Ports of L.A., Long Beach order Volvo, Mack trucks

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach recently ordered new Volvo and Mack trucks as part of the ports’ initial purchases for their “Clean Trucks Program.”

Volvo Trucks North America officials announced this past week that they will produce 100 VNL 300 daycabs for the Clean Truck Program, which is scheduled to eventually replace 16,000 drayage trucks.

The VNL 300’s feature Volvo D13 engines rated at 405 horsepower, and meet the California Air Resources Board’s low-NOx idling standards.

Mack Trucks Inc. officials announced they received 100 orders for the Mack Pinnacle Axle Back daycab tractors for the ports. The Pinnacle daycabs come with 395-hp Mack MP7 engines certified to California’s low-NOx idle requirements at less than 30 grams of oxides of nitrogen emitted per idling hour.

Both ports have approved programs that will require trucks to meet 2007 engine emissions standards by December 2012, although that implementation may be delayed because of legal and regulatory action.

Both ports now face a civil lawsuit filed by the American Trucking Association. The suit is aimed at blocking the programs’ implementation of a concessions agreement that would allow only trucks from port-approved companies access to the ports.

Also, the Federal Maritime Commission has authority over approving the plans’ operation as it relates to interstate commerce, and has requested more information from the ports about the Clean Trucks Program.

Trucks with pre-1989 model year engines will be barred from entering the ports beginning Oct. 1 this year.

OOIDA has discussed the use of a day-pass system for temporary port access for long-haul truck drivers that make infrequent port visits at the Port of Los Angeles. Geraldine Knatz, Port of Los Angeles executive director, has said such a system will be put in place.

Mack sees drop in truck orders

Deliveries of Mack Trucks took a downward turn in June, dropping 10.1 percent compared with the same month a year ago.

The drop followed two months of upward momentum for the Allentown manufacturer, which has seen its sales plummet in response to a housing construction slump and sluggish shipping industry.

Mack in June delivered 1,482 trucks to dealers, down from 1,649 the year before. The company does not build trucks on speculation, so deliveries directly represent customer orders.

The company has faced a protracted slump in truck sales that began in 2007. It was initially attributed to new emission standards that made trucks more expensive. But the demand drop has lasted much longer than the company initially anticipated as home building and freight shipping slowed and the overall U.S. economy headed south.

”It is still difficult to predict exactly when market conditions will improve,” Mack spokesman John Walsh said. ”Faced with higher operating costs and economic uncertainty, customers for the most part continue to take a wait-and-see attitude, delaying new mack truck purchases.”

Mack continues to work on improving the fuel economy of its trucks in response to record-high fuel prices, Walsh said.

In 2007, Mack delivered 18,600 trucks, down 50 percent from 2006. Through June 2008, the company has shipped 8,585 trucks to dealers, down 2.7 percent from the first six months of 2007.

The company had laid off employees in anticipation of a tough economy entering 2007, and currently employs about 550 workers at its plant in Lower Macungie Township. About 1,000 more work at its Allentown headquarters and testing site.