The more truck chassis, the merrier – that’s why the Port of Long Beach is going to build its own fleet of the truck trailers used to haul shipping containers to and from the port and the Port of Los Angeles.

Officials with the port said they would seek bids to buy 1,000 chassis, potentially reaching 3,000 depending on port traffic, for a fleet that would be used during the port’s busiest times.

“It’s not enough for us to be a passive landlord; the industry needs the port to be involved in helping our terminals to be more productive,” said Harbor Commission President Doug Drummond.

Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Jon Slangerup said the fleet would not compete with private companies that own truck chassis and service the twin ports. Rather, he said, it would complement them and ensure there are enough chassis to go around during peak port activity.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union would inspect and maintain the chassis, according to Lee Peterson, media relations specialist for the port. Additionally, whether the chassis are new, used or a mix will depend on the bids, he added.

A contributing factor to last winter’s congestion at the twin ports was the lack of enough truck chassis to move goods coming off ships. In March, three private companies pooled their individual chassis into a single fleet to serve the twin ports. That system has been reported as working effectively.