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West Coast and California Logistics Blog

Ship overweight to combat high container shipping rates

Apr 15, 2021 / by Jerry Critchfield posted in Southern California Ports, Drayage, overweight

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Record-breaking shipping volumes into the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continue into Q2 and show no sign of letting up. This has contributed to container shortages and extremely high container shipping rates. In this article, we’ll explore a tactic to help mitigate some of the headaches associated with the current importing landscape: shipping overweight containers.

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West Coast Chassis Pool Challenges at Ports of LA and Long Beach

Mar 25, 2021 / by Jerry Critchfield posted in Southern California Ports, Port Logistics, Drayage

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As we examined in our recent blog post on port congestion, ports across the U.S. – most notably the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach – are experiencing severe backups due to increased import activity after the initial pandemic-related slowdown of 2020. The effects of these backups continue to be felt throughout the supply chains of importers. In this article, we focus on one piece of this port congestion puzzle: the West Coast chassis pools, specifically those at the Ports of LA and Long Beach.

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What types of products benefit from the California Overweight Corridor?

Feb 4, 2021 / by Jerry Critchfield posted in Southern California Ports, Port Logistics, west coast warehouses, Transportation Strategies, Drayage, overweight, logistics in California

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If you’re importing containers into the U.S., you may be limiting the weight of your containers in order to meet U.S. road weight limits. This is often a mistake as you’re likely shipping more containers than you need to and spending more for the entire import transportation process. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of the shipping overweight containers into the California Overweight Corridor and tell you what types of products make the most sense to ship overweight.

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Ship Overweight Containers to Reduce Import Costs

Oct 22, 2020 / by Jerry Critchfield posted in West Coast Distribution, Transportation Strategies, Transload, Drayage, overweight

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When importing containers from Asia and other overseas markets, many companies limit their container weights to meet U.S. road weight limits. This is often a mistake as shipping overweight containers can offer you very significant ocean cost savings. In this article, we will examine the benefits of overweight container shipping – and how a 3PL located near your chosen port can help you realize them.

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What port logistics services can a 3PL provide?

Jul 23, 2020 / by Jerry Critchfield posted in Southern California Ports, West Coast Distribution, Port Logistics, Transload, 3PL Outsourcing, Drayage, logistics in California

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When you’re importing products into the U.S., there’s a lot that needs to happen before your items hit store shelves or a customer’s doorstep. And it often starts with port logistics services such as those provided by a third-party logistics (3PL) company. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at those services and the options you have for getting your goods quickly from port to consumer.

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The Benefits of Using One Integrated Logistics Services Provider

Nov 21, 2019 / by Bob Lilja posted in Logistics Management, Third Party Logistics, Transportation Strategies, Warehouse operations, 3PL Outsourcing, Drayage, Distribution

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Conventional wisdom tells you not to put all your eggs in one basket. In the logistics industry, however, this isn’t always good advice. By leaning on one third-party logistics services provider (3PL) for each leg of the distribution cycle, you may find greater efficiency and improved operational success than you would sourcing à la carte.

In this article, we’ll examine the benefits of an integrated logistics services approach.

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New Enhancements Aim to Speed Container Drayage at Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports

Sep 12, 2019 / by Jerry Critchfield posted in Southern California Ports, Drayage, supply chain cycle time, logistics in California

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If you’ve been following operations at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in recent years, the trend looks something like this: the Ports continually break new volume records, truck turn times remain high, and officials vow to speed things up.  The calls for speed reached a fever pitch in Q1 of this year as freight piled up at the Ports in the wake of U.S.-China tariff announcements.  Fortunately for shippers, enhancements are in place to speed container drayage in Los Angeles and Long Beach now and in the future.

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What shippers should know about driver misclassification by California drayage carriers

Aug 8, 2019 / by Jerry Critchfield posted in Southern California Ports, West Coast Distribution, Third Party Logistics, 3PL Outsourcing, Labor issues, Drayage, Regional Logistics, Northern California 3PL, logistics in California

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With the state supreme court’s Dynamex decision, followed by its Senate Bill 1402 (SB 1402), California’s position on the hiring of independent owner-operators by drayage carriers is now firmly established.  In short, the state asserts that many of these contractors are not independent after all – and those that claim to be acting as employees of the hiring companies have solid legal ground to sue for wages and benefits. 

Many beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) have seen the writing on the wall and are protecting themselves from possible legal and financial penalties by turning away from drayage carriers who engage contractors.  Others are not yet reacting, while still others may not even be aware of recent legal precedents.  In this article, we’ll get you up to speed on these developments and help you determine whether your prospective carrier’s drivers in California are actually considered to be on that carrier’s payroll or are sub-contractors.

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Why Experience Matters for Drayage Drivers

Jul 25, 2019 / by Jerry Critchfield posted in Southern California Ports, West Coast Distribution, Port Logistics, 3PL Outsourcing, Labor issues, Drayage, Distribution, logistics in California

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Drayage is technically just another transportation service.  A driver picks up a load and then delivers it.

With port drayage, however, this simple process becomes much more complex.  Navigating seaport terminals is a tricky business on a good day and can become extremely difficult as rules change from terminal-to-terminal, or even hour-to-hour.  To navigate the ports effectively – and avoid wasting time and money – shippers need to ensure the drayage carriers they work with have a roster of experienced drayage drivers. 

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Update on the Southern California Logistics Services Market

Jun 27, 2019 / by Bob Lilja posted in Southern California Ports, West Coast Distribution, Port Logistics, Third Party Logistics, Warehouse operations, eCommerce Fulfillment, Inland Empire Warehouse, Labor issues, Drayage, rail transportation, Peak Season Shipping, Distribution, logistics in California

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When it comes to Southern California logistics, there’s never a dull moment.  The region is home to the busiest ports in the country, while the state continues to dramatically alter the way logistics gets done through an array of unique regulations.  In this article, we’ll get you up to speed on some of the recent SoCal supply chain developments during the first half of 2019.

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