The Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers and the New Jersey Motor Truck Association have notified the Port of NY/NJ’s Council on Port Performance that they are suspending participation in that group, effective immediately. The decision by CPP intermodal trucking representatives, NJMTA Board of Directors member Tom Adamski and Bi-State President Lisa Yakomin, to put their participation on hold comes at a time when motor carrier frustration over port congestion, empty return restrictions, and container fees is at an all-time high.
“Our organizations remain committed to staying actively engaged in advocating on behalf of the intermodal trucking community at the Port of NY/NJ,” said Bi-State President Lisa Yakomin, “but we are deeply disappointed in the lack of substantive action being taken by the Council to address the issues and concerns of motor carriers at our port, and their failure to follow up with Ocean Carriers on the recommendations put forth last year by the Empty Return Working Group.”
With the Port of NY/NJ reporting record-breaking increases in freight volumes—as much as 35% over previous years--intermodal carriers have struggled to move the sudden, unexpected surge in cargo. “We’re expected to move unprecedented freight volumes that this port has never seen before,” said Yakomin, “while also adhering to ocean carriers’ strict limits on free time that do not take those volumes into account. The ocean carriers have also failed to make allowances for the labor shortages caused by COVID, low chassis inventories, and the inefficiencies that have been caused by their restrictions on where we can return empty containers. They’ve been allowed to get away with these burdensome practices for far too long, and our members have reached their breaking point.”
In August 2020, the PANYNJ’s Empty Return Working Group submitted a list of recommendations to the Council on Port Performance, proposing a number of actionable solutions to provide relief and improve the flow of cargo. The Council endorsed those recommendations and sent them to the Ocean Carriers who call upon the Port of NY/NJ.
No response was received, and no further action was taken. Another letter was sent by the Bi-State on April 16, 2021. Once again, the Ocean Carriers did not respond.
“The mission Statement posted on the PANYNJ website says ‘the CPP is charged with implementing recommendations aimed to improve the flow of goods, communication, and customer service,’” Yakomin points out. “Unfortunately, the Council is not fulfilling that mission, despite our repeated requests for assistance. When one link in the supply chain reaches its breaking point, the whole chain is at risk of collapse. The trucking community needs—and deserves—the support our port partners, to engage these Ocean Carriers in working collaboratively with us towards finding solutions.”
