PierPASS Surveys Show Efficiency at Terminals, Overall Support From Truck Drivers

LONG BEACH, Calif.--Aug. 2, 20056, 2005--Operations within terminals during the new OffPeak shifts at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are as efficient as daytime shifts, a new survey by PierPASS Inc. shows. Trucks arriving to pick up or drop off containers during OffPeak shifts are spending less than 30 minutes on average inside the terminal gates, comparable to peak-hour turn times during the week surveyed. Once outside the gates, the trucks are able to travel in relatively light nighttime and Saturday traffic during the OffPeak shifts.

The OffPeak program, created by PierPASS, established night and Saturday shifts at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to relieve congestion in and around the ports. In its first four weeks of operation, the program diverted more than 188,000 truck trips out of peak-hour weekday traffic.

In a separate survey, a majority of the 126 truck drivers interviewed by PierPASS said they have experienced an improvement in traffic flow since the OffPeak program began on July 23, and said the program has allowed them to make more cargo deliveries in a shift.

In the turn-time survey, PierPASS obtained data from a majority of the 12 terminals participating in OffPeak. The survey, conducted the week of August 15, showed an average turn time of slightly under 30 minutes, faster than the 35- to 40-minute turn times during the first two weeks of the program. The terminals tracked the net time from when a truck enters the terminal to when it leaves. These figures are for single transactions, and exclude non-working hours such as meal breaks. Averages at individual terminals varied.

"The 12 terminals participating in the OffPeak program are processing an average of nearly two trucks per minute per terminal," said PierPASS Inc. President and CEO Bruce Wargo. "We believe that the combination of efficient terminal operations with lighter traffic on the highways makes cargo transportation a better process for all parties involved."

PierPASS has received complaints about congestion during the start of nighttime OffPeak shifts. PierPASS notes that if truck drivers arrive after 7:00 p.m., they can avoid the congestion created by all the trucks showing up for service at the 6:00 p.m. start of the shift. In addition, PierPASS encourages companies and drivers to make fuller use of the hours after the 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. meal break. The OffPeak shifts continue until 3:00 a.m.

Truck Driver Survey

PierPASS has also continued its outreach to port truck drivers. PierPASS interviewed 126 drivers between July 27 and August 6, a period spanning the first and second weeks of the OffPeak program. The in-person surveys were conducted at various locations within the two ports, including at terminals, food service locations and fueling stations. The surveys were conducted during both peak daytime hours and during OffPeak shifts.

Key results include:

-- 73% of drivers said they have experienced an improvement in traffic since the program's July 23 launch. "The terminals and the freeways have been a lot less congested," said J.E. "Traffic is moving faster."

-- 58% reported being able to make more cargo trips with OffPeak, while 18% have been unable to do so; the rest were uncertain. "I can make one extra trip a day," said R.J. This is significant as drivers are typically paid per delivery, not by the hour.

-- Asked "What is your overall feeling about OffPeak," a plurality (47%) reported generally positive feelings, with 38% reporting generally negative feelings and 15% undecided or split.

"These results are especially notable given that the surveys were conducted during the early days of the program, when many operational issues were being worked through," Wargo said. "We expect that driver satisfaction with OffPeak will increase as the program matures. It is also important to note that some of the criticisms that have been directed at PierPASS reflect longstanding issues at the ports that have nothing to do with PierPASS or the OffPeak program."

PierPASS continues to meet with truck drivers, industry groups, community groups and political leaders to obtain feedback and provide updates on the OffPeak program.

About PierPASS

PierPASS is a not-for-profit company created by marine terminal operators to reduce congestion and improve air quality in and around the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Detailed information on PierPASS, the OffPeak program, the Traffic Mitigation Fee (including who must pay it, when it must be paid, payment methods, and credit account information) is available at www.pierpass.org.