LA lauds PierPass success

OffPeak was created as a private sector solution by PierPass to tackle the problem of rising cargo volume in the early 2000s. Drayage trucks were causing severe congestion on the roads and highways and in the neighbourhoods around the ports, while thousands of idling trucks caught in the traffic every day added to air pollution.

Under the programme, regular night and Saturday work shifts were set up at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach – a move which has taken 34 million truck trips out of daytime Southern California traffic and diverted them to less congested nights and weekends.

“Heavy-duty trucks are the largest source of smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions in our region,” said Barry Wallerstein, South Coast Air Quality Management District Executive Officer. “By decreasing the time that trucks are idling and stuck in traffic, the OffPeak programme has helped to significantly improve air quality.”

Using a congestion pricing model, PierPass charges a Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) on weekday daytime cargo moves to incentivise cargo owners to use the OffPeak shifts. The TMF also helps pay for the cost of operating the OffPeak shifts, which upon introduction in 2005 roughly doubled the labour cost to handle the same amount of cargo. Container volume rose only 6% between 2005 and 2014.

On an average OffPeak weeknight, 13,500 trucks visit the marine container terminals at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. PierPass says without the OffPeak program, this cargo would be crammed into a single day shift, doubling daytime volumes and once again causing severe congestion.

“We are proud of what we have accomplished with the OffPeak program, but we aren’t resting on our accomplishments,” added John Cushing, president, PierPass. “PierPass and the terminals are constantly working with our partners at the ports and others in the supply chain to improve the velocity of freight and reduce the environmental impact of port operations.”

PierPass is a not-for-profit company created by marine terminal operators at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in 2005 to address multi-terminal issues such as congestion, air quality and security.