DTCI provides expert opinion on the Impact of Environmental Regulations on the Southern California warehouse and trucking industries. (2023)
Mr. Davies provided expert advice on the for South Coast Air Quality Management District in a suit filed by the California Trucking Association related to Indirect Source environmental regulations on truck visits to warehouses. The SCAQMD Rule requires large warehouse operators to earn points from a menu of actions to reduce emissions within the South Coast Air Basin. The scope of the project included assessment of compliance strategies likely to be adopted by the warehouse industry, a review of preliminary compliance data received by SCAQMD from warehouse operators, and evaluation of the claim that the Rule is effectively a mandate that forces warehouse operators to purchase or contract with others to purchase electric trucks. A Summary Judgement was issued in SCAQMD’s favor on December 14, 2023.
DTCI completes study on coast-wide transportation of Pilots within BC for Pacific Pilotage Authority (2023)
DTCI was engaged by the Pacific Pilotage Authority PPA for a study focusing on the efficient and effective management of BC coastal marine pilot’s travel time and costs. This project was undertaken in collaboration with Darryl Anderson and Licker Geospatial Consulting. The Pacific Pilotage Authority (PPA) has a mandate to provide a safe and efficient marine pilotage service on the west coast of Canada from Washington State in the south to the State of Alaska in the north. The BC Coast Pilots Ltd., a private company, contracts its pilotage services to the PPA for mandatory pilotage in all areas except the Fraser River. Use of a marine pilot is mandatory in these waters for all vessels over 350 Gross Tonnes. Travel costs for BC marine pilots increased dramatically during the COVID pandemic, particularly for air transportation services as service on many interprovincial routes was reduced or cancelled. The scope of the project included analysis of BC Coastal Pilots’ travel patterns based on vessel movements in coastal waters; dispatch efficiency impacts on travel costs; and procurement strategies for air transportation, accommodation, and ground transportation.
DTCI leads Rail and Road impact studies for Environmental Assessment of the Proposed GCT Deltaport Expansion Berth Four Project (2023)
DTCI led these studies for GCT Canada to provide expert reports to be submitted to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office.
The road impact analysis was undertaken in collaboration with IBI Group (now Arcadis) and Licker Geospatial Consulting. The scope of the project included updated forecasts of West Coast, Port of Vancouver and Deltaport container traffic; forecasts of Deltaport and DP4 road traffic, including number of trucks and truck movements, type, size, destination (imports/exports), and capacity of trucks, approximate timing of arrivals and departures, and increases relative to existing traffic volumes along various segments of highway in the road transportation area; forecast of types of cargo to be carried including hazardous materials or hazard classes, and origin and destination of inbound and outbound trucks; description and mapping of the existing road network in the Lower Mainland including a description of truck carriers and routes; forecasts of total traffic to confirm the relative proportion of trucks associated with the project compared to overall traffic beyond the road transportation area, north to include the City of Richmond, and east to an outer extent of the City of Hope; and detailed traffic impacts at locations where the percentage of project-related truck volume is greater or equal to 1% compared to overall traffic.
The rail impact analysis was undertaken in collaboration with Hooper Engineering and Licker Geospatial Consulting. The geographic extent of rail transportation incidental to the project includes the rail lines that will be used by project-related rail traffic between the Deltaport terminal, up to Spuzzum, B.C. at the northern boundary of S’ólh Téméxw or Stó:lō Territory. The scope of the rail study includes forecasts of Lower Mainland cargo movements and total train traffic; information on origins and destinations of trains and Dangerous Goods shipments; estimates and forecasts of wait times at road and public grade crossings; a review of relevant statutes, polices and frameworks; accidents and assessment of risk due to incremental DP4 rail traffic along the Rail Transportation Route; emergency response; and potential mitigation measures.
The deadline for completion of the Environmental Assessment has been extended to May 31, 2027.
DTCI provides expert opinion on the impact of the COVID pandemic on TransPacific ocean shipping rates (2023)
Mr. Davies testified for a client in a commercial arbitration case related to construction project cost overruns due to increased shipping rates for containers from Asia to Vancouver during the COVID pandemic. The scope of the project included completion of an Expert Report estimating the impact of the pandemic on the client’s shipping rates; rebuttal to the opposition’s Expert Report; and testimony at the arbitration hearing.