The Port of New York and New Jersey is delaying its truck appointment system roll out indefinitely to make system enhancements.
The new appointment system was to be effective October 13, for Global Container Terminal (GCT) in Bayonne and was to require truckers to make reservations to pick up or deliver a container between 6am and 8am on weekdays. Trucks were to be allowed to arrive outside these times without an appointment.
GCT Bayonne posted at their website: “GCT Bayonne’s Truck Reservation System, scheduled to start this Thursday, Oct 13th will be delayed pending further system enhancements. This is expected to be only a minor delay, and we plan to make an updated announcement on this implementation schedule shortly.”
The appointment system was a top recommendation by an industry wide Council on Port Performance in June of 2014.
Truckers have had concerns that once put in place, they would be held responsible for missed appointments due to delays on highways, earlier pickup stops, and congested terminals, issues outside of their control.
Terminal and port officials have pushed for the appointment system, saying that when the gates open in the morning, everyone arrives unannounced at the same time with traffic jams and delays the result. Some yard cranes sit idle in the later part of the day when traffic slackens. With an appointment system, the surges are to be removed and the volume to spread throughout the day.
In other news, terminals at the ports of Long Beach and Seattle have announced that they will accept empty Hanjin containers.
This development is good news for Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) that have been stuck with empty Hanjin containers since the August 31, bankruptcy filing by Hanjin. The move should likely free up much needed chassis for drayage drivers.
