Hauling containers out of Port of LA Long Beach

Get your TWIC and your hazmat, you will need them especially the TWIC. I drive a flatbed and have been in those ports along with numerous others. Working knowledge is part, where your going and part how things work in a port. For example I pick a load up pretty routinely out of port of americas in oakland, ca. First you gotta know how to get there then get through the security check. Ok so now thats done whats next? then you get in line at the scales and when your turn you gotta have info and drivers license ready. Swipe drivers license after pushing button for a ticket and wait for operator. You then go thru dropping off or picking up stuff and when done you get a ticket. This tells you where you are going in that facility. You get in a line again and then have to listen to honks of the machine loading/unloading and once done with that, have to know where and how to get out. Its easier if you rode along with someone but they wont do that anymore. I dont know if some companies will take trainees.

 

Every Port operates differently, every terminal within the Port operates differently. I've done Houston (Barbours Cut) and Tacoma. Both do things very differently.

 

if it's a company driving position they're most likely only going to be looking for experienced drivers that know the LA basin well. But who knows. Maybe somebody will give you a shot. Lots of container hauling outfits deal only with owner-ops and simply act as the broker. Port of LA/Long Beach has stricter truck standards than anywhere in the country as well, which makes it tougher to run your own rig...newer cleaner trucks obviously being more money. Typically "port rats" run the junkiest trucks on the road.

 

Gotta have the Twic, Knight does a lot of containers and wants like 3 or 6 months exp. they hire noobs for an off shoot co named Squire. Personally i'd recommend you go OTR for a while, to get some miles under you as a start

 

Get your hazmat and then the TWIC before applying for the position.

Ports are just a Big pain in the ###, I work hauling containers out of the LA ports, you gotta build up lots of patient, wasting sometimes up to 4 hrs to get in and out of the port (sometimes you might be lucky and get an easy day) and not getting paid detention for that, rude ### drivers, no one its willing to help you, you gotta be quick with everything or here will come another driver and cut u off, jeez, I can do on and on about the ports here in LA, I remember the first night I went to MAERSK with no training on working the ports (I used to be OTR), and wasted 4 hrs waiting for a chassis, but the good thing is that Im home every other day with a good paycheck at the end of the week. Oh and be ready to have tires blown all the time lol. Good luck!

 

Ditto with Roby, get Otr done, at least three months

The ports can be hectic, pull your hair out frustrating, long long waits and extremely confusing as a newcomer. Once you enter a port it is extremely fast paced and you better not get in anyone's way.

The goats Drive real fast and crane operators are selective. Also you have to wait In a designated number spot and that can take up to three hours. But before that you have to find a halfway decent trailer of which the majority are seriously neglected. The tires are Chinese made and really suck.

 

And then you gotta deal with all that traffic going into and out of the port. A freind of mine did it for a few months and then moved on.

 

how does one get the twic card? i have my haz-mat but not twic

 

How did it work out for you VegasMark? Did you start hauling out of LB?