Phase out for chassis

Atlantic Container Line (ACL) is to phase out its chassis fleet in the US and will require truckers to provide their own chassis equipment. Commencing on 1 June 2010, the move marks a departure by ACL from what is considered by many as an ineffective and outdated practice of carrier-owned chassis fleets in the US.

After negotiations with a broad range of truckers, ACL said it was convinced that the same trucking companies and owner-operators can manage a chassis fleet more cost-efficiently than ACL can as an ocean carrier. Consequently, ACL will no longer provide chassis to their contracted truckers, affecting all container pick ups and deliveries.

In addition, ACL said it will begin to phase out its carrier-owned chassis fleet for shipper-arranged haulage shipments during the course of this year. From 1 June, this policy will initially affect Miami, Boston and the Ohio Valley. The policy follows on from an identical system implemented successfully in both Canada and Europe for several years. Once fully operational in Miami, Boston and the Ohio Valley, ACL will gradually extend it to rest of the US.