The Teamsters union, which pushed for the rule change, believes a large proportion of the port’s trucker owner-operators could be found to be employees under the new rule. Truckers say the impact could range from merely creating an “administrative headache," to prompting some to leave the port, and perhaps the industry.
Drayage
Drayage is the retrieval of shipping containers from ports and hauling them to inland locations such as rail heads, distribution centers, or stores. It is one of the most important, yet fraught, parts of the supply chain.
Many ports in the US struggle to position chassis efficiently, and chassis shortages are a key contributor to port congestion. The issue of chassis maintenance and repair is also a sticking point in employer negotiations with longshore labor unions.
Webcasts
News & Analysis
19 Sep 2018
The decision means the price of a chassis in the United States will likely rise by a substantial amount.
17 Sep 2018
As the US chassis sector evolves, no one method of operation fits all ports/regions, but one appears to offer truckers an advantage.
11 Sep 2018
The Virginia Port Authority's goal is to create a predictable, reliable, steady flow of trucks during the hours of reservations and a better experience for all customers; and so far, so good.
10 Sep 2018
Born as a result of an inadequate number of chassis with a deteriorating stock in the Southeast United States, the Southern States Chassis Pool may represent the model that finally solves the chassis problem in the United States.
06 Sep 2018
Gov. Brown has until Sept. 30 to sign the legislation. The California Labor Commissioner will publish, by Jan. 1, 2019, a list of drayage companies that have failed to pay final judgments they were assessed for labor violations.
29 Aug 2018
The Yusen appointment system, developed with the cooperation of local truckers, is the type of technology that will be incorporated into the Port Optimizer tool being developed by the port and GE Transportation.
28 Aug 2018
The Confederation of Industrial Chambers, which represents more than 120 chambers around Mexico, said the government should hold off enforcing the hours-of-service rules, and it cited several reasons for its request.
27 Aug 2018
Almost all shipping industry stakeholders agree that tariffs would raise costs across the transportation landscape, and eventually slow the movement of freight. So why are some US chassis makers asking for a tariff on imported chassis?
27 Aug 2018
The issue of public money for a private function was raised, but the port noted that Southern California ports have various subsidy programs in place for environmental reasons, such as to encourage carriers to plug into shoreside electrical power to reduce emissions at berth.
27 Aug 2018
The capacity challenges described here are not unique to railroad networks and terminals; they are persistent through the US supply chain. Further, while some solutions lie far in the future, there are several initiatives that could improve rail/intermodal service overnight.
23 Aug 2018
The merits of owning a chassis vary, depending on individual business models, but there is one aspect of the electronic logging device mandate that provides an advantage for those truck drivers who are chassis-ready, for example via ownership.
22 Aug 2018
In the United States’ tight surface capacity market, the operative phrase in supply chain management is “minimize the truck transport variable,” and Georgia’s new inland port, the Appalachian Regional Port, aims to do that, and more.
21 Aug 2018
The latest tech upgrade at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust represents more good news for truck drivers.
20 Aug 2018
Port Miami is making a statement. New cranes, a better truck gating system and transloading facilities, and access to Interstate 95 mean the port has the infrastructure for global trade. And Miami has one other tangible that many stakeholders in container shipping will notice. Certainly other ports will.
16 Aug 2018
The concept of a single electronic platform for port users is gaining momentum with truckers, beneficial cargo owners (BCOs), and other port users, with GE Transportation’s Port Optimizer at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach achieving breakthroughs as a pacesetter.
15 Aug 2018
These are relatively minor changes in destination terminals and don’t eliminate any existing service, although it will require some decisions on how to route cargo for the best price.
15 Aug 2018
Backers of protectionist policies and home-source manufacturing have set their sights on the chassis, and if they get their way the net-effect would hurt shippers and trade in the United States.
13 Aug 2018
In the midst of a volume uptrend, Montreal is the latest North American port to try extending its terminal gate hours to improve cargo fluidity in and out of the terminal, and to place a charge on containers to pay for it.
13 Aug 2018
The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate did not cause a loss of drivers, but a loss of driving hours. Further, changes shippers made that were propelled by the ELD are likely to be lasting, even if exemption amendments for selected trucking segments are passed.
13 Aug 2018
Stakeholder APM Terminals Mumbai informed parties of likely delays. “This stoppage of traffic will have an adverse impact on terminal gate movement and traffic around [the] port area,” APM Terminals stated in a trade advisory.
06 Aug 2018
The E*Dray platform will enhance the ability of beneficial cargo owners and their truckers to aggregate containers into peel-off piles at the ports — and with the new system the potential is there for a substantial reduction in truck turn times.
03 Aug 2018
The port of Halifax has three objectives in mind with its tech upgrades, and if the port is successful shippers and other trade stakeholders will benefit from all three.
01 Aug 2018
APM Terminals is in the midst of a whirlwind trade outreach program, with the goal of attracting more customers to its recent ease-of-doing-business measures.
25 Jul 2018
Anyone who drives through the Wando Welch Terminal in Charleston or Garden City Terminal in Savannah would quickly see that the room is there for chassis, if they were available.
19 Jul 2018
Singapore's local drayage market has historically been highly disorganized and reliant on outdated modes of communication.
17 Jul 2018
Growth at the Port of Baltimore is driving up truck turn times and forcing operational changes.
16 Jul 2018
Chassis has been called the shipping industry’s conundrum, and with good reason. Providing a basic piece of equipment seems simple enough. Yet the issue has taxed US ports and railroad terminals for at least a decade, causing cargo disruptions, delays, and complaints about poor equipment. And as of mid-2018, the industry is still searching for the most efficient solution.
13 Jul 2018
Supporters, including some smaller companies, believe the pool will encourage chassis providers to contribute new chassis with the safest features and increase fleet size. Opponents counter the existing pool works fine, and there are legal and operational questions that must be answered before rendering a decision.
13 Jul 2018
A gray chassis pool is not off the agenda, stakeholders say, but as of mid-2018 it appears to be a solution in search of a problem, for several reasons.
12 Jul 2018
It took the new management team at APL’s Pier 300 in Los Angeles only three months to improve truck turn times from the worst in the harbor to the fourth best among the 12 terminals. And they accomplished it by deploying a "customer focus/consumer focus" strategy.
12 Jul 2018
The question shippers are asking is, “If you see the freight, can’t you let me know where there’s carrier capacity available?”
12 Jul 2018
In the past, resourceful supply chain managers always had alternatives in their hip pocket to meet the unexpected, for a price. Not this year. In 2018, shippers should not expect surge freight capacity.
10 Jul 2018
US beneficial cargo owners will face unprecedented challenges using intermodal this peak season. Still, there are time-tested tactics that will ensure the best possible transportation result.
09 Jul 2018
Efficient supply chains contain the premise that for every container there is a chassis available. But don't tell shippers that, as the issue has been a thorn in their side and that of other container trade stakeholders for nearly a decade.
- Page 1
- ››
Commentary
Chassis — pooling toward solutions