Container terminal operators in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach now expect their revised PierPass OffPeak program will go into effect in the fourth quarter instead of August as originally planned.
The 12 terminals, members of the West Coast Marine Terminal Operators Agreement (WCMTOA), created PierPass in 2005 to reduce traffic congestion in and around the ports and reduce air pollution. PierPass collects fees from shippers based on how many and what size containers they move by truck in and out of the terminals during weekday daytime hours. The fees help fund the cost of operating at night and on weekends and also provide an incentive for shippers to pick up and deliver cargo at off-peak hours.
Earlier this year WCMTOA announced a revised program, being popularly called “PierPass 2.0,” in which it would reduce the fee but collect it around the clock.
Under the revised program, all terminals also will require shippers to have appointments for their trucks to pick up and deliver cargo — day or night.
The terminals say the new system should help smooth out traffic flows at the terminals.
The changes have been well received by the port trucking industry, but some shippers are unhappy with the planned changes.
WCMTOA is regulated by the Federal Maritime Commission. On May 24, the FMC requested additional information about the planned changes to PierPass.
The marine terminal operators met on June 21 to address reporting requirements for its amendment to the document it has on file with the FMC, and WCMTOA said its members are currently working to gather the information FMC has requested.
“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,” PierPass explained.
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