![\"Port](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Port-of-Oakland-Cranes.jpg.webp\")
<\/p>\n\n September 29, 2026 12:58 PM, EDT<\/p>\n
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Port of Oakland container volume declined 9.6% to 173,818 TEUs from 192,313. (Port of Oakland via flickr)<\/p>\n
Key Takeaways:![\"Toggle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/expand.png\" "\\"Toggle")
\nTrucking firms serving major U.S. ports struggled to convert strong August import volumes into higher dry van demand despite near-record container activity.Container imports rose 3.3% to 2.6 million TEUs, but weak consumer confidence and carrier exits limited truckload pricing power, analysts said.Port congestion persists as rising dwell times, equipment shortages and difficult empty-container returns continue to strain intermodal carriers, industry officials said. <\/p>\n
Trucking companies serving major U.S. ports struggled to fully capitalize on a surge in import volumes during August, data shows.\n \t <\/p>\n
\u201cRetailers appear to be front-loading holiday inventory given tariff and shipping uncertainty, which shows up at the ports but not yet on the highway,\u201d said James Roe, director of shipping, logistics and infrastructure at AlixPartners. \u201cCombine that with consumer confidence<\/a> at its weakest point in eight months, and you get a dry van [trailer] market where pricing power is coming almost entirely from carriers leaving the industry.\u201d\n \t \t\t<\/p>\n Roe noted that container imports hit 2.6 million 20-foot-equivalent units in August, the third-highest month on record, while both the Port of Los Angeles container and Port of Long Beach saw busy August volume. \u201cNormally you would expect that kind of import strength to translate fairly quickly into dry van truckload demand, and it has not,\u201d he said. \u201cThe gap between container imports and truckload demand is the real story for dry van.\u201d\n \t <\/p>\n Container volumes at the Port of Los Angeles slipped 0.3% to 955,907 TEUs from 958,355 a year earlier, but the facility notched its busiest three-month stretch<\/a> on record with 2.9 million units. The Port of Long Beach reported a 2% increase to 919,992 TEUs from 901,846 a year ago, marking its fifth-strongest month ever.\n \t\t<\/p>\n Descartes Systems Group reported in its monthly global shipping report that container imports increased 3.3% from a year earlier to 2,603,709 TEUs. Volumes also rose 3.8% from July. The report noted that ongoing conflict in the Red Sea continues to pressure shipping routes and costs.\u00a0\n \t <\/p>\n Delays at the ports<\/p>\n The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association reported truck dwell time held relatively steady at 2.95 days in August, roughly in line with the past year. Rail dwell climbed to 6.75 days, among the highest levels of the past year. The data covers the San Pedro Bay port complex, including Los Angeles and Long Beach. The association described the results as mixed, with strong cargo volumes reflecting sustained demand even as intermodal dwell times continue to rise.\n \t <\/p>\n \u201cAs import dwell goes up and rail dwell goes up, then the turn times go up and the ports get congested,\u201d Harbor Trucking Association CEO Robert Loya said. \u201cThen we\u2019re having problems returning empties because there\u2019s no room.\u201d\n \t <\/p>\n The Harbor Trucking Association represents intermodal carriers operating in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma. Longer turn times mean carriers are spending more time inside port facilities before leaving with containers. Loya said tighter yard space also increases the number of lengthy transactions.\n \t <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re struggling big time over the last few months as volume continues to be at a good pace,\u201d Loya said. \u201cBut we\u2019re suffering because we can\u2019t return equipment.\u201d\n \t <\/p>\n
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