Contact Information: Editor Contact: Andy Garcia GSC Logistics 510-884-3702 -- or -- Jean McClymonds Just Marketing, Inc. (209) 533-7800, ext. 2
GSC Logistics Prepared to Fill the 'Gap' as California Air Resources Board's Strict 'Green' Fleet Standards Take Effect January 1, 2010
| Source: GSC Logistics
OAKLAND, CA--(Marketwire - December 10, 2009) - California is committed to help 'clear the air'
of dirty truck fumes, and GSC Logistics, Inc. (GSC), the industry's
forward-thinking logistics provider, is ready to pitch in. The company's
entire fleet meets the strict greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits set by
the California Air Resources Board (CARB), which take effect January 2010.
Many independents owner operators, however, are not, which poses a huge
threat to cargo coming into the Port of Oakland.
"Shippers, beneficial cargo owners, and vessel lines could be in a world of
hurt in just a couple of weeks," said Andy Garcia, chairman and executive
vice president of GSC Logistics. "Because of an inability to meet trucking
CARB regulations, it's been reported that the Port of Oakland will be
facing a nearly 50 percent reduction in the number of drivers serving its
port. Now is the time for anyone related to the cargo industry to make
alternate plans -- one of those is to make the switch to a clean truck
fleet like GSC who won't be banned from entering the port."
In November 2009, as many as 1,000 Oakland area truck drivers learned that
they won't receive grants from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
(BAAQMD) to bring their trucks up to the new CARB code, which includes the
installation of diesel filters -- costing up to $20,000 to install -- on
all pre-1994 trucks. For most small independent truckers, this retrofit is
simply out of reach without financial assistance.
In addition, trucks owners have been denied an extension to retrofit their
rigs. This means that access into the Port of Oakland marine terminals will
be restricted to only those trucks that have met the new CARB standards.
With time dwindling, only a few solutions remain. One is that BAAQMD or
CARB release additional funding for truck retrofits. Another is that the
deadline for compliance is pushed out. Neither seems a possibility at this
time. Thus, the only course of action left for many shippers, vessel lines
and others related to the cargo movement industry is to reach out to new
trucking partners.
Unlike other carriers, GSC is not under pressure to comply with CARB. The
company has worked aggressively for more than a year to ensure that its
entire fleet was retrofitted to meet the new 'green' CARB standards. This
100-percent compliance means that all GSC trucks will be allowed to enter
the Port of Oakland and conduct business as usual. For GSC customers, this
forward-thinking approach adds up to the perfect solution -- dependability,
service, and cleaner air.
About GSC Logistics, Inc.
GSC Logistics, headquartered at the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif.,
provides high quality, third-party logistics services and operates a
state-of-the-art hub for deconsolidation, transloading and consolidation,
as well as just-in-time transportation services for the Greater Bay Area
and northern California region.
GSC's facility also features dynamic technology systems to enable
connectivity, communication, management, and process control of cargo, as
well as to provide customers with the robust visibility they need to
operate their businesses effectively. GSC Logistics has a known reputation
for employing the "best" people and offering the "best" services provided
at the "best" port for any logistical challenge. More information about GSC
Logistics can be found on the company's web site at www.gschq.com.