Who repairs chassis in chassis pools? The International Longshoreman’s Association union says its workers should; they have an agreement with the US Maritime Exchange (port bargaining agent) to do that at ports, but some trucker owned or leased chassis have been showing up. These are not maintained at the pool yards on the port.
ILA, USMX Issue Warning on Chassis Jurisdiction | JOC.
Risks of poor maintenance include breakdowns enroute causing delays or accidents, cargo or vehicle damage from accidents, and lost tile looking for a good chassis to hook up. The Feds recently started holding chassis owners liable for accidents. Most of the big pools already work with the ILA, but as owner-leased chassis stat to appear, the problem may intensify. It’s about job preservation for the unions. But they may have more expertise or stake in maintaining quality repairs.
At present, the discussion is being defused and clarified. We will have to see if disruptions occur as a result. http://www.americanshipper.com/main/ASD/54950.aspx
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