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Agricultural 

Marketing 

Service

Mar 2023

This is a summary of “Integrating Terminal Gate Appointment Systems at the Port of Los Angeles” by 

Cyrus Ramezani and Chris Carr.1 This research and analysis received funding from USDA’s Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS) through cooperative agreement number 21-TMTSD-CA-0004. The opinions and 

conclusions expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of USDA or the Agricultural 

Marketing Service. The full report is available online at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_

id=4184051.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, agricultural exporters utilizing U.S. West Coast ports experienced unprecedented supply 

chain disruptions such as port congestion, missed delivery windows from ocean carriers, inadequate receiving windows, 

and shortages of containers and other equipment (e.g., chassis). While these are multi-faceted problems along multiple 

segments of the supply chain, the use of terminal gate appointment systems has become an increasingly popular option for 

managing landside congestion affecting container-related disruptions. Such systems would optimize the flow of containers at 

ports by meeting the needs of various stakeholders (e.g., terminal operators, chassis providers, truckers, drayage providers, 

carriers, and shippers). An ideal terminal gate appointment system would also optimize the flow of trucks into and out 

of port terminals when picking up and dropping off containers. Integral to designing better systems are new informationsharing technologies. However, leveraging the new tools will require the various supply chain nodes to share more data than 

is currently shared (and earlier in the process), so that downstream users have sufficient time to adjust. Additionally, these 

systems must be resilient to “cascades” in the larger port operation—e.g., long container dwell times, labor shortages, trade 

disputes, etc.—that can undermine even the best appointment systems.

HOW WAS THE STUDY CONDUCTED?

The methodology for this study was both practical and investigative. First, the authors gathered the firsthand views 

of various stakeholders that use the Port of Los Angeles—i.e., the port itself, its container terminal operators, drayage 

1 Cyrus Ramezani and Chris Carr are professors in California Polytechnic State University’s Orfalea College of Business. 

Integrating Terminal Gate Appointment Systems at the 

Port of Los Angeles (Summary)

Austin Hunt

REPORT SUMMARY
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operators, motor carriers, chassis providers, Pool of Pools,2 PierPass,3 Harbor Trucking Association (HTA),4 various 

technology startups, and agricultural exporters. The authors also integrated data from relevant reports and analyses—

from government, vendors, and industry stakeholders. Finally, the authors participated in industry-sponsored events, 

including webinars and professional conferences. 

WHAT DID THE STUDY FIND?

Cooperative and Incentive Driven Appointment Systems 

The authors researched several examples of methods currently used by Port of Los Angeles stakeholders to improve 

terminal gate appointment systems. These approaches were then categorized as either “cooperative” (i.e., trucker 

notification systems) or “incentive driven” (i.e., imposing penalties for unwanted action or inaction). 

Cooperative approaches. Currently, two Port of Los Angeles terminal operators are experimenting with cooperative 

approaches. The first implements a “push” appointment system that proactively identifies when a container is ready 

for pickup by a trucking company. In the past, trucking companies had to obtain a container’s status from one system 

and then book a pickup appointment through another system. The new system streamlines the process by sending 

trucking companies an automatic (push) email notification when their container has been discharged, along with the 

option to book a pickup appointment time of their choosing. This seemingly small process change is credited with 

earning the terminal operator that implemented it the distinction of having the shortest turn times of all the port’s 

terminal operators. Still, the system has not yet been as widely adopted as it could be, possibly because some trucking 

companies are biding their time, waiting to be convinced of the system’s value.

The second cooperative approach uses an internal, artificial intelligence system to prioritize appointments. Highpriority containers are positioned at the top of the container pile at the terminal, which eliminates trucker wait times 

for picking up those containers. Although lower-priority containers at the bottom of the stack have longer wait times, 

truckers are notified of priority before pickup to help them plan accordingly. While this system shows promise, it must 

be refined and tested before it is widely used. 

Incentive approaches. The Port of Los Angeles and its terminal operators have considered two incentive-based 

approaches—one of which was implemented for only a short time and another of which has yet to be fully 

implemented. The first approach, taken by a terminal operator, assessed a $65 penalty each time a trucker either 

failed to arrive within their 1-hour appointment window or did not show up at all. This approach proved less than 

effective for two reasons: first, the penalty did not seem comprehensive in its application—it missed trucking 

companies affiliated with ocean carriers. Additionally, drayage companies argued these fees unfairly penalized them 

for conditions outside their control, such as long lines at another terminal or at a shipper’s receiving facility.

With the second incentive approach, the Port of Los Angeles benefits from its tariff authority to levy dwell fees on 

long-dwelling containers. Over the past several years, average container import dwell times rose from around 2.5 days 

to over 9, as importers (mainly retailers) left containers in port while they worked to clear their distribution centers. 

This practice resulted in severe port congestion, as containers arrived but were slow to leave the terminal. The Port of 

Los Angeles believes that the mere threat of container dwell fees helped to alleviate port congestion, and the port has 

delayed implementing tariffs several times.

Centralized Information Portal

A promising tool for facilitating real-time communication between stakeholders and coordinating container flow is 

“Port Optimizer,” a centralized information portal created by the Port of Los Angeles. However, the ultimate usefulness 

of Port Optimizer depends on enough terminals sharing data and integrating their terminal operating systems and 

appointment booking systems into the centralized portal.

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 The Pool of Pools (POP) is a multi-pool agreement between the three major proprietary marine container chassis pools operating in 

the San Pedro Basin port complex.

3 PierPASS Inc. 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. 

4 HTA is a coalition of intermodal carriers serving America’s West Coast Ports. 
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API integration. The authors examined the extent to which application programming interface (API) systems have 

helped integrate the operating and appointment systems of the terminals into “Port Optimizer.” The main benefit of 

API systems is their ability to facilitate real-time communication among different enterprise systems. Although Port 

Optimizer supports the use of APIs, the authors found the individual terminal operating and appointment systems are 

still not consistently API-connected. 

Appointment booking. The authors identified the inability to make appointments within Port Optimizer as a 

persistent obstacle. Instead of booking within the platform, users must book appointments on terminal websites. The 

resulting inefficiency is difficult to resolve because it requires different entities (e.g., the Port, terminal, and possibly 

third parties) to be willing and able to integrate and share information across their systems.

Advances in the functionality of Port Optimizer—along with cooperative and incentive approaches—can help improve 

appointment systems. However, a truly effective solution will also need to include physical container management 

strategies like stacking and unstacking, as well as strategies to prevent and address system “cascades.”

Recommendations

The authors synthesized findings from these methods to make recommendations for further improvement to the 

terminal gate appointment systems at the Port of Los Angeles:

• Improve the fluidity of port operations by creating a limited number of terminal (import) container stacks, 

and organize containers for pickup by their use priority.

• Reduce container stacking (and the resulting port congestion) by using peel-off piles for import

container pickup.5

• Further study, develop, and implement more “push” appointment systems across all terminals.

• Convene a 1-day virtual summit on the business-model needed to support improved terminal 

appointment systems. 

• Advocate for the use of Federal and State infrastructure funds to build out the technology ecosystem. 

PREFERRED CITATION

Hunt, Austin. March 2023. Integrating Terminal Gate Appointment Systems at the Port of Los Angeles (Summary).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. Web.<http://dx.doi.org/10.9752/TS380.03-2023>

Tractor wheel icon: ID 33434254 © Tribalium | Dreamstime.com

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

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 Under this system, truckers pull up to the indicated “pile” and simply take the next container that is “peeled” from the pile.