HTA’S LaBar says terminals and trucking companies collaborate on protective gear & sanitary supplies for drivers

At the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Weston LaBar, president of the Harbor Trucking Association says that there have been no reported COVID-19 cases among drivers and that marine terminals and trucking companies have been working together to source protective gear and sanitary supplies for drivers.

ILWU Dispatcher Tests Positive for Coronavirus

However, on April 1st, two International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13 dispatch halls were closed when a dispatcher tested positive for the Coronavirus, according to Stephen Hennessey, Chief Operating Officer of the Pacific Maritime Association.

He issued the following statement on April 1: “Dispatch halls for ILWU Local 13 longshore workers at the Ports of L.A. and Long Beach have been temporarily closed after a dispatcher tested positive for the coronavirus. As a result, the only ships working in the ports tonight are those that worked last night as well. Both halls are being sanitized this evening with the goal of resuming dispatch operations tomorrow, April 2. PMA and Local 13 are working cooperatively together so these essential workers can return to their vital terminal operations as quickly as possible to continue supporting our local and national economies during this challenging time.”

Everything was back to normal on Thursday April 2, when PMA tweeted: “LA/LB Dispatch Hall update: Thanks to a cooperative effort between ILWU Local 13 and the PMA, the dispatch halls opened this morning after comprehensive cleaning measures were implemented and all jobs were filled. Dispatch concluded at 8:10 a.m.”

Trucking Companies and Terminals Working Together

LaBar told AJOT that the Coronavirus threat has prompted trucking companies and marine terminals to take the following measures:

Terminals and trucking companies have delivered masks and other protective gear to drivers up and down the Pacific coast: “We have actively worked with PMA (Pacific Maritime Association) on suggested coast wide protocols and are actively working with the NWSA, POLA, POLB, and Oakland in addition to constant communications with PMSA…”

“The terminals have switched out call boxes so drivers don’t have to touch anything when they arrive at the (marine terminal) gate, which avoids one possible contamination point.”

“We have tried to go as paperless as possible at the terminals so drivers don’t have to touch anything that might be contaminated.”

“A number of companies have been donating supplies to make sure drivers are protected.”

“We have daily conference calls with the terminals updating us on current conditions.”

At our (HTA) office, we moved our staff to work remotely three weeks ago, so we haven’t had any one test positive for the virus.”

“The decision by (California) Governor Newsom and California cities to order employees to stay home so far seems to be minimizing cases.”

Some drivers have parked their trucks out of concern for the virus but this has not impacted the availability of drivers to pick up and deliver containers at marine terminals.

The imposition of a two-hour cleaning time between the first and second shifts at marine terminals is reducing contamination threats to longshore workers: “Not everyone has a second shift. I believe it is for all terminals who have a second shift. I know it was mandated for all PierPass terminals (POLA & POLB).” However, the time delay is causing truckers, who would normally access terminals during the shift change, to have to wait until the terminals open up again. At the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the two-hour shutdown sometimes results in lines that stretch to the nearby 710 freeway and go north several miles to the 405 freeway. Fortunately, LaBar says “there’s hardly anyone on the freeways these days.”

Other Developments

In other news LaBar reported:

The question of whether the passage of California’s Assembly Bill 5, requiring California employers to treat owner operators’ employees, applies to the California trucking industry “has been challenged in the courts by the California Trucking Association.”

Some labor unions are lobbying Congress to require trucking companies to treat owner operators as employees and create a federal mandate.

There continues to be a problem for drivers returning empty containers to marine terminals at Los Angeles and Long Beach: “Returning empty containers continues to be a challenge. Appointments need to be made prior to knowing where ocean carriers will direct the equipment. Also, some restrictions, such as dual-transaction only or no chassis termination, also complicate matters. In addition, most terminals are seeing between 200-300 empty-out only transactions a day. We need to have a better permanent process for empty appointments and empty-container returns that is a collaborative approach between the trucker, terminal, and carrier. We are also encouraging members to street turn containers when possible to alleviate unnecessary traffic at terminals. This will help the issue of members’ yards being congested with empty containers. This has been an ongoing issue since factories in China started shutting down in February due to impacts related to COVID-19.”