Insights - July 2016 - (Page 11)

Taking It to the Street Street Interchange Application Launched IANA has addressed a major need for the intermodal industry by facilitating street interchanges and street turns under the Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement. IANA's Street Interchange Application, which includes a web portal and mobile application, will provide major benefits to equipment utilization and flow. Street interchanges of chassis and containers between multiple draymen are common within an intermodal motor carrier's operations. Also common are street turns, where a trucker moves an import box and reuses the same box for an export. The opportunity that can bring significant improvements for these scenarios occurs when one motor carrier can perform an equipment interchange directly with another motor carrier and/or gain approval of the equipment provider for the re-use of the container. However, there can be complicating factors when this type of exchange occurs. The IANA working group that developed the Street Interchange System scoped out these issues and addressed them through the UIIA and this new technologybased solution. Specifically, the working group sought to: * Ensure there are no gaps in liability or control during the time period prior to the interchange with the second motor carrier taking place; * * * Ensure maintenance and repair charges and indemnification are allocated to the proper interchange parties; Provide supporting documentation for UIIA EPs to properly allocate free time and per diem based on terms contained in their individual UIIA addenda; and Interface with the Global Intermodal Equipment Registry application to confirm the SCAC Code for the chassis equipment provider so the interchange status between the motor carrier and the chassis EP can also be validated - as long as the chassis EP is a UIIA participant. Barrier to Efficiency Despite the fact that a number of equipment providers, terminals and motor carriers have their own applications that deal with street interchanges, the lack of scalability across regions and between companies, as well as interchange validation under the terms of the UIIA, has kept those systems from achieving their full potential. Jeff Bader, Golden Carriers, Inc. and president of the Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers in New Jersey, says that without seamless transfers of liability and control, street turns have been hampered. "Carriers, not only ocean carriers, but motor carriers, were reluctant to interchange between the two parties. Now, it's going to be seamless," Bader comments. In an official statement on behalf of Bi-State Motor Carriers, which has a forum to facilitate street transfers for its members, Bader says, "The Bi-State has successfully implemented our own street turn forum for several years as a free service to our membership, resulting in thousands of vehicle miles saved each year. I'm pleased that the UIIA is supporting this effort by creating its own program - at no additional cost to its participants - to help facilitate street turns, and I look forward to trying out the system here at the Port of New York and New Jersey." Jeff Lang, CEO of Eagle Systems Inc., agrees with Bader. "Often times today an interchange is done between two motor carriers; however, there is not an inspection, nor is there a record of the interchange. Consequently, due to the lack of approval from the equipment provider, lack of documentation, and, in the past, no language within the UIIA to facilitate a street interchange, the motor carrier who out-gated the container remained liable." Referring to the Street Interchange System, Lang adds, "The common industry link will allow for the visibility of equipment. In addition, the system will allow for the equipment provider and both motor carriers to approve the transaction." Sylvia DeMairo, general manager of equipment control for Mediterranean Shipping, adds an equipment provider's perspective. "We appreciate the site in that it's all inclusive for the equipment provider and the trucking community. We get over 6,000 street turns a month throughout the U.S., so it's going to save everybody a lot of time - and with less email." DeMairo explains that street exchanges - those that are documented - are typically arranged through a series of emails. "The back and forth takes up a lot of time, so we're eager to try it out." She takes the benefits a step further. "What [IANA] is offering is something quite unique. Somebody's able to say, 'I have a container, it will be empty, it will be in this area.' It will bring that information to other truckers who are performing moves within that area. I think then our street turns will increase. That's the value that I see." Defining Terms Building a system to address street interchange and street turns was not as simple as defining the work flow and turning that information over to software developers. The UIIA had to be examined and modified as well. "As a long time motor carrier member of the Intermodal July 2016 | Intermodal Insights 11

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - July 2016

Insights - July 2016
Restart Legislation Gets a Restart
Speed Limter Rule May Advance
Industry Gets Closer to SOLAS Compliance
DOC Delays Tire Duty Decision
Changes Proposed to IANA Bylaws
Information Services News
Inspection Metrics Report
Early Recognition and Support Helped Intermodal Grow
Taking It to the Street
Freight Reports
State Legislative Update
Sustainability News
Port News
People in the News
Intermodal EXPO 2016 Education Session by Stakeholder Interest
Intermodal EXPO 2016 Education Session Descriptions
In Brief
2016 Sponsors
Welcome New Members
Intermodal Calendar

Insights - July 2016