Supply Chain Productivity: Oakland
New Performance Guidelines Proposed for Port of Oakland
Port of Oakland users want trucks to get in and out of its marine terminals in less time. That was the message from an Efficiency Task Force that met here last week. The group of cargo owners, terminal operators, labor representatives and others called for a 90-minute maximum wait time for harbor drivers.
Trucker turn times were one of several measurement benchmarks proposed by the task force. Among others: a call for at least 80 percent of the port’s chassis fleet to be available at all times. The lack of chassis contributes to driver delays.
Timely cargo flow has emerged as a concern for importers and exporters as Oakland container volume grows. Some say drivers wait more than two hours at marine terminals to pick up loads. To meet these concern, the task force proposes that drivers should wait no more than 45 minutes to complete single transactions such as picking up imports or delivering exports and no more than 90 minutes for dual transactions.
The task force, which consists of port stakeholders, was assembled by the port in 2015 with the objective of improving cargo-handling performance. Task force members said measurement standards are needed to improve cargo-handling speed and efficiency. The port said it will review the proposals in time for the next task force meeting in March.
The task force is also considering a mandatory appointment system for the port’s marine terminals. The system would require truck drivers to schedule a time to pick up or drop off containers. The goal is to shorten queues that often form outside terminal gates.