After nearly two years of work, the Puget Sound Zero Emission Truck Collaborative (the Collaborative) is excited to release the Decarbonizing Drayage Roadmap to 2050 (the Roadmap) – a shared vision and strategy to guide the transition to zero-emission drayage trucks in the Puget Sound region. The Collaborative was founded in 2023 with funding support from the Washington State Department of Transportation and The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA). Led by a third-party facilitator and technical team, more than 25 members representing the freight industry, community groups, tribes, utilities and truck drivers met regularly to analyze key issues and understand what is needed to ensure an equitable and effective transition to zero-emission drayage trucks at ports. This comprehensive and collaborative approach culminated in the Roadmap, which includes nearly 70 recommendations aimed at making zero-emission trucks more available and affordable, building out the necessary charging and fueling infrastructure, and supporting the drayage trucking community through what will be a challenging transition. Development of the Roadmap was guided by significant input from drayage truck drivers, representing a driver industry of almost 5,000 regular truck drivers in the NWSA gateway.

“The NWSA has a goal of eliminating seaport-related emissions by 2050 or sooner, but getting there will not happen overnight. Converting the large drayage fleet that serves our ports to zero emission technology is a monumental transition, and with any transition this large there are going to be challenges. By starting early, developing a plan of this magnitude and deliberation, with all the partners at the table, we are off to the right start” said NWSA Co-Chair and Port of Tacoma Commission President John McCarthy.

The robust process included sub committees to review some of the stickiest challenges the transition will face, including financing and funding, vehicle affordability and access (including developing markets for used zero-emission trucks), equity, and infrastructure. Key recommendations include expanding financial incentives to bring ZEVs into cost parity with diesel, ensuring the availability of maintenance and services for new technologies, and developing publicly accessible charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The Roadmap emphasizes equitable access by supporting independent owner-operators and small businesses through education, financing assistance, and technical support. Recognizing the scale of this transition, the Roadmap calls for near-, medium-, and long-term actions, including launching demonstration projects, securing long-term funding, and proactive utility planning and collaboration to ensure sufficient electricity infrastructure for vehicle charging.

Transportation accounts for almost 30% of GHG emissions in the U.S., of which medium and heavy-duty vehicles make up about a quarter. According to the most recent Puget Sound Maritime Emissions Inventory (PSEI), diesel pollution from drayage trucks is down 87% since 2016, while climate pollution is down 4%. Still, truck emissions represent about six percent of all seaport-related diesel pollution and about 30% of all seaport-related climate pollution in the region, emissions that disproportionately impact communities living near port operations and along freight corridors.

"The Zero Emission Truck Collaborative Roadmap is a critical guiding document that will support the transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), including drayage trucks. As an organization seeking to
uplift the voices of the Duwamish Valley, a near-Port community highly impacted by diesel particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), we believe this plan will help reduce the high health disparities we see in our community - like childhood asthma, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and shorter life expectancies - and further Washington's climate goals" said Mia Ayala-Marshall, the Clean Air Program Manager for the Duwamish River Community Coalition.

Drayage trucks and drayage truck drivers are a critical part of the supply chain ecosystem, making thousands of trips to and from our port terminals every day. They move everything from agricultural goods from Washinton farmers out to export, and imports from around the globe into homes across the U.S.

“Trucking, and truck drivers, are the lifeblood of our economy. When we go to the grocery store, get new shoes or a new car, or order something online, all these goods are brought to us by trucks. This Roadmap lays out a sensible, phased pathway for taking the necessary steps toward a zero-emission future while supporting this vital industry” said Sheri Call, President & CEO of the Washington Trucking Association.

Most drivers are independent owner operators with the next largest category being small trucking companies that own less than 10 trucks.

“Drayage trucking is a mostly small business enterprise, and many of the drivers that serve our ports today own and operate their own company. These small businesses support not just their families but enrich their communities. Many of our truck drivers are also our neighbors. Improved air quality for the region is improved air quality for them, both while driving and at home. The thoughtful and deliberate planning that is summarized in this Roadmap is essential to maintaining and supporting that diverse small business ecosystem” said Peter Gishuru, President & CEO of the African Chamber of Commerce.

This transition has already begun, with the State of Washington launching an incentive program for new and used zero-emission trucks in 2025 and the NWSA issuing an RFP for a zero-emission incentive program last year. The award for the NWSA RFP is expected this spring and, with it, the first zero emission drayage trucks visiting ports this year. The NWSA program, funded by the Washinton State Climate Commitment Act (CCA), highlights the need for supportive partnerships to the success of this transition. The CCA and the importance of continuing to provide clean transportation funding was recently affirmed by Washington’s voters. In an uncertain federal environment, it is more critical than ever before that we work together to make these necessary investments.

“The Northwest Seaport Alliance and the trade that comes through our gateway are responsible for up to 40% of the jobs in Washington state. The roughly 5,000 drayage drivers that call our ports are a critical part of that economic ecosystem and supporting those jobs through this transition is a key priority. We can and will advance a clean energy economy that is robust, thriving and sustainable. We are strongly committed to a region that where our economy, our air, our environment and our community collectively thrive” said NWSA Managing Member and Port of Seattle Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed.

Following the release of the Roadmap the Collaborative will continue their work by supporting the implementation of the recommendations. For more information please see the full Collaborative membership, the full Decarbonizing Drayage: Roadmap to 2050 and the Roadmap’s Executive Summary.

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What Collaborative Members are saying:

“Washington’s ports are an important driver of our state’s economy, and the thousands of trucks that visit the ports each day can also help to drive our switch to cleaner transportation and deliver better air quality to our communities,” said Casey Sixkiller, director of the Washington Department of Ecology. “The zero-emission roadmap is an important step toward accelerating the shift to a clean energy economy and reducing a major source of carbon pollution.”

"This Roadmap is the result of a multi-sector planning effort working with drayage drivers, trucking companies, experts in the vehicle and infrastructure space, and community members most impacted by drayage truck emissions," said Pacific Northwest Economic Region – Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (PNWER RIA) Program Director Bruce Agnew, "The PNWER RIA team celebrates this milestone report that ensures the transition to zero-emission technologies is equitable and in coordination with the needs of stakeholders."

“The Zero Emission Truck Collaborative Roadmap is a critical blueprint for cutting harmful emissions, which account for 85% of the cancer risk from air toxics, while also tackling climate pollution. This plan ensures a smooth, equitable transition that protects public health and supports the region’s economic and environmental goals” said Christine Cooley, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

“The recommendations outlined in the Roadmap, such as providing financial incentives for zero-emission vehicle adoption and developing publicly available charging infrastructure, will support not only the drayage community, but the whole region by cutting climate pollution and helping clean our air,” said Leah Missik, Acting Washington Director of Climate Solutions.