More Truckers Upbeat About Ports' Gate Hours
A recent survey of truck drivers servicing Los Angeles’ port complex shows that a majority support a nearly yearold program that keeps the terminal gates open late at night and on Saturdays.
When the OffPeak program was launched July 23, 2005, many truckers resisted the longer hours because they would end up working through the night and on Saturdays, missing valuable time with their families.
But 71 percent of the 480 drivers surveyed noted that overall traffic was reduced, while 65 percent said they had more flexible work schedules. Another 33 percent reported they were able to make more truck turns, which increased their wages.
The PierPass survey was conducted between May 18 and May 27 by Fairbank, Maslin, Maulin & Associates, based in Santa Monica, Calif.
The OffPeak program is operated by PierPass Inc., a notfor- profit organization formed by the marine terminal operators at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which sit next to each other. The OffPeak program was designed to ensure that cargo flowed in and out of the ports more rapidly.
“Shorter lines and shorter waiting times mean the terminals and the truck drivers are functioning more efficiently and profitably,” Bruce Wargo, PierPass’ president and chief executive, said in a statement. “Just one year ago, we were being told that the truckers wouldn’t even show up for the night gates.”
Nearly 35 percent of cargo picked up at the ports has shifted to the OffPeak program, which operates from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Anyone picking up cargo during the day must pay a $50 fee for each 20-foot container collected and a $100 fee for each 40-foot container retrieved. —Deborah Belgum
