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Revised PierPass OffPeak Start Expected Nov. 19 at Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach

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The members of the West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA) today said the revised OffPeak program for providing extended gate hours at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach—informally known as PierPass 2.0—is expected to start on Nov. 19, subject to the conclusion of applicable Federal Maritime Commission procedures.

In April, PierPass announced it will overhaul the model used by its OffPeak program for truck traffic mitigation at the two adjacent ports, replacing the current congestion-pricing model with an appointment-based system that uses a single flat fee on both daytime and nighttime container moves.

For most port users, the new system won’t require new procedures, but rather an adjustment to current procedures. Most companies moving containers through the ports are already registered with PierPass to claim containers moved during Peak (weekday daytime) hours. Under the revised system, they will claim containers moved at any hour.

Because nine of the 12 terminals at the two adjacent ports already use appointment systems, most trucking firms serving the ports are already using these systems. The remaining three terminals, all operated by SSA Marine, are planning to launch their own appointment systems in advance of the implementation. As part of the program update, the terminals have also agreed on common appointment windows and common last appointment times for each shift. As the revised program moves forward, the terminals will consider further common rules and processes to enhance truck efficiency at the ports.

Cargo owners moving containers into and out of the ports by truck gate and who aren’t already registered with PierPass can do so at https://www.pierpass-tmf.org/.

As previously announced, the current Traffic Mitigation Fee of $72.09 per TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) will be replaced by a new flat fee of $31.52 per TEU; the rate for all other size containers will be a flat fee of $63.04. The TMF charged only on Peak cargo moves will be replaced by a fee that is constant across all hours of operation. Other than that change, the same types of cargo will pay the fee.

The changes to the OffPeak program are being made in response to requests from port users, who seek increased flexibility and a reduction in the bunching up of trucks that often occurs before the start of the nighttime OffPeak shifts.

A Q&A about the revised OffPeak program is available at https://www.pierpass.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/QA-on-New-OffPeak-Program_10-11-18.pdf. The West Coast MTO Agreement is a discussion agreement filed with the FMC. WCMTOA’s members are the 12 marine terminal operators at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. For more information and to track continuing developments, please go to https://www.pierpass.org/about/extended-gates-review-process/.

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Revised PierPass OffPeak System Start Expected in Fourth Quarter

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LONG BEACH, Calif., June 26, 2018—The members of the West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA) today said the revised OffPeak program for providing extended gate hours—informally known as PierPass 2.0—is expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year.

WCMTOA members—the 12 marine terminal operators at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach—met on June 21 to address reporting requirements for the amendment to Marine Terminal Schedule No. 1, the document on file with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) under which WCMTOA operates.

In April, PierPass announced it will overhaul the system used by the OffPeak program for truck traffic mitigation at the two adjacent ports, replacing the current congestion pricing model with an appointment-based system that uses a single TEU-based flat fee on both daytime and nighttime container moves.

On May 24, the FMC voted to issue a Request for Additional Information about the proposed amendment. WCMTOA members are currently working to gather the requested information. Once WCMTOA submits its response, the FMC will have another 45 days to analyze the amendment. The completion of this process revises WCMTOA’s projected program launch date, originally expected in August, to the fourth quarter of 2018.

A Q&A about the revised OffPeak program is available at www.pierpass.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/QA-on-New-OffPeak-Program_4-16-18.pdf. The West Coast MTO Agreement is a discussion agreement filed with the FMC. For more information and to track continuing developments, please go to https://www.pierpass.org/about/extended-gates-review-process/.

PierPass Members Add Common Business Rules to Terminal Appointment Systems

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LONG BEACH, Calif., April 30, 2018—The members of the West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA)—the 12 marine terminal operators at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach—have agreed to add common business rules for the appointment systems that will become part of the OffPeak program later this year. Subject to regulatory approval, the revised OffPeak program, which is administered by PierPass, is expected to begin in August.

The terminals agreed to add the common business rules—operational procedures that all terminals will follow—in response to requests from trucking companies and other stakeholders.

The new common business rules include an appointment window—the time span between the earliest and latest times a truck can arrive for an appointment, including grace periods—of two hours for all appointments. In addition, all terminals agreed that their last appointment times of the day will be 3:30 p.m. on the first shift and 1:30 a.m. on the second shift. The new business rules will take effect when the new program begins, and are expected to increase efficiencies for users when planning appointments at more than one terminal.

PierPass also clarified that the new system, which some have referred to as “PierPass 2.0,” won’t require appointments for individual import containers being picked up from peel-off piles. Trucking companies and cargo owners will continue to arrange for a single time window to pick up entire blocks of containers going to the same company or destination from a single container terminal.

Earlier this month, PierPass announced it will overhaul the system used by the OffPeak program for truck traffic mitigation at the two adjacent ports, replacing the current congestion pricing model with an appointment-based system that uses a single TEU-based flat fee on both daytime and nighttime container moves. The change has been welcomed by port leadership and by trucking industry associations as a way to improve flexibility and reduce the bunching up of trucks in late afternoons.

PierPass is scheduling a combined meeting of the PierPass Advisory Committee and Extended Gates Subcommittee in October. This will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback and suggestions after implementation of the new system.

A Q&A about the revised OffPeak program is available at www.pierpass.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/QA-on-New-OffPeak-Program_4-16-18.pdf. The West Coast MTO Agreement is a discussion agreement filed with the FMC. For more information and to track continuing developments, please go to www.pierpass.org.

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PierPass to Adopt Appointment System and Flat Fee for OffPeak Program

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LONG BEACH, Calif., April 16, 2018—PierPass will overhaul the model used by its OffPeak program for truck traffic mitigation at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, replacing the current congestion pricing model with an appointment-based system that uses a single flat fee on both daytime and nighttime container moves.

The members of the West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA)—the 12 marine terminal operators at the two adjacent ports—reached the decision after an 18-month process of consultation with industry stakeholders, and an analysis and survey by industry consultants.

Port users have expressed a desire for changes to increase flexibility and reduce the bunching up of trucks that often occurs before the start of the nighttime OffPeak shifts. Subject to regulatory approval, the revised OffPeak program is expected to begin in August.

“The industry has been demanding ‘PierPass 2.0,’ and we are responding,” said PierPass President John Cushing. “The original OffPeak program was an innovative and highly effective solution to the challenges we faced in 2005. But it was fairly inflexible, whereas an appointment-based model is scalable and can evolve to meet changing industry needs, technology and practices.”

Under the current program, OffPeak charges a Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) on weekday daytime cargo moves to incentivize cargo owners to use OffPeak shifts on nights and Saturdays. The revised OffPeak program will replace this two-tier fee structure with a single flat TMF during both shifts, and use appointments to spread traffic across the two shifts.

Applying the TMF to both day and night cargo will allow a reduction of more than 55 percent in the TMF while still providing funding to operate extended gates. The current TMF of $72.09 per TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) will be replaced by a new flat fee of $31.52 per TEU; the rate for all other container sizes will be a flat fee of $63.04.

“The Port of Long Beach is pleased with the progress PierPass has made in working with industry stakeholders to improve night gate operations in our terminals,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “As ships are getting bigger and volumes increase, efficient gate management is critical to our ability to move cargo in a reliable, predictable and expedient manner.”

“I’m pleased and encouraged that PierPass members are taking a significant step forward to improve efficiencies at the San Pedro Bay port complex,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “We, as well as the trucking community and all of our stakeholders, look forward to increased cargo velocity and customer responsiveness at Port facilities.”

The process of reviewing OffPeak alternatives has included a series of meetings beginning with an October 2016 workshop where WCMTOA met with more than 70 leaders representing importers, exporters, trucking companies, logistics providers, elected officials, government representatives, port authorities and other supply chain stakeholders. After a series of subsequent stakeholder meetings to delve into potential alternative models, PierPass retained industry consultants to conduct a detailed analysis. The consultants’ findings were presented and discussed at a follow-up industry workshop on March 8, 2018. WCMTOA members then worked through the remaining issues to arrive at the final plan for the revised OffPeak program.

“The California Trucking Association appreciates the proposal put forth by PierPass regarding its re-structuring of the TMF,” said Alex Cherin, Executive Director of the CTA Intermodal Conference. “This is the culmination of many collaborative discussions between the marine terminal operators and trucking communities over the last few years, and we look forward to supporting these efforts.”

“The HTA has worked hard with our marine terminal colleagues to create a more efficient and environmentally sustainable port complex,” said Weston LaBar, CEO of the Harbor Trucking Association. “This new direction for PierPass is another example of cross-industry collaboration and is a giant step in the right direction. It shows that the San Pedro Bay Port Complex will continue to be the preferred gateway for moving America’s cargo.”

A Q&A about the revised OffPeak program is available at www.pierpass.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/QA-on-New-OffPeak-Program_4-16-18.pdf. The West Coast MTO Agreement is a discussion agreement filed with the FMC. For more information and to track continuing developments, please go to www.pierpass.org.

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PierPass Retains Tioga Group to Evaluate Extended Gate Options

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LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 6, 2017—PierPass has retained the consulting firm The Tioga Group Inc. and its partner World Class Logistics (WCL) Consulting Inc. to evaluate alternative models for providing the traffic mitigation benefits of extended gates at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are offered through the OffPeak program.

Tioga will analyze the traffic, commercial and operational impacts of two potential alternatives to the current model used by OffPeak, which mitigates traffic congestion caused by port truck operations through encouraging the pickup and delivery of containers on weeknights or Saturdays.

Tioga, based in Philadelphia, has extensive experience analyzing operational issues for North American freight transportation, producing reports including the Cargo Handling Cooperative Program’s “Improving Marine Container Terminal Productivity,” the National Cooperative Freight Research Program’s “Truck Drayage Productivity Guide,” and numerous planning studies for individual West Coast ports. WCL has deep experience working with cargo owners, ports, railroads and other goods movement groups.

The two alternatives under consideration are appointments to control traffic flow combined with a flat fee on both daytime and nighttime cargo moves; and port-wide peel-off, in which trucks would operate like taxis in an airport queue, each truck picking up the next container in the stack. Hybrid models may also be considered.

PierPass launched the OffPeak program in 2005 to reduce severe cargo-related congestion on local streets and highways around the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Using a congestion pricing model, PierPass charges a Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) on weekday daytime cargo moves to incentivize cargo owners to use the OffPeak shifts on nights and Saturdays. The TMF also helps pay for the labor and other costs of operating the OffPeak shifts. PierPass manages the OffPeak Program as the agent of the West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA), comprised of the 12 marine terminal operators (MTOs) at the two adjacent ports. More than 40 million truck trips have been diverted out of weekday daytime traffic in the Los Angeles area since the program began in 2005, dramatically decreasing congestion on the region’s streets and highways.

Hiring Tioga is an important step in the process through which the WCMTOA members are working with other industry stakeholders to review alternative methods to provide the benefits of extended gates. An alternative model must continue to spread truck traffic across the terminals’ daytime and nighttime shifts of operation, while continuing to fund the operation of extended gates.

The process has included a series of meetings that began at a workshop where WCMTOA met with more than 70 leaders representing importers, exporters, trucking companies, logistics providers, elected officials, government representatives, port authorities and other supply chain stakeholders. Subsequent meetings to address the issues surrounding the alternative models were held with the 40 supply chain stakeholders who together comprise the PierPass Advisory Committee (PPAC) and the Extended Gates Subcommittee (EGS).

Participants have highlighted a range of operational and commercial issues for consideration. In early May, participants recommended hiring a consulting firm to conduct a detailed analysis of the two remaining options. An RFP was issued to four consulting firms recommended by the working groups. Members of the PPAC and EGS participated in the scoring process to assist WCMTOA with its final selection of Tioga. Recommendations and a final report are expected during the first quarter of 2018.

PierPass OffPeak Diverts 40 Million Truck Trips from Los Angeles Traffic

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LONG BEACH, Calif., July 26, 2017—PierPass Inc. today announced that its OffPeak program has diverted more than 40 million truck trips out of weekday daytime traffic in the Los Angeles area since the program began 12 years ago this week.

The OffPeak program’s reduction in traffic congestion has also removed hundreds of tons of pollution from the region’s air, a major contribution to efforts by the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach to cut pollution from the San Pedro Bay port complex.

“In southern California, heavy-duty trucks are the single largest source of both the pollutants that cause smog and exposure to toxic diesel particulates,” said Wayne Nastri, Executive Officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. “By reducing the amount of time that trucks spend trapped in terminal queues or traffic jams, OffPeak has made a big contribution to addressing our region’s air pollution problem.”

Without the OffPeak program, more than 12,600 additional truck trips would be jammed into local traffic every weekday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., enough trucks to stretch nearly halfway from Los Angeles to Las Vegas if lined up bumper-to-bumper. The OffPeak program creates weeknight and Saturday shifts for trucks delivering containers to and from the ports, offers a congestion pricing incentive to reduce weekday daytime truck trips, and provides funding for the new shifts.

“Efficient goods movement enables a crucial jobs engine for Southern California’s economy to continue thriving,” said Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. “The PierPass OffPeak program seeks to maximize the efficient use of existing transportation infrastructure and demonstrates the potential for private-sector innovation to tackle public policy problems. I encourage stakeholders to continue working together to strengthen the program to ensure goods can move as efficiently and safely as possible.”

OffPeak was conceived after a surge in cargo volume in the early 2000s led to severe traffic congestion and its associated air pollution in and around the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Local communities and political leaders demanded that the ports take action to address the problem. OffPeak was created with the support of cargo owners, the ports and political leaders.

“Over the last 12 years, OffPeak had diverted more than 40 million trucks off our roads and freeways during the busiest times of the day,” said David Pettit, Senior Attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “By reducing truck congestion at the marine container terminals and on the Harbor and Long Beach Freeway, the program has helped reduce pollution and increase mobility for the communities in and around the ports.”

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CUT Terminal Closing – Last OffPeak Shift is Thursday 7/13; No TMF From 7/17

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California United Terminals Inc. has announced it is closing its terminal at the Port of Los Angeles. Its last OffPeak shift will be Thursday night, June 13.

CUT is currently working its last vessel. It has advised that effective Monday, July 17, it will no longer offer an OffPeak shift, but will keep labor during the day to work the gates and yard through the end of July, when it will cease those operations as well.

Beginning Monday, July 17, CUT will no longer collect a Traffic Mitigation Fee on cargo moving during day shifts. For more information, please contact CUT at 310-521-5000.

A new schedule of OffPeak gates beginning July 17 is available at https://www.pierpass.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RollingSchedule-170717_2.pdf and has been posted below.

TMF at Ports of LA and Long Beach to Increase 2.3% on August 1, 2017

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LONG BEACH, Calif., June 27, 2017 – The West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA) today announced that on August 1, 2017, the Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will increase by 2.3 percent. The adjustment matches the combined 2.3 percent increase in longshore wage and assessment rates that take effect on July 1.

Beginning August 1, the TMF will be $72.09 per TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) or $144.18 per forty-foot container. The TMF is charged only on containers that are moved between 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays. No TMF is due for containers moved during OffPeak shifts (6:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. on weekdays or 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays).

OffPeak provides these regular night and Saturday work shifts to handle trucks delivering and picking up containers at the 13 container terminals in the two adjacent ports. PierPass launched the OffPeak program in 2005 to reduce severe cargo-related congestion and air pollution on local streets and highways around the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Nearly half of all port truck trips now take place during the OffPeak shifts.

Using a congestion pricing model, PierPass charges a TMF on weekday daytime cargo moves to incentivize cargo owners to use the OffPeak shifts. The TMF also helps offset the cost of operating extended gate hours. Labor costs are the largest single component of extended gate costs.

According to an analysis by maritime industry consultants SC Analytics, the net costs incurred by the terminals to operate the OffPeak shifts in 2016 totaled $224.7 million. During that year, the terminals received $182.7 million from the TMF, offsetting about 81 percent of the OffPeak program’s costs.

About PierPass
PierPass is a not-for-profit company created by marine terminal operators at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach to address multi-terminal issues such as congestion, air quality and security. The West Coast Marine Terminal Operator Agreement (WCMTOA) is filed with the Federal Maritime Commission, and comprises the 13 international MTOs serving the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. For more information, please see www.pierpass.org.

PierPass Customer Service Numbers:
877-863-3310 (from inside the United States)
1-973-355-3575 (from outside the United States)

PierPass Will Retain Consultant to Evaluate Extended Gate Options

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LONG BEACH, Calif., May 12, 2017—PierPass will retain a transportation consulting firm to evaluate the operational, business and traffic impacts of two alternative models for providing extended hours for truck gates at the marine terminals in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The PierPass Advisory Committee (PPAC) and the Extended Gates Subcommittee met last week to review industry feedback received on two alternative models to the current OffPeak program and to identify key issues for the consultant to investigate.

The May 4 meeting continued a process that began at the Extended Gates Workshop held on Oct. 20, 2016, when the 13 marine terminals that comprise the West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA) met with more than 70 leaders representing importers, exporters, trucking companies, logistics providers, government representatives, port authorities and other stakeholders.

Since then, the PPAC has held a series of meetings to review proposed models and make a recommendation to WCMTOA, which is responsible for deciding on any changes to the OffPeak program.

The three alternatives initially proposed were variable and dynamic pricing, under which the Traffic Mitigation Fee would be higher in times of high gate activity and lower in times of low gate activity; a lower flat fee applying to both day and night moves, with appointment systems to help regulate traffic flow; and port-wide peel-off, in which trucks would operate like taxis in an airport queue. Variable and dynamic pricing was subsequently eliminated from consideration. For more information on these models, see https://goo.gl/Vxi89y.

Since the Oct. 20 meeting, the following steps occurred:

  • On Nov. 3, detailed notes from the Oct. 20 meeting, including pros and cons of each model, were distributed to PPAC members and additional feedback was requested. Those notes became the original basis for the recommendations report being developed by the PPAC.
  • The PPAC met on Dec. 8 to begin developing the recommendations report. Participants reviewed industry feedback received and offered additional points of view. At this meeting, the variable and dynamic pricing model was removed from consideration as it had received no industry support.
  • On Feb. 1, an initial version of the recommendations report drafted by PierPass staff was distributed to PPAC for review and feedback.
  • The PPAC met on Feb. 22 to review the initial draft and collect feedback. At that meeting, participants discussed the need to bring in a third-party consultant to analyze the ideas under consideration, due to the complexity and possible side effects of these changes.
  • On March 15, a revised draft of the report was sent to the Extended Gates Subcommittee for review and feedback. This draft included the recommendation to hire an industry consultant.
  • Committee members submitted input by April 14.
  • On May 4, PPAC and the Extended Gates Subcommittee met to review the recommendations, develop the scope of work to be included in a Request for Proposal (RFP) for consulting firms, and take recommendations for specific consulting firms.

Participants in the May 4 meeting agreed that the consultant should define and maintain a strict schedule of meetings and reports. The group will endeavor to have the RFP released within the next two months. The RFP may request deliverables such as:

  • Evaluation of the ability of a port-wide appointment system to maintain a roughly even split between day and night traffic.
  • Recommendations on how dual transactions (dropping off one container and picking up another during a single truck visit) could be facilitated under each alternative system.
  • Recommendations for handling regulatory, compliance and other challenges to implementing a port-wide peel-off system.

The PierPass Advisory Committee includes more than 25 leaders representing cargo owners, trucking companies, brokers, terminal operators and other stakeholders. The Extended Gates Subcommittee includes 15 additional industry stakeholders who volunteered at or after the Oct. 20 meeting.

PierPass launched the OffPeak program in 2005 to reduce severe cargo-related congestion on local streets and highways around the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Using a congestion pricing model, PierPass charges a Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) on weekday daytime cargo moves to incentivize cargo owners to use the OffPeak shifts on nights and Saturdays. The TMF also helps pay for the labor and other costs of operating the OffPeak shifts.

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WCMTOA and PierPass Introduce New and Updated Websites

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LONG BEACH, Calif., April 17, 2017—The West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA) today announced it has introduced a new WCMTOA.org website and reorganized its existing PierPass.org website to better align information by program.

WCMTOA is a discussion agreement filed with the Federal Maritime Commission, and is made up of 13 container terminals in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. WCMTOA’s agent PierPass manages the OffPeak program, which provides extended gates for traffic mitigation, and the TruckTag program, which provides RFID tags that let trucks check into terminals securely and efficiently.

Previously, all information the terminals provided collectively was posted on the PierPass website. This included information on issues unrelated to PierPass programs, including container availability information and peel-off.

The new WCMTOA.org website provides information on the terminals and on WCMTOA issues other than those managed by PierPass. WCMTOA.org is now the place to go for:

  • Live terminal gate camera views
  • Terminal contact information
  • Appointment systems: Information on and links to the appointment systems managed by individual terminals
  • Peel-off: Information to help arrange peel-off with individual terminals
  • Container availability: Contact numbers to check the availability of individual containers
  • WCMTOA news
  • WCMTOA information, including WCMTOA’s Marine Terminal Schedule No. 1

PierPass.org will continue to be the place to go for information about the OffPeak program, the TruckTag Program, and for financial information about OffPeak. This includes:

  • OffPeak registration
  • Login for Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) payment
  • OffPeak news
  • Service updates, including holiday schedules and scheduled ILWU Stop Work Meetings
  • OffPeak gate schedules
  • Flex gate schedules
  • OffPeak FAQs
  • Information on how to purchase, install and manage TruckTags

“We believe the new websites will allow us to reduce confusion about which activities are undertaken by terminals acting individually, by terminals acting together under WCMTOA, or by PierPass in service of the OffPeak extended gates program,” said PierPass President John Cushing.

About WCMTOA
The West Coast MTO Agreement is filed with the Federal Maritime Commission. Members of the agreement comprise the 13 marine terminal operators (MTOs) serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which together form the largest port complex in North America. The marine terminal operators are private companies operating under lease agreements with the two ports, which are managed by the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach. For more information, please see WCMTOA.org.