Health and equity impacts from electrifying drayage trucks

Diesel heavy-duty drayage trucks (HDDTs) serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in Southern California are large contributors to regional air pollution, but cost remains an obstacle to replacing them with zero-emission HDDTs. To quantify the health and equity impacts of operating diesel HDDTs, we built a microscopic simulation model of a regional freeway network and quantified their emissions of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter < 2.5 mu m) and CO2 in 2012 and 2035, before estimating their contribution to selected health outcomes. We found that 483 premature deaths ($5.59 billion) and 15,468 asthma attacks could be attributed to HDDTs in 2012. Regulations and technological advances could shrink these impacts to 106 premature deaths ($1.31 billion) and 2,142 asthma attacks in 2035 (over 2/3 accruing to disadvantaged communities) despite population growth and a 145 % jump in drayage traffic, but they still justify replacing diesel HDDTs with zero-emission HDDTs by 2035.

Automated summary

Diesel heavy-duty drayage trucks serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are major contributors to air pollution in Southern California. Despite the high cost, it is necessary to replace them with zero-emission trucks to reduce premature deaths and asthma attacks. This study found that in 2012, these trucks contributed to 483 premature deaths and 15,468 asthma attacks. However, with regulations and technological advances, the impacts could be reduced to 106 premature deaths and 2,142 asthma attacks by 2035.