch their fleet to 100% clean natural gas, battery electric, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles help bring advanced technologies to market scale deployment–technologies that are needed to meet our State air quality goals” said Michelle Buffington of the California Air Resources Board. “We applaud TTSI for their commitment to clean air and public health.”

“SoCalGas has been promoting the switch to natural gas heavy-duty trucks for years and has helped truckers and trucking companies replace at least 550 diesel trucks with clean natural gas trucks,” said Yuri Freedman, senior director of business development at SoCalGas. “That equates to taking about 30,000 cars off of California’s roads.”

“Clean Energy is proud to continue our partnership with TTSI in deploying this fleet of 40 CNG trucks, a journey that started 12 years ago,” said Greg Roche, vice president at Clean Energy. “The renewable natural gas used by these trucks will immediately and affordably drive down greenhouse gas emissions better than any other option available to trucking.”

“TTSI is helping lead the way towards cleaner air quality at the Ports,” said Marc Carrel, CEO and president at BREATHE California of Los Angeles County (BREATHE LA). “We applaud their commitment and hope to see other local trucking companies follow TTSI’s model by getting rid of their diesel fleets as well.”

 “Cummins Westport is proud to support a near-zero emissions strategy for our customers and industry,” said Tom Swenson, business development manager at Cummins Westport. “Our product line offers trucking businesses the benefits of performance and reliability at ultra-low emissions levels.”

TTSI’s analysis and testing of the Cummins Westport trucks found they met the company’s busy drayage operation needs. The trucks will be operated by TTSI’s Heavy Load Transfer, LLC division (Port Drayage).