Charleston, SC - The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) today launched a new voluntary program to help truck owners replace older trucks with newer, cleaner rigs. That means truckers can earn some extra green, while they go green at the same time.
Seaport Truck Air Cleanup Southeast, or STACS, is a voluntary truck replacement program that provides truck owners who are frequent port users a financial incentive to replace pre-1994 model trucks with 2004 or newer models.
Eligible truck owners can get a $5,000 incentive, plus the scrap value of their pre-1994 truck, to use toward the purchase of a newer, cleaner truck.
The incentive for the program is funded by the SCPA, along with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) through an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant.
This is the first such truck replacement program in the region.
Importantly, the program will help make upgraded equipment attainable and financially viable for all truck owners, both companies and independent owner-operators.
"Trucks are the backbone of any port, so our goal is to help drivers and truck owners purchase newer and more efficient rigs," said Jim Newsome. "Newer trucks can reduce operating and maintenance costs, while also reducing emissions. It's a practical solution for improving air quality and enhancing the flow of commerce."
"This is a great extension of DHEC's air partnership with the Ports Authority, which began in 2007," said Myra C. Reece, chief of DHEC's bureau of air quality. "Thanks to funding from the EPA under a State Clean Diesel Grant, DHEC is able to support this program that will reduce emissions and improve air quality."