The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and clean transportation nonprofit CALSTART have announced two incentive programmes totalling US$ 45 million to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission drayage trucks, terminal tractors and supporting charging infrastructure at the Port of New York and New Jersey.
The programmes will commence this autumn with CALSTART serving as programme designer and administrator.
The Clean Truck Incentive programme will deploy up to US$ 39 million in point-of-sale vouchers for the purchase of zero-emission drayage trucks, yard tractors and supporting charging infrastructure.
The US$ 5 million Green Drayage Accelerator programme will award up to five electric truck charging hubs located within 10 miles of Port Authority seaport and marine terminal facilities.
To ensure transparency and measure long-term impact, CALSTART will build and operate dynamic tracking dashboards monitoring deployment, vehicle performance and charger utilisation across port operations, with full transfer to the Port Authority in 2028.
The programmes are funded through a US$ 451 million EPA Clean Ports Program grant, the largest sustainability grant in Port Authority history.
Beyond the CALSTART-administered programmes, the grant will fund the deployment of electric cargo handling equipment at marine terminals and the installation of vessel shore power infrastructure allowing container ships to shut down auxiliary engines while at berth.
A separate US$ 3 million EPA planning grant will fund the creation of a Port Community Advisory Council.
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole highlighted that zero-emission trucks operating through port gates reach warehouses and distribution hubs across the region, meaning cleaner port operations translate to cleaner air for every community along freight routes.
Executive Director Kathryn Garcia described the incentive programmes as making it financially realistic for drayage operators to transition to zero-emission equipment.
CALSTART Executive Vice President Alycia Gilde emphasised that deploying zero-emission trucks at scale requires pairing accessible vehicle incentives with reliable, high-capacity charging infrastructure to lower the barrier to entry for port operators.
