Port Drivers-East Coast Container Work ??

container work me was ugly!

i worked 4 container port group, the pay was not bad. it sucked cuz the wait time at the ports was awful. some times you r in and out in 1-2 hours, other times 3-4. just depends on how croweded they were.

another problem was if you did not know the routine, you would unwittedly be holding people up. they will yell, scream and curse you out. u already know eastcoast is not known 4 their loving ways. few are there to help a noob.

as 4 this company it may work out the way they say. the ownly concern i would present is how are they making money sending cats into the port to grab containers and still paying yall to haul em. they would pay 2wice. my job yould get people to do it 4 ya but they would charge like 70 bucks for the persons time

 

Brown Stone, or anyone else:

I am thinking about this too. Could you let me know how you are doing at the Ports.
I already spoke to them... now I need to here from O/O's that ran for them. They told me they are trying to clean up the operations including O/O trucks and trying to get more Americans hauling for them.... I need the low down before I stick my truck and neck into the noose. THX Drivers.

 

You may want to check around with other carriers that are hauling containers.
The best container work is picking up at the military depots and taking them to the ports. Most containers from depots are about 15,000 and less, in weight. Many times we had 8,000 lbs. So you're running light most of the time and the pay is a bit higher. Hauling Govt containers, you can keep the same chassis, which makes it less time consuming.
There is one good company out there in NJ that we were hauling for. Wish I could say the name here on this forum, but some words are moderated and not allowed.
This company is a bit below Newark NJ. Can't remember what town, but they also have an office (main headquarters) in the Philadelphia area too. There's quite a few in NJ so check around.

As long as our troops are overseas, there is a need for Govt Containers moved to the ports. And their contracts pay higher. You don't get paid mileage ,but a flat rate , including fuel surcharge.

If you find the right running time in and out of the ports , its not a big deal. You get in and out pretty fast.
Early in the morning is the worst time to go into the ports. Norfolk VA closes at 5, so if you get there around 3, most of the trucks are already gone. Timing is the key to getting in and out quickly.

Taking containers into the ports are a lot better, than taking them out of the ports and delivering them.

 

I live near Jacksonville FL where containers are booming and I wanted more info about them. As each area is different I won't quote the info I found here bit will give you the way I found alot of good info. I bought a decent little radio to put in my pick-up and headed to the port. Get on the radio and ask the people that are pulling in an out of the port how things truly are. This will give you the best current info available. GL Hope this helps.

 

great idea 5mouths2feed!!!!!

the same with, a person wanting to haul livestock,, go hang out at a livestock auction and you'll find work from there.

we all, need to do our homework.



PS.. I can't pm Brownstone,, it is CTI

 

Hauling out of N J is one of the worst ports, i did it for six months got my sign on bounus and quit, hell some days you could be in the port 5-6 hrs. and the union guys could care less. I would never haul out of there again. I run some stuff down from Boston to N J piers sometimes but that pays $1400.00 one way and makes it worth it.

 

I ran containers out of Savannah & the Charleston areas.. I only lasted 6 months... It stunk!! LONG waits in the port for a container, chassis, getting somthing fixed.. finding a top lift to mount your container once you found a chassis... ect..

Of course we could "pay" another guy to shag containers out of the port for us.. He drove 4 miles round trip and charged $35 to turn in one or to pull one out.. so a round he made $70. I say that's wher the $$ is... he would make more $$ than me and I would be driving my butt off. Doing 2500 - 3000mi. in 5 days.. (no work on weekends). Forget trying to run legal..

In 6 months I spent $90 on lights, bulbs.. and the like.. On another note: Every chassis owner has their own tire policy.. some want new only.. some caps only, only certain venders may be used, P.O. # are needed before getting ANY work done.. so getting tire work done is a royal pain in the butt.. They always attempt to make it "driver neglegance" and make you pay for the tire.. saying you "ran it low", or "ran it flat". Pulling cans you WILL have tire problems.. brake problems, light problems.. AND WEIGHT problems.. Just about weekly I was ticketed for overweight.. The co. paid it because I was over gross.. That was a pain..

So go into this carefuly and with the knowlege that cans in my opinion are the bottom of the barrel in trucking..

The FMCSA tried to require container chassis owners be responcible for the maintaince of their equipment.. The port simply ammended their interchange agreement to basicly circumvent the law.. They required you to waive responcibility and accept the responcibility of maintaince yourself on the new interchange agreement.. You refused to sign for the chassis, No load or chassis for U!! SO what ya think happened.. absolutely nothing, back to business as usual.. The law was meaningless..

Have I rented and raved enough?? I have more pet peaves.. I'll save them for another time..

 

Sorry to say ,
Not every type of work fits every person. And you seem to fit this category. There are thousands and thousands of drivers who do this on a daily basis and for years on end. When you learn how to Laso the ropes , it makes your work much easier.. 6 months is not enough time to learn it all. You Quit while you were still Green.

Mark my Words.
Over the Road Trucking is going to be nearly None Existence in the Years to come.
Containers will be in Full Force as these Years go by.
It's already beginning.

 

It wasn't "being green" as ya put it.. I know about keeping the same chassis, but that is not always possible.. Not every steamship line has a interchange agreement to let every other steamship line "borrow" their equipment..

I know many drivers have done it for years.. But.. look at their trucks! There isn't any other company on earth that would let those trucks to work for them.. Just about every one working containers is a POS.. bad tires, bailing wire and duct tape holding it together..

There just isn't any $$ in containers.. You work your butt off for chump change.. Waste hours in lines and get paid nothing for it.. Equipment is shoddy at best..

I'll stick to working "smarter not harder" any day.. I've done a lot of different jobs.. I only lasted 6 months # containers because I saw right off the bat, the rates just wern't there.. Tell me you get more $$ for pulling 50,000 lbs on a tri axle chassis vs a regular load.. The company I was with charged the customer for the excess weight.. We were just given a blanket overweight permit that in GA cost $100 for the year.. Not worth it by a long shot!

I'll stick to hauling high wide and heavy with my RGN...