A Glance at Clean Freight Strategies:

EModal Port Community System for Drayage 

EModal reduces the amount of time trucks spend waiting in queues at terminal gates by establishing 

terminal appointments and eliminating delays caused by fee payments and incomplete information. 

This saves fuel, cuts pollution and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over200 metric tons per 

year at a typical port, while improving earnings for truck drivers/operators and terminal operators. 

Introduction 

Every day, the freight industry is 

challenged with transporting large 

numbers of containers to and from a 

diverse network of transportation 

facilities. In February 2000, the eModal 

system was introduced to help manage 

this “many to many” aspect of container 

movement. Functioning as a 

warehouse of information, eModal 

improves the communication and 

coordination between the trucking, 

marine and rail communities. The 

eModal software manages pertinent 

information from many marine terminals, 

allowing for easy and efficient 

coordination between terminals and 

trucking companies. Today eModal is 

the nation’s largest online port 

community system with thirty-four 

marine terminals on both U.S. coasts 

participating via this common portal. 

Program Description

EModal’s applications focus 

predominantly on the truck and marine 

terminal gate interface. Efficient marine 

terminal gates equate to reduced truck 

queuing and idling. To increase gate 

efficiencies, eModal provides a common 

portal of container and export booking 

status information. Trucking companies, 

customs brokers and others can check 

cargo status at a terminal, pay fees 

online, input the truck driver information 

for verification at the terminal, and 

schedule an appointment. By using 

web-based technologies, users 

streamline the required processes 

before the trucker arrives at the 

terminal. 

Terminal operators are using eModal as 

one tool to address the increasing 

container volumes moving through U.S. 

port facilities. By allowing online access 

to container information, fee payments 

and appointment scheduling, eModal 

has helped to reduced delays caused by 

problematic transactions 

and peaks in traffic volumes. Terminal 

operators and trucking companies are 

generally pleased with the system’s 

ease of use and ability to eliminate timeconsuming communications between 

terminals, dispatchers and drivers. To 

achieve significant congestion mitigation 

benefits, terminals have indicated that 

greater participation within the trucking 

community will be required. 

Applications included in eModal, such as 

online fee payment and appointment 

scheduling tools, have provided 

terminals and trucking companies with 

improved information exchange and 

processing efficiency. This allows 

terminals to process greater volumes of 

truck traffic, while decreasing fuel 

consumption and diesel emissions 

resulting from trucks queuing at terminal 

gates. 

Online fee payment allows demurrage 

fees to be paid prior to the truck’s arrival 

at the terminal using a credit card, debit 

card or electronic check lodged with 

U.S. EPA Office of Transportation & Air Quality ! EPA420-F-06-008 ! (734) 214-4767 phone ! smartway_transport@epa.gov ! 

www.epa.gov/smartway 
eModal, avoiding delays associated with 

fee payments. Stopping to pay fees at 

some terminals can add15-60 minutes 

onto a trip to the terminal. It is estimated 

that due to online payments, 

approximately 17 fewer trucks stop at a 

gate per hour, saving over 200 metric 

tons of CO2 per year at a typical port. 

Prior to the introduction of eModal, 

appointment scheduling was limited 

because it was considered too 

cumbersome a process for many 

trucking firms. EModal has facilitated the 

greater use of appointment systems by 

improving its accessibility to the trucking 

community. By smoothing out the delays 

caused by daily and weekly fluctuations 

in traffic volumes, the appointment 

scheduling tool has allowed some 

terminals such as the Oakland 

International Terminal to accommodate 

growth in gate volumes. 

Conclusion 

EModal addresses the need for 

convenient and efficient communications 

that is central to eliminating bottlenecks 

in the national freight system. By 

facilitating a smoother flow of goods 

between terminals and trucks eModal 

improves the bottom line for terminals, 

truck drivers and trucking companies 

while reducing the impact of ports on 

local air quality. 

Contact Information 

More information on eModal’s services, 

registration and a complete list of 

participating terminals are available 

online at: www.emodal.com or contact 

John Cushing at (949) 474-3140. 

U.S. EPA Office of Transportation & Air Quality ! EPA420-F-06-008 ! (734) 214-4767 phone ! smartway_transport@epa.gov ! 

www.epa.gov/smartway