About the Campaign

As the largest port complex on the East Coast and the third largest in the country, the Ports of New York and New Jersey are national assets and serve as critical economic engines regionally and nationally. An estimated $185 billion of merchandise come through one of the five major port facilities operated by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. The ports generate $15.5 billion in business activity for the regional economy and produce more than $2 billion in annual tax revenues for state and local governments.

According to a survey by Rutgers University, there are an estimated 7,000 port truck drivers that make regular calls to Port Authority terminals. Nearly three-quarters of these drivers are misclassified as “independent contractors” which means they are responsible for all of the costs of doing business, such as truck payments and maintenance and fuel costs and tolls. Port truck drivers classified as “independent contractors” earn as little as $28,000 annually or just under $10 an hour and work without health insurance or pension benefits.

As a result of this economic system, port truck drivers are often only able to afford to oldest and dirtiest trucks available. Beyond the negative consequences faced by port drivers and their families, communities located near ports or along major truck routes are saturated by toxic, deadly diesel pollution. According to the Clean Air Task Force, diesel pollution caused more than 1,755 premature deaths in New York and New Jersey – nearly 3 times the number of homicides across both states in 2009.

There is growing political pressure on the Port Authority to adopt a comprehensive clean truck program that would not only put thousands of new, clean trucks into service at the ports, but also fix the broken system that forces port truck drivers into a vicious cycle of working poverty. Not only has the New York City Council passed a resolution demanding change at the ports, but Mayors Bloomberg and Booker have also actively spoken out in solidarity with port truck drivers, environmentalists and community advocates.

Leading the fight for clean air and good jobs in New York and New Jersey is the Coalition for Healthy Ports, a bi-state alliance of environmental activists, truck drivers, faith leaders, labor unions and community.

Member Organizations of the Coalition for Healthy Ports include:

American Stevedoring, Inc.

Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions

Brooklyn Community Board 6

Brooklyn Working Families Party

Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association

Drum Major Institute

Environment New Jersey

For a Better Bronx

Garden State Alliance for a New Economy

Greenfaith

Ironbound Community Corporation