In a past life, I pulled containers. Dropped them off at ports, picked them up at ports. Got the chassis (junk all of it) and then went into the port to have the container set on the chassis. Think of a container yard that looks like the one above which is Barbours Cut Terminal in LaPorte Texas. You have the paperwork to pick up container # XXXX
So you go to the port and as luck would have it your container is on the bottom of a 3, 4, 5 container stack. You wait your turn behind all of the other trucks waiting to pick up a container and you are dealing with Longshoreman Union people, read NO HURRY WHATSOEVER.
I have spent a many an hour at this pictured location and can tell you that it is not a fast in and out. My record for pulling containers out of this place was 3 per day. Both #1 & 2 were dropped outside the port at a drop yard 2 miles away for another driver to pick up. I exited the port with the 3rd one right at closing time.
When they take lunch from 12-1, this means they quit about 1130 am and dont move the first container until 130 pm. The port opens at 0800 and they are done by 1600. Hopefully you will have your first one out and if you are super lucky you will get your 2nd one before they go to lunch and can go drop it somewhere and be back at the chassis yard by 1 pm.
Anyone that tells you that this type of trucking is profitable is full of crap. Today, in order to even enter ANY port in the US, you are required to posses a TWIC card (Transportation Workers Identification Card) which I have. Of course, in order to acquire one you go through a thorough background check along with fingerprints as you would a CDL.
Knowing Averitt and their typical
"Hair-On-Fire" management style, there is nobody in the organization that has the knowledge to be able to efficiently run this type of operation. It will be a money LOSER.
All I can say is good luck Averitt. All the chassis in the world is not going to prevent you from being a huge loser. Then again, at the bargain basement wages paid to many drivers, they may make a buck or 2.
Any poor driver that they sucker into becoming stuck on this losing detail is to be pitied.
This video is specific to Los Angeles Container Terminal but for the most part it applies to all container yards. As you can readily see it is a screaming pain in the butt and if you are being paid by the load and you have an issue (come on, you work for Averitt, you know there will be problems out the kazoo).
Before any of you jump and sign up for this detail, take a look at this video.