Trucks, as a key component of the freight network, are essential to the prosperity of the NYC region, but bring with them a host of issues such as noise, emissions, and congestion, impacting especially disadvantaged neighborhoods. Electric trucks can mitigate some of these impacts, but convincing delivery operators to convert their fleets to electric vehicles has been difficult due to the costs.

Green Loading Zones (GLZs) creates a policy solution to incentivize the adoption of electric trucks. Delivery truck operators are assessed hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in parking fines tied to double parking while unloading, and they spend hours of wasted time and fuel circling for unloading spots.

Through the creation of curbside loading zones that are exclusively available to zero-emission commercial vehicles, operators would be greatly encouraged to use electric delivery trucks by reducing their parking fines, providing time-based delivery assurances, and reducing a truck’s need to circle. Fleet managers interviewed confirmed these multiple benefits of GLZs, specifically indicating access to GLZ would be as valuable to their operation as cash subsidies.