Georgia Ports (GPA) recently launched a Trucker Safety Committee to address driver concerns and help new and existing drivers become more familiar with safe operations on terminal.
The purpose of the committee is to listen to the communities’ needs and respond in actionable ways. Terminal managers and dispatchers from large and midsized companies comprise the committee. A rotation system will include smaller companies’ perspectives.
“GPA values its partners in the motor carrier industry and respects the job that they do every day,” Griff Lynch, GPA president and CEO, said. “Georgia Ports created this initiative to increase communication between our port operations and safety teams and motor carriers.”
At the Port of Savannah, more than 13,200 motor carriers are registered as active users, and more than 6,000 truck visit the port’s Garden City Terminal daily. Drivers dropping off or picking up a container average just under 35 minutes at the terminal. Drivers dropping off a container and picking up a different container average 54 minutes.
A recent committee meeting included nearly 30 drivers from 15 motor carrier companies.
GPA operations representatives shared information about procedures for the empty container yard, trouble ticket processes, and gate operations, and the group discussed concerns.