Ok	'-'"'ted States
Environmental Protection
^1	Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
EPA-420-F-21-006
March 2021
Port Operational Strategies: Gate Management
This fact sheet is one of a series of documents produced by the EPA Ports Initiative to inform port
stakeholders about potential emission reduction strategies.1 Each fact sheet contains basic
information about the strategy, emission impacts, cost components, and example programs. While
each strategy can achieve benefits on its own, implementing them together could create synergies.2
Strategy Summary
Description; Gate management strategies reduce idle
emissions at terminal gates (Figure 1) and inside freight
yards by redistributing drayage activity at ports, shifting
truck arrivals away from peak periods and lowering
average wait times at the gates. Well-designed
programs can also improve coordination of freight
transfer activities within the port, decreasing truck turn
times and improving overall terminal efficiency.
Various strategies have been tested and fine-tuned
over several years at many ports, including Los Angeles,
Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Baltimore,
Savannah, New Orleans, and Oakland. These strategies
continue to evolve, incorporating the latest advances in
Port Management Information Systems (PMIS) and technologies.4
Ports have adopted three main types of gate management strategies: truck appointment systems, extended
hours of operation, and automated gate systems.
Truck appointment systems: These systems are used to reserve specific timeslots for drayage truck
arrivals. Reservations are made in advance, either by computer or phone, for timeslots typically an hour
in length.5 A driver missing a reservation may incur a fine and may be required to reschedule. For
example, the Port of Vancouver's scheduling program charges drivers $50 for missed appointments, but
1	The emissions evaluated in these fact sheets include nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbons
(HC), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
2	See the Ports Initiative's fact sheets on port management information systems (https://www.epa.gov/ports-
initiative/management-information-systems-improve-operational-efficiencies-and-air-quality), virtual vessel arrival
(https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/virtual-vessel-arrival-svstems-ports-improves-air-quality-and-saves-fuel), and
vessel speed reduction (https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/marine-vessel-speed-reduction-reduces-air-
emissions-and-fuel-usage).
3	Port of Los Angeles. 2019. Clean Truck Program, https://www.portoflosangeles.org/environment/air-quality/clean-
truck-program. Accessed 3-5-2021.
4	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2020. Port Operational Strategies: Port Management Information Systems.
f https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/management-information-svstems-improve-operational-efficiencies-and-air-
quality.
5	Maguire, A. 2010. Relieving Congestion at Intermodal Marine Container Terminals: Review of Tactical/Operational
Strategies. Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, University of Memphis.
https://ageconsearch.umn.edU/bitstream/207280/2/2010 161 Relieving Congestion Marine Terminals Strategic
s.pdf. Accessed 3-5-2021.
Figure 1. Port Terminal Gate

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also requires terminal operators to compensate drivers for long turn times.6 Appointment systems can
be integrated within a port's or terminal operator's overall terminal operating system (TOS), or PMIS, to
take advantage of other opportunities, such as more accurate forecasting of yard labor needs. A TOS
controls the movement and storage of various types of cargo in and around a container terminal. A
PMIS enables port operators to manage the processes for the ship's arrival and departure, and to
supervise traffic within the port basin. PMIS is also accessible to port community operators such as
harbor masters, coastguards, agents, and terminal operators.
•	Extended hours of operation: By extending gate hours, drivers and drayage companies may be able to
schedule arrivals during off-peak times, thereby avoiding road congestion, long queues, and
pickup/drop-off delays. Extending hours also spreads truck traffic over a longer time, reducing peak
period activity. Effective extended hour programs may include incentives for truckers to schedule off-
peak arrivals, additional gate and terminal staffing, and effective terminal management to ensure that
all required port services are modified for night and weekend operation as needed.7 Extended hours can
be coupled with truck appointment systems for even more flexibility and efficiency.
•	Automated gate systems: These systems use a range of technologies to improve communication
between the terminal gate and freight yard. Typically integrated within a port's TOS, these systems
automatically identify trucks and containers and facilitate access, loading, and unloading for drayage
trucks entering the terminal gate.
Automated gate system technologies include:
o Bar code reader systems, which use bar code labels and laser scanners to identify and track
containers at gates and within the terminal.
o Optical character recognition (OCR) systems, which use cameras and scanners to identify containers,
chassis information, and truck license plates upon entry and exit. OCR systems may be easier to
install and maintain than technologies that require tag application or receiver installation, since
their scanners can read existing markings and identification placards.8
o Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, which use tags attached to containers and trucks that
transmit information to RFID readers via radio signal.
o Real-time location systems (RTLS), which use wireless tags on trucks and containers to track their
position relative to fixed receiving points.
o Closed circuit television, which uses strategically positioned gate and terminal cameras to assess
real-time gate and yard conditions.
o Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), which uses satellite-based navigation to transmit
truck and container location coordinates. This requires DGPS receivers on target units.
Some automated gate systems integrate multiple strategies. For example, the U.S. Department of
Transportation's Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) combines automated gate
6	Mongelluzzo, B. 2018. Vancouver Changes Designed to Prevent Congestion, Dray Delays.
https://www.ioc.com/port-news/international-ports/vancouver-changes-designed-prevent-congestion-drayage-
related-delays_20180524.html. Accessed 3-5-2021.
7	Maguire, A. 2010. Relieving Congestion at Intermodal Marine ContainerTerminals: Review of Tactical/Operational
Strategies. Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, University of Memphis.
https://ageconsearch.umn.edU/bitstream/207280/2/2010 161 Relieving Congestion Marine Terminals Strategie
s.pdf. Accessed 3-5-2021.
8	Port Strategy. 2013. OCR Grabs the World, http://www.portstrategy.com/newsl01/port-operations/planning-and-
design/ocr-grabs-the-world. Accessed 3-5-2021.
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technologies with a dynamic appointment system to streamline drayage activities.9 FRATIS provides up-
to-date information to drayage drivers so they can make more efficient decisions about routing, pickup
and drop-off, shift scheduling, and mandatory rest periods. These systems electronically inform the
driver using cellular applications about highway traffic, port queue times, and congestion. They also
allow for more efficient matching of pickups and drop-offs because port operators can see the location
of approaching trucks and match them to containers waiting for pickup.10
Advantages: Gate management strategies can decrease emissions at terminal gates and inside the port,
which can improve the health of port workers and nearby communities.11 Spreading truck arrivals over a
longer period reduces vehicle queues, minimizes gate traffic variability, and decreases local roadway
congestion. In some cases, gate management strategies may also reduce idle emissions in surrounding
neighborhoods where trucks wait to enter port property.
When combined with port management information systems,12 appointments and automated gate systems
can help coordinate truck and container arrival and storage, reduce container repositioning, and allow for
pre-staging before pickup. Enhanced information systems can also reduce the number of empty backhauls
and bobtail trips. The resulting efficiency improvements benefit truckers and port operators alike. Extended
gate hours coupled with improved throughput can also expand terminal capacity, potentially allowing ports
to better serve next-generation megaships.
As noted above, extended hour programs can effectively shift truck activity to off-peak periods given
adequate resources. For example, the OffPeak program—initiated in 2005 by PierPASS at the Ports of Los
Angeles and Long Beach—offers 35 hours of additional off-peak gate access per week, almost doubling total
gate hours and shifting about half of truck activity away from peak periods. The program has moved over 35
million container shipments to off-peak periods since its inception.13
Adopting gate management strategies can also alleviate local road congestion by reducing peak period
traffic volumes, that can also limit peak emission concentrations. Improvements in facility throughput may
reduce vehicle dwell times, thereby further reducing total emissions and noise from engine idling. Real-time
information on local road conditions collected as part of truck appointment systems, including video feeds,
can also be shared with the public via port websites.
Considerations: Effective truck appointment systems require adherence to scheduled appointment times by
all parties, including trucking companies and drivers, terminal operators, shippers, and vessel operators.
Challenges include vessel delays due to weather or port congestion, as well as traffic congestion delaying
truck arrivals. Even if a container is at the port and the truck arrives on time, backups at container sorting
and stacking areas can cause significant delays once inside the terminal, potentially negating the benefits of
9	U.S. Department of Transportation, n.d. Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS).
https://www.its.dot.gov/research archives/dma/bundle/fratis plan.htm. Accessed 3-5-2021.
10	U.S. Department of Transportation, n.d. Using Freight Advanced Traveler Information Systems to Promote Urban
Freight Mobility. Presentation by Randy Butler, https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/freight/meetings/fratis.pdf.
Accessed 3-5-2021.
11	Exposure to air pollution associated with emissions from diesel engines can contribute to significant health
problems—including premature mortality, increased hospital admissions for heart and lung disease, increased
cancer risk, and increased respiratory symptoms—especially for children, the elderly, outdoor workers, and other
sensitive populations. (See U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2014. Near Roadway Air Pollution and Health:
Frequently Asked Questions. https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/P100NFFD.PDF?Dockev=P100NFFD.PDF.
Accessed 3-5-2021.)
12	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2020. Port Operational Strategies: Port Management Information Systems.
https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/management-information-systems-improve-operational-efficiencies-and-air-
quality.
13	PierPASS. n.d. About, https://www.pierpass.org/about/. Accessed 3-5-2021.
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scheduled arrival times. Methods are available to help mitigate these difficulties, including dedicated lanes
for trucks, preferential access for appointments when wait times exceed certain limits,14 and waiting lots for
trucks.15 While extended gate hours reduce queuing and on-docktime, the expanded terminal capacity may
increase overall throughput and emissions, reducing health benefits.
If implemented as a stand-alone measure, gate appointments may simply move truck delays from one time
and place to another. For example, one analysis of scheduling at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach16
found no net improvement in turnaround efficiency, most likely because the original program was based on
gate appointments rather than appointments for loading and unloading at the terminal. However, with
advanced coordination to pre-stage containers, these systems can ensure efficient and timely truck entry,
pickup and drop-off, and exit.
Concerns associated with extended operation hours include the additional labor needed to staff the
terminals and gates, as well as contract restrictions on off-peak labor. Also, extended gate hours at the port
should be coordinated with off-port destination facilities to minimize overall truck trip idling. Extended
hours may also be a concern to surrounding communities due to increased traffic during off-peak hours and
may be restricted by noise or other local ordinances. Ports should seek community input when designing
and implementing gate management strategies.
Automated gate systems must be compatible with each port's TOS framework. The technologies used have
limitations including occasional malfunction, misreading of images/ID codes, and transmission signal range
limits and interruptions. These issues are generally well understood and can be managed through proper
system design and application, backup, and/or redundancy.
Appropriate port size and type: Gate management strategies can be adopted by ports of any size.
Applicability to individual ports may vary due to differences in port management systems and operations.
Larger ports with more complex operations may find the most value in automated gate technologies,
especially when combined with comprehensive and sophisticated TOS frameworks. Truck appointment
systems can also be applied widely, although these systems may be limited by a terminal's capacity for
onsite truck processing and throughput.
14	Maguire, A. 2010. Relieving Congestion at Intermodal Marine Container Terminals: Review of Tactical/Operational
Strategies. Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, University of Memphis.
https://ageconsearch.umn.edU/bitstream/207280/2/2010 161 Relieving Congestion Marine Terminals Strategie
s.pdf. Accessed 3-5-2021.
15	Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office. 2019. ITS MARAD Truck Staging.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/Planning/freight planning/talking freight/march 2019/talkingfreight3 20 19.pdf.
Accessed 3-5-2021.
16	Giuliano, G., and O'Brien, T. 2007. Reducing Port-Related Truck Emissions: The Terminal Gate Appointment System
at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 12(7):
460-473. doi: 10.1016/i.trd.2007.06.004. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222820125 Reducing port-
related truck emissions The terminal gate appointment system at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beac
h. Accessed 3-5-2021.

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Emission Reductions17
Primary Pollutants affected: NOx, PM, HC, CO, and C02
Anticipated reductions: Truck idling can contribute significantly to total port emissions. For example,
drayage truck activity was responsible for 6.8 percent of NOx emissions, 12.9 percent of PM2.5 emissions, and
11.5 percent of C02 emissions at the Port of Houston's Barbour's Cut Container Terminal in 2013.18 Based on
an analysis of Port of Houston drayage truck activity, these trucks spent about two-thirds of their time idling
while at the port.19,20 Using emission rates from EPA's MOVES model, idle emissions alone were estimated
to account for 5.0 percent of the container terminal's total NOx emissions, 11.9 percent of PM2.5 emissions,
and 7.7 percent of C02 emissions.21
When combined with other integrated strategies,22 gate management strategies can substantially decrease
truck wait times and idle emissions. The emission reduction potential varies depending on the strategies
chosen, the amount of truck idling reduced, and the emission rates of the drayage trucks (determined
largely by engine model year).
Further reductions may occur as a result of fewer container rearrangements within the yard and decreased
road congestion outside the port. On the other hand, extending hours may generate additional emissions
from power generation associated with fixed infrastructure (lighting, HVAC, etc.) and any electric-powered
mobile units (forklifts, yard hostlers, etc.). These additional emission impacts are difficult to estimate and
are not included in the following calculation.
Calculation methodology: The inputs required to calculate the emission reductions from gate management
strategies are listed below. This approach is limited to estimating truck idle emission reductions at gate
queues and on port property.
•	Annual truck volume (trucks/year) for analysis year
•	Average turn time before strategy adoption (hours/truck), from port data for a typical year
•	Average turn time for analysis year (hours/truck), from port data23
•	Average drayage fleet model year, from gate surveys or other port records
•	Heavy-duty truck idle exhaust emission factors (grams/hour), from EPA or CARB emission models, or
EPA defaults—see Table 1 for diesel and natural gas emission factors
17	The information in this section is for illustration: although the types of inputs and methods used in this section are
generally consistent with EPA established methodologies, it does not constitute official EPA technical guidance for
regulatory purposes. Please note that EPA has comprehensive guidance on developing inventories of emissions
from ports and port-related goods movement. EPA's Port Emissions Inventory Guidance, September 2020, EPA-420-
B-20-046, is available at EPA's web site at: www.epa.gov/state-and-local-transportation/port-emissions-inventory-
guidance. Accessed 3-5-2021.
18	In-terminal emission estimates from Eastern Research Group, Inc. 2017. 2013 Goods Movement Air Emissions
Inventory at the Port of Houston. Available from the Port of Houston Authority upon request.
19	Eastern Research Group, Inc. 2012. Data Collection of Drayage Trucks in Houston/Galveston Port Area: Final Report.
Prepared for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
20	The two-thirds estimate is based on analysis from an earlier report and idling time might be lower for 2013 because
of operational improvements made at Barbours Cut in that year.
21	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES). Version 2014a.
https://www.epa.gov/moves. Accessed Data Collection of Drayage Trucks in Houston/Galveston Port Area.
22	https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/marine-vessel-speed-reduction-reduces-air-emissions-and-fuel-usage,
https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/virtual-vessel-arrival-svstems-ports-improves-air-qualitv-and-saves-fuel,
https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/management-information-systems-improve-operational-efficiencies-and-air-
quality.
23	This approach assumes that decreased turn times are associated with reduced truck idling. Adjustments to the
emission reduction calculation may be needed for ports with truck waiting areas inside and outside the terminals.
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Table 1. Default Heavy-Duty Vehicle Idle Emission Rates (Grams/Hour)24
Model Year Group
NOx
PM2.5
CO225
Diesel26
Pre-1991
148.64
3.95
8,302
1991-1993
139.75
3.95
8,329
1994-1997
139.75
6.04
8,382
1998
117.34
5.77
8,420
1999-2002
154.80
5.77
8,420
2003-2006
56.94
5.22
8,426
2007-2009
53.19
0.21
8,435
2010-2012
10.05
0.20
8,439
2013-2016
8.96
0.18
8,255
2017+
6.49
0.12
7,944
2019 national average age distribution27
64.12
2.44
8,320
Natural Gas28
Pre-1992
13.87
2.107
8,342
1992-1994
13.87
2.107
8,384
1995-2000
13.87
2.107
8,447
2001
13.87
1.596
8,447
2002-2005
22.15
0.080
7,103
2006
22.15
0.061
7,103
2007-2010
5.32
0.025
7,103
2011-2012
5.32
0.021
7,103
2013
5.32
0.019
7,103
2014
5.32
0.019
6,900
2015-2016
2.88
0.017
6,900
2017+
2.88
0.011
6,692
2019 national average age distribution29
8.30
0.322
7,168
Use the following equation to calculate emission reductions for gate management strategies:
ERj= Y!\(JRKPYk x (TURN 1- TURN2) x IDLEFik) x C
Where:
ERi = Emission reduction for pollutant i (tons/year)
TRKPYk = Annual truck volume for model year group k for analysis year (trucks/year)
TURN1 = Average turn time before strategy adoption (hours/truck)
TURN2 = Average turn time for after strategy adoption (hours/truck)
IDLEFik = Idle emission factor for pollutant i and model year group k (grams/hour)
C = Unit conversion factor, grams to tons (1.10231x10 s tons/gram)
This equation assumes that savings in turn time is associated with reduced idling, however, this may not
always be the case depending on operational practices at a port. If model year information is not available,
24	Values for short-duration idle (< 60 minutes of consecutive idling) for calendar year 2019 using EPA's MOVES2014b:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES). Version 2014b.
https://www.epa.gov/moves. Accessed 3-5-2021.
25	CO2 values are averages over the calendar year range.
26	For Class 8b trucks.
27	MOVES2014b, 2019 national-level calendar year run for Class 8b diesel trucks.
28	For urban transit buses, assumed similar to Class 8b natural gas truck idle emission rates. MOVES does not model
emissions for heavy natural gas trucks.
29	MOVES2014b, 2019 national-level calendar year run for urban transit buses.
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the emission factors associated with the 2019 national average truck model year distribution can be used
without summing across model year groups. However, given the large variation in emission rates, using
truck model year distributions specific to the port of interest will result in more accurate emission reduction
estimates reflecting local port data.
Example calculation: A port with an annual average drayage truck volume of 300,000 and an average turn
time of 1.5 hours implements a gate management strategy lowering turnarounds to 0.8 hours. The model
year of the drayage truck fleet is unknown.
ERnox = (300,000 trucks/year x (1.5 hours/truck - 0.8 hours/truck) x 64.12 g NOx/hour) x
1.10231x10 s tons/gram
ERnox = 14.8 tons per year of NOx reduction
Cost Components30
Capital costs: Upfront investments can include labor associated with installation and system integration.
Equipment and software needs can include:
•	Scanners, tags, cameras, and/or receivers for each gate and terminal
•	Commercial scheduling software for truck appointment systems
•	Mobile app for communicating pickup and drop-off times to truckers and terminal dispatchers
•	Real-time cameras to collect footage of terminal gate activity to assist truckers
Capital costs should be annualized over the expected lifetime of the equipment and software to estimate
annual costs of the gate management system.
Operational costs: Costs associated with day-to-day operation of the systems include:
•	Maintenance of equipment
•	Updates to software
•	Electricity to operate the system
•	Labor for system administration (including additional gate and terminal shifts for extended hours),
data compilation, and analysis
Cost savings: Cost savings may be realized from multiple sources:
•	Drayage truck fuel savings from reduced idling
•	Labor cost savings from quicker drayage truck turn times
•	Reduced demurrage fees from quicker drayage truck turn times
•	Reduced truck idling fines (in relevant jurisdictions)31
Some ports have implemented fees to encourage off-hour visits and to help defray the cost of gate
management systems. For example, the OffPeak program charges cargo owners container drayage fees of
$72.09 for each 20-foot container and $144.14 for each 40-foot container during regular operating hours
(3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday). This revenue helps cover the cost of the extended
30	The information in this section is for illustration: it does not constitute official EPA technical guidance for regulatory
assessments.
31	For example, California Assembly Bill 2650 (implemented in 2003) imposed fees on terminal operators at the Ports
of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland for trucks idling more 30 minutes while waiting to enter terminal gates.
However, the $250 per incident fee could be waived for ports extending their gate hours (to 70 hours per week for
Los Angeles and Long Beach and 65 hours per week for Oakland), or implementing truck appointment systems. See
Maguire, A. 2010. Relieving Congestion at Intermodal Marine Container Terminals: Review of Tactical/Operational
Strategies. Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies, University of Memphis.
https://ageconsearch.umn.edU/bitstream/207280/2/2010 161 Relieving Congestion Marine Terminals Strategie
s.pdf. Accessed 3-5-2021.
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operating hours. In 2016, the incremental cost of off-peak gate operation was $83 per 20-foot equivalent
unit, with the revenue shortfall covered by terminal operators.32
Example Programs
The following examples illustrate a variety of gate
management strategies currently used by ports.
• Global Container Terminals USA (GCT) has implemented
an advanced truck appointment system at its Bayonne
terminal at the Port of New York and New Jersey. It is
the first East Coast facility to introduce a truck
appointment system. Leveraging the design,
technology, and process improvements from its recent
berth and landside modernization, GCT further
upgraded the terminal's yard and gate complex to
accommodate a truck appointment system to reduce
truck idling and local roadway congestion (Figure 2)
during peak hours. A phased implementation was
completed in early November 2017, with truck
reservation hours extended from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each weekday.
The system provides predictability and increased efficiency for truckers through shorter and more
consistent turn times, resulting in over $5 million in fuel cost savings in 2017 alone. Other benefits
include priority scheduling and the ability to meter truck entrances to manage traffic within the
terminal.
GCT, the Sustainable Terminal Services (STS) Group, and the Council for Port Performance developed the
appointment system through a multi-year collaboration. Composed of the six container terminal
operators in the port, STS provided funding, collaborated with stakeholders, and owns the appointment
system. GCT Bayonne (the first terminal to implement the system) estimates that drayage truck turn
times during appointment hours have improved more than 40 percent since the program's introduction,
while turn times of trucks outside the mandatory reservation window have simultaneously improved. To
date, more than 70 percent of GCT Bayonne's truck transactions have appointments, with more than 90
percent of the reservations kept.
GCT estimates the following emission reductions for 2017: C02 reduction of 23,149 tons/year, other air
pollutant reductions of 67 tons/year, and fuel cost savings of $5.3 million/year. Its success with the
appointment system was largely due to the phased approach to implementation, which gave each party
time to learn the system and help shape its structure. Meanwhile, the strong outreach program made
sure that trucking stakeholders were listened to and engaged, allowing GCT to learn from and
incorporate feedback, introduce enhancements, and improve the flexibility of the system.34
Figure 2. Drayage Trucks on a City Street
32	PierPASS. n.d. OffPeak Frequently Asked Questions, https://www.pierpass.org/about/offpeak-frequently-asked-
questions/. Accessed 3-5-2021
33	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2018. GCT Bayonne's Drayage Truck Appointment System.
https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/gct-bayonnes-drayage-truck-appointment-system. Accessed 3-5-2021.
34	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2018. GCT Bayonne's Drayage Truck Appointment System.
https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/gct-bavonnes-drayage-truck-appointment-system. Accessed 3-5-2021.
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Other gate management programs include the following:
•	The Port of Baltimore adopted an automated gate system, resulting in significantly better truck turn
times. The system uses OCR at its Seagirt terminal, reducing outbound truck processing time by 50
percent and average truck transaction times from two minutes to 45 seconds. These improvements led
to a reduction of 13,000 hours in truck idling time per year and an associated decrease of 2.1 tons of
NOx and 0.1 ton of PM emissions in 2010.35 Other strategies implemented include a weigh-in-motion
scale and a color-coded online priority dispatch tool.
•	SSA Marine—the largest terminal operator at the Port of Oakland, moving about 70 percent of the
port's containerized cargo—recently made its extended gate hours permanent, from 6:00 p.m. to 3:00
a.m. Monday through Thursday. Initial data indicate that average truck turn times have been reduced
from 96 minutes in August 2016 to 77 minutes in December 20 19.36 The Port of Oakland also offers an
appointment system for cargo pickup, designates off-port locations for conducting transactions, offers a
mobile app for communicating pickup and drop-off times to truckers and terminal dispatchers, and
provides real-time camera footage of terminal gate activity to assist truckers.37
•	The Port of New Orleans employs an automated gate management system that incorporates
technologies including digital cameras, OCR, and transponders as well as a gate appointment system.
Gate appointments are made online, reducing the time drivers spend filling out paperwork at the
terminal. Drivers are allowed a 30-minute appointment arrival window, which enables effective
management of truck queues associated with their arrivals. The system has reduced truck idling at gates
and increased terminal efficiency through improved cooperation between trucking companies and
terminal operators.38
•	The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has implemented an online appointment system called WebAccess as
well as adding more gates, lanes and gantry cranes. The net impact of all improvements, including the
introduction of WebAccess, allowed GPA to increase total gate volume by 26% between 2014 and 2019
with no increase in average turn times.39
35	Sheckells, R. n.d. Port of Baltimore GreenPort Initiatives. Presented at Harbors, Navigation & Environment Seminar
and GreenPort Americas 2010, May 5, 2010. http://aapa.files.cms-plus.com/
SeminarPresentations/2010Seminars/10HNEGreenports/Sheckells Rick.pdf. Accessed 3-5-2020.
36	Mongelluzzo, B. 2016. Oakland Terminal Operator Makes Extended Gate Hours Permanent.
https://www.ioc.com/port-news/us-ports/port-oakland/oakland-terminal-operator-makes-extended-gate-hours-
permanent 20160920.html. Accessed 3-5-2021. (For 2020 data, see
http://portofoakland.emodal.com/HistoricalTruckTurnTime. Accessed 3-5-2021.)
37	Port of Oakland. 2017. Port of Oakland Marine Terminal Night Gate Breakthrough Hailed.
https://www.portofoakland.com/press-releases/port-oakland-marine-terminal-night-gate-breakthrough-hailed/.
Accessed 3-5-2021.
38	Bonney, J. 2017. New Orleans, Mobile Quietly Pioneer Truck Appointments, https://www.joc.com/trucking-
logistics/drayage/new-orleans-mobile-quietly-pioneer-truck-appointments 20170202.html. Accessed 3-5-2021.
39	Personal communication with Carl Pitts, Director of Container Operations, Georgia Ports Authority, 9-25-2020.
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