Page 120: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2018)

INTERMODAL PORT LOGISTICTS ers, that information, given on a ‘need speeding up response and getting the exactly where they are at all times. “We pools have just one contributor and one to know basis,’ is very much something motor carrier back on the road. Lovetro ran a couple of pilots recently – one in manager. 75 percent of TRAC’s ? eet they need to know in order to service insists, “That’s how we respond quickly New York and one in Chicago – to test runs through its private pools, with the customers in a timely fashion. Lovetro to the motor carrier – because if you’re out some concepts,” explained Lovetro, balance contributed to co-op pools. We adds, “That’s been one of our points to broken down, and this is how you make who added quickly, “When it comes to asked Lovetro if the neutral model was the steamship lines for a very long time. your living and now you’re sitting on the repositioning equipment, we’ll know ex- his preferred method of providing ser-

Some do pretty well at it and some seem side of the road – you want to know that actly where it is.” vice. He answered unequivocally, “Yes, to struggle. And we keep telling them: someone got my call, they dispatched Beyond that and along the same lines, it is. The neutral pool allows us to can in-

Let us help you. Tell us what’s coming help, and help is on its way.” is a future development, one which vest in our ? eet so we can provide a bet- inbound, we’ll be able to service you In another proof positive that TRAC is Lovetro calls the ‘Telematics of Chas- ter service to our customers, as opposed better.” aiming for better service to its customers, sis.’ Ultimately, TRAC Intermodal might to if I invest in my ? eet in a co-op pool,

To that end, TRAC has joined the TRAC Intermodal this year introduced be able to supply a driver (and remote then the other guy gets to use it. And so

Blockchain in Transport Alliance – a product that combines a new Carrier monitoring sites) with as many as 8 or 10 I’m investing money that they use, and

BiTA. TRAC’s involvement is in its underslung genset with a premium 40- different data points that will help him so that doesn’t really work too well. In very formative stages, but says Lovetro, foot marine chassis. These pre-mounted manage that load more safely and more a private, neutral pool, we’ve invested the ? rm hopes it will bring access to in- genset-chassis are available through the ef? ciently. It isn’t nearly as complicated in both the availability of ? eet and the bound volumes, the sizes of those boxes TRAC Select pool in the New York/New as it sounds. quality of the ? eet and our customers (20’, 40’, 45’, etc.), and the ultimate Jersey port complex and was expanded It all sounds good, but the proof is reap the bene? t in terms of reliability landing point of those boxes in a port to the LA/Long Beach complex in June. where the rubber meets the road. Last and availability.” like Los Angeles which has as many as As a function of the new USDA rules year, and for the second year in a row, The neutral or co-op pool discussion 11 possible discharge points. which now allow selected southern US TRAC was named by the Association ultimately comes around to price. That’s ports to unload produce in reefer car- of Bi-State Motor Carriers as the Best where it becomes obvious that qual-

Service: More than a Chassis goes, demand might just be robust in Overall Chassis Provider. We asked ity also comes at a price – typically a

The job involves more than hardware. other places, as well. Lovetro what went into that victory. He premium price. Lovetro agrees, saying,

Both RoadStar – emergency road service In a nutshell, the new genset-chassis replied simply, “When you ask, ‘why “We do see a bifurcated or split market. – and an Online chassis booking system– improves ef? ciency by providing a one- did we win?’ it’s because we increased So when we build our neutral pools, we

TRAC’s EZBook – are both intended to stop solution for motor carriers to pick up supply, and secondly, we put a darn good put a high quality piece of equipment improve service, but are targeted to ad- a chassis already equipped with a genset, piece of equipment in the ? eet.” into those pools. But through discus- dress different solutions. For example, eliminating an additional stop before the sions with our customers, we recog-

EZ Book allows a motor carrier to go refrigerated container is mounted on the Neutral & Grey Pools nize that that equipment doesn’t always online and book a chassis in a location. chassis. And, like other maritime stake- As the port ports of Charleston and Sa- meet their speci? c needs, and there are

So that makes it simpler for them, and it holders, TRAC is focused on improving vannah transition their chassis pools into times when they might want a different gives TRAC warning about what they’re its environmental signature. The new a gray or co-op pool – one that involves piece of equipment, or a piece of equip- going to need and where they will need GenSets will be compliant with West one set of rules, and presumably – one ment con? gured in a different way. So it. EZ Book is designed for the end user Coast CARB regulations. price – with multiple contributors, that we, about four years ago started a pool – not for the import shipping line. As comprehensive as those improve- isn’t necessarily the pool of choice for called “TRAC Select.” TRAC Select

RoadStar is a new application that ments might sound, TRAC is looking providers like TRAC. is your upper end; the premier product

TRAC introduced to facilitate emergen- into additional improvements. These Today, TRAC operates nine TRAC- pool. And so we put chassis in place – cy road service. In essence, the ‘AAA’ of include the idea of adding tracking de- owned and managed pools across the we have 20 distribution points around chassis users, the nimble tool is all about vices to its chassis so that TRAC knows country. These private, so-called neutral the country today for our TRAC Select

Photo: TRAC 120 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • AUGUST 2018

MR #8 (114-121).indd 120 MR #8 (114-121).indd 120 8/7/2018 10:42:53 AM8/7/2018 10:42:53 AM