WASHINGTON (Nov. 19, 2002) — A group that represents truckers who service international businesses at terminals in the Port Newark/Elizabeth area of New Jersey has petitioned the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission to investigate “egregious unreasonable practices” of terminal operators at the ports.

The Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers is complaining about truck detention at three terminals, as well as rates, tariffs, charges, and rules. The 30-page petition names American Stevedoring, Port Newark Container Terminal, Universal Maritime Service Corp., and the New York Terminal Conference.

“This action has been a long time coming,” said association president Jeffrey Alan Bader. “It negatively impacts our area in many ways.”

In recent days truckers have documented waiting times of up to four hours to pick up or discharge a single container or chassis, said Bader. Waiting in line for two to four hours means that most truckers can only make one or two deliveries a day, rather than the four of five they should.

Among the allegations:

* Terminal operators manipulate entry to the terminal gate or “point of processing,” resulting in excessive waiting time for trucks outside the terminal gate.

* Terminals do not compensate truckers for waiting time outside the terminal gate, nor is this time combined with the waiting time inside the terminal in calculating detention penalties paid to truckers for excessive delays.

* Terminals require trucks at the port to use off-site chassis depots or other off-site facilities. Truckers spend time that is excluded from the calculation of detention penalties.

“Some of the attendant costs are inevitably passed on to the importing or exporting community, while trucking companies servicing the NY/NJ port are forced to absorb these costs,” Bader said. He is concerned that his association’s members will be forced out of business, and that frustrated shippers will take their business to other ports.

The Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers is comprised of more than 40 members, at least 80 per cent of which are trucking companies servicing the port. A copy of the petition available on request; call 973/926 3200.