An online portal at the Port of Oakland today expanded to include transaction times for harbor truckers. The Port said its digital enhancement tells drivers how long it takes to pick up or drop off cargo. The feature addresses industry demand for timely supply chain performance data at U.S. ports.
“This is a big step forward on our digital platform,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “It helps take the guesswork out of scheduling for truckers, dispatchers and the owners of cargo that moves through Oakland.”
Known as a turn time, the measurement tracks how long it takes drivers to transact business at marine terminals. The terminals are where container ships load and unload. Trucker transactions at the terminals include everything from delivering exports to collecting imports or empty containers.
The Port’s online gateway – called the Oakland Portal – provides average turn times for the most recent 30-minute period. The Portal calculates turn times for each of Oakland’s four terminals. The Port said its turn times don’t include trucker waiting periods outside terminal gates.
The Port said turn times would improve cargo flow by:
• Signaling to truck drivers or dispatchers if terminals are backed up;
• Providing cargo owners a better sense of when to expect deliveries; and
• Highlighting potential bottlenecks at marine terminals.
Turn times are the newest addition to the Oakland Portal, which went live last May. The Portal is Oakland’s digital collaboration platform, aggregating shipping information from every marine terminal in the harbor.
