Post by HardTimeTrucker on Oct 1, 2008 21:30:51 GMT -5
Trucking activity slows as LA-Long Beach program starts
October 1, 2008
The JOURNAL of COMMERCE
By Bill Mongelluzzo
Truck traffic in Los Angeles-Long Beach was down considerably Wednesday morning as the ports launched their clean-trucks programs to reduce pollution in the harbor area.
On a positive note, marine terminal operators turned away very few trucks for not having port-issued stickers. Beginning Wednesday, all motor carriers serving the ports must have stickers on their trucks showing that the companies have signed concession agreements with the ports.
Motor carriers heeded the ports’ warnings and only sent trucks with stickers to the harbor.
The bad news is that truck traffic was down at most of the terminals. APM Terminals, the operator for Maersk Inc., reported truck volume down 25 to 35 percent on the morning shift. Some terminals reported even steeper drops in truck traffic.
Some motor carriers serving the Port of Los Angeles said they did not receive stickers from that port until Monday, two days before the program took effect.
Art Wong, a spokesman for the neighboring port of Long Beach, said his port sent the stickers out last week so trucking companies could not claim that stickers arrived late.
A second reason why truck traffic was down Wednesday is that many drivers who do not have their federal Transportation Worker Identification Credential didn’t bother to show up for work.
One of the requirements in the clean-trucks program is that drivers must have a TWIC card or proof of having applied for a TWIC card. Once again, Wong said the ports have been telling the trucking industry for months that TWIC cards were essential, so trucking companies that did not urge their drivers to apply for the credential are paying the price.
The ports are actually ahead of the federal government on this issue. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, the official enforcer of the TWIC program, has given the transportation community in Southern California until April 2009 to obtain the TWIC cards.
Another reason truck traffic was slow Wednesday morning is that many trucking companies sent their drivers to the harbor on the Tuesday night shift to pull out containers that they otherwise wouldn’t have retrieved until Wednesday morning.
Although cargo volumes are unusually weak this peak season, due primarily to the sluggish U.S. economy, terminal operators are concerned that if their driver force is depleted because of the requirements in the clean-truck requirements, containers could begin backing up on the docks.
Terminal operators say the situation could worsen considerably this weekend if more truckers fail to get stickers and TWIC cards. Vessel arrivals are always slow in midweek, with most of the ships calling in Los Angeles-Long Beach over the weekend
October 1, 2008
The JOURNAL of COMMERCE
By Bill Mongelluzzo
Truck traffic in Los Angeles-Long Beach was down considerably Wednesday morning as the ports launched their clean-trucks programs to reduce pollution in the harbor area.
On a positive note, marine terminal operators turned away very few trucks for not having port-issued stickers. Beginning Wednesday, all motor carriers serving the ports must have stickers on their trucks showing that the companies have signed concession agreements with the ports.
Motor carriers heeded the ports’ warnings and only sent trucks with stickers to the harbor.
The bad news is that truck traffic was down at most of the terminals. APM Terminals, the operator for Maersk Inc., reported truck volume down 25 to 35 percent on the morning shift. Some terminals reported even steeper drops in truck traffic.
Some motor carriers serving the Port of Los Angeles said they did not receive stickers from that port until Monday, two days before the program took effect.
Art Wong, a spokesman for the neighboring port of Long Beach, said his port sent the stickers out last week so trucking companies could not claim that stickers arrived late.
A second reason why truck traffic was down Wednesday is that many drivers who do not have their federal Transportation Worker Identification Credential didn’t bother to show up for work.
One of the requirements in the clean-trucks program is that drivers must have a TWIC card or proof of having applied for a TWIC card. Once again, Wong said the ports have been telling the trucking industry for months that TWIC cards were essential, so trucking companies that did not urge their drivers to apply for the credential are paying the price.
The ports are actually ahead of the federal government on this issue. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, the official enforcer of the TWIC program, has given the transportation community in Southern California until April 2009 to obtain the TWIC cards.
Another reason truck traffic was slow Wednesday morning is that many trucking companies sent their drivers to the harbor on the Tuesday night shift to pull out containers that they otherwise wouldn’t have retrieved until Wednesday morning.
Although cargo volumes are unusually weak this peak season, due primarily to the sluggish U.S. economy, terminal operators are concerned that if their driver force is depleted because of the requirements in the clean-truck requirements, containers could begin backing up on the docks.
Terminal operators say the situation could worsen considerably this weekend if more truckers fail to get stickers and TWIC cards. Vessel arrivals are always slow in midweek, with most of the ships calling in Los Angeles-Long Beach over the weekend