The West Coast MTO Agreement (WCMTOA) announced that the Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have increased by 1.9 percent. The adjustment matches the combined 1.9 percent increase in longshore wage and assessment rates that had taken effect June 29, 2019.
Beginning August, the TMF will be $32.12 per TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) or $64.24 per forty-foot container. The TMF is charged on non-exempt containers. Containers exempt from the TMF include empty containers; import cargo or export cargo that transits the Alameda Corridor in a container and is subject to a fee imposed by the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority; and transshipment cargo. Empty chassis and bobtail trucks are also exempt.
The OffPeak program provides regularly scheduled night or Saturday shifts to handle trucks delivering and picking up containers at the 12 container terminals in the two adjacent ports. PierPass launched the OffPeak program in 2005 to reduce severe cargo-related congestion and air pollution on local streets and highways around the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Nearly half of all port truck trips now take place during the off-peak shifts. The container terminal operators mitigate truck traffic at their gates with appointment systems.
The TMF helps offset the cost of operating extended gate hours. Labor costs are the largest single component of extended gate costs.
According to an analysis by maritime industry consultants SC Analytics, the net costs incurred by the terminals to operate the off-peak shifts in 2018 totaled $288 million. During that year, the terminals received $217 .5 million from the TMF, offsetting about 76 percent of the OftPeak program’s costs.
About PierPass
PierPass is a not-for-profit company created by marine terminal operators at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach to address multi-terminal issues such as congestion, air quality and security. The West Coast Marine
Terminal Operator Agreement (WCMTOA) is filed with the Federal Maritime Commission, and comprises the 12 international MTOs serving the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. For more information, please see www.p1erpass.org.
NOTICE TO DIRECT PAY CUSTOMERS
Effective as of August 1, 2019, the Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) will increase to $32.12 per TEU and $64.24 per FEU.
Direct Pay accounts claiming and paying for Import Containers prior to the rate increase will still be responsible for the entire new fee for containers moved after August 1, 2019.
If an Import container is claimed/paid for at the current rates of $31.52 TEU /$63.04 FEUan additional $0.60/TEU or $1.20/FEU will need to be collected after the move.
Our Customer Service Center representatives will contact you after August 1st to resolve any balance(s) due.
Direct Pay Exports will be billed based on the fee rate in place at the time of the gate transaction and do not require prepayment.
If you have questions, please contact the Customer Service Center at 877-863-3310.
