The TraPac container terminal at the Port of Oakland will add a night shift for truckers from October 15, 2018.

According to the port, thousands of drivers will be able to pick up or drop off Oakland containerized cargo from 6pm to 3am from Mondays to Thursdays, giving freight haulers access to the terminal outside busier daytime hours. Night operations are expected to accelerate cargo flow while reducing truck queues that can sometimes develop outside terminal gates.

“This is a big step forward for TraPac and the port’s customers,” said John Driscoll, maritime director of the Port of Oakland. “We want cargo to move as quickly as possible through the port and we’re grateful that our terminal operators share that conviction.”

The terminal said that it would assess a US$30 fee on all loaded containers moving in or out of TraPac beginning October 29, covering night gate costs and additional labour.

TraPac is the second-largest terminal at the Port of Oakland and is the second terminal at the port to introduce night operations for truckers. Oakland International Container Terminal, the port’s largest terminal, introduced night gates in Oakland two years ago.

Together, the two terminals process about 80% of all containerized cargo in Oakland, according to the port.