Oakland’s second-largest terminal expands truck night schedules

The Port of Oakland’s second largest terminal, TraPac, said it has expanded night time harbor truck service to four days a week, doubling the current weekly nighttime schedule.

Gates will be operational for pick-ups and drop-offs Monday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m., TraPac said. Normal daytime hours of between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. will remain unchanged, it said.

The terminal had been open just on Monday and Tuesday nights, and had only been handling export deliveries. The expanded service includes exports, imports, empties in both directions, and chassis pick-up, said Mike Zampa, a port spokesman.

Nighttime terminals are popular with harbor truckers because they can quickly move in and out of the facilities due to less congestion. Facilities also benefit because trucker pickups and deliveries can be scheduled away from the daytime periods, thus alleviating bottlenecks that occur during the day.

Two years ago, Oakland International Container Terminal, the port’s largest, adopted a nighttime schedule. Today, about one-quarter of all volume at the terminal is handled at night, said Zampa.

Starting Oct. 26, drivers will need to make appointments to pick up imports. Effective Oct. 29, appointments will be required for imports, exports and the return of empties. Appointments won’t be required for the pick-up of empties, TraPac said.

Starting Oct. 29, a $30 fee will be assessed on all day and night loaded containers moving via truck to defray the coasts of the extended operating hours, TraPac said. There will be no fees on loaded containers leaving the terminal by rail