Truck Drivers Could Put Brakes on Easing of Harbor Congestion

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Mostly optimistic notes are being sounded about less congestion at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach during this summer’s peak shipping season, but a potential shortage of port truck drivers particularly those willing to work nights could lead to bottlenecks at times.


While hardly a certainty, the prospect of a driver shortage is getting the attention of shippers and port officials because three-quarters of the cargo that’s moved in and out of the ports is hauled by trucks.


The drivers are griping about freeway congestion that cuts into their revenues because they are mostly independent owner-operators who are paid by the load, not the hour. In addition, cargo owners and ocean carriers often do not pay fuel surcharges to compensate for higher fuel costs.


“It makes it difficult to be motivated to pick up their cargo,” said Bob Curry Jr., president and chief executive of Signal Hill-based California Multimodal Inc.


Some drivers say they are making as little as $65 to $75 for a roundtrip to the downtown rail yards and clear $25,000 to $30,000 a year after working 10- to 12-hour days. Earlier this year, Curry told the publication World Trade, “They could make more hauling dirt.”


Shippers downplay the complaints, but with container traffic through May running 26 percent ahead of last year at the two ports before the summer crunch even starts any slowdown in trucking cargo could cascade through the port network and possibly create backups. The general view is that the problems are not likely to approach last year’s massive congestion, when scores of vessels were lined up waiting to be unloaded.


“It would be na & #271;ve to say there won’t be delays,” said Frank Baragona, president of the CMA CGM (America) Inc. vessel line. “But they will not be of the magnitude they were in the past because we are better prepared.”


Those preparations include the hiring of more dock workers, the addition of rail cars and implementation of the PierPass program, which will provide for shipping during the off hours.



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The full story

is available in the June 20 issue of the Los Angeles Business Journal.

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