Drayage

Expected and unexpected challenges have marked the start of the electronic logging device mandate era — magnifying shipper concerns about inadequate truck capacity and rising rates.

Truckers seek “dual transactions,” or revenue moves in both directions and at LA-LB, technology will play a key role in achieving that goal, which will also reduce turn times — getting cargo to its destination quicker.

Beneficial cargo owners see the advantage of warehouse space closer to the port, but that locale is not without a downside.

Extended, frigid weather and high freight demand have collided in the US heartland’s freight hub, squeezing an already tight drayage market.

Nearly nine years after ocean carriers began transferring their chassis to lessors, beneficial cargo owners, truckers, and other supply chain participants are still wrestling with issues of cost, control, and choice, amid a fragmented system.

The prohibition of engines dated 1994 or 1995, replaced a proposal that — until it was pulled two years ago — would have banned more than 4,000 trucks with engines dated 2007 or older.

“The question is how to pay for them.”

The Teamsters said it hopes the vote will lay the groundwork for other victories in the union’s uphill, decade-long effort to organize US port drayage.

The ports and their stakeholders are using big data and data sharing to drive process improvements for trucker appointments, chassis management, and extended gate hours.

Providing a smooth pick up and drop off of chassis is seen by port stakeholders as key to the port’s future efficiency.

Truckers who last week had complained of delays they said had stretched to several hours in some cases said the terminal now is turning around trucks in less than 90 minutes.

A time slot booking system has been launched at Hamburg as the port tries to smooth out the spikes caused by increasing mega-ship calls.

Truckers in LA-LB, and increasingly at other ports, are charging beneficial cargo owner customers for excessive time their drivers spend at congested marine terminals.

The competitive service contract market has required major international carriers to make chassis available to many customers, despite carriers' vision to end chassis provision.

Hundreds of containers are stranded at the terminal and off-site yards.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Nov. 2 approved new zero and near-zero emission guidelines.

The 2017 Clean Air Action Plan that the ports adopted this week is an environmental document that will guide investment decisions by terminal operators and motor carriers in Southern California for the next 20 years.

Houston is adjusting operations and investing heavily in infrastructure to meet heightened competition for US resin exports.

Latest Teamsters organizing effort focuses on changing owner-operator model and federal pollution rules governing ports.

Graef helped establish CPG in 1971.

The second-largest US provider of chassis, Direct ChassisLink Inc., has agreed to acquire the domestic fleet of the sector’s top provider.

The ports’ sheer volume of cargo, and more importantly, the container moves per vessel call, are where the problem starts.

Port officials said that although the depot is no substitute for a port-wide gray pool, it will help provide easier access to chassis.

The move is in response to signs that carriers are moving away from providing gensets.

Concerns over the supply of truck drivers and the resulting increases in trucking rates will likely grow in the coming months.

The revised rates took effect October 1 and will remain in force until March 31, 2019.

The pool is the latest sign of the strong demand for chassis with radial tires and LED lights.

Southern California truckers welcome eModal's new predictive visibility feature.

In the wake of the collapse of discussions to create a New York-New Jersey chassis pool, there has been a shrugging of shoulders among some in the industry.

Once skeptical of appointment systems, truckers at the Port of New York and New Jersey have warmed to the reservation system they say has cut turn times since its introduction in December.

Virginia is one of several North American ports that are exploring or have implemented reservation systems for trucks.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) is also inching closer to creating a single portal for truck appointment systems.

Shippers will have to dig harder to access new capacity as peak shipping season heats up.

“This is one of the highest periods of turbulence and volatility in supply we have ever experienced, and we don’t think it will abate any time soon,” John Roberts, president and CEO, and Shelly Simpson, chief commercial officer, said.

NFI to emerge in southern California market in a big way with purchase of California Cartage

Uber Freight is most comfortable concentrating on truckload.

“Whenever the business volumes reach the top quadrant, there will be chassis shortages, and that’s where we are now.”

The Port of New York and New Jersey is searching again for a way to create an interoperable chassis pool after the latest effort collapsed.

Motor carriers and their shipper customers have been footing the bill.

The US Coast Guard on Tuesday reopened the Sabine-Neches Waterway.