If you've moved container freight through a major US port in the last five years, you've encountered the chassis shortage. A driver arrives at the terminal to pick up your container, but there's no chassis available to put it on. Your container sits. Demurrage accrues. Your delivery is delayed. And nobody seems to have a solution.
The chassis shortage is one of the most persistent and frustrating problems in container drayage. Understanding why it exists and how to manage around it is essential for anyone who ships container freight.
What a chassis is and why you need one
A chassis is the wheeled trailer frame that a shipping container sits on for road transport. Containers don't have wheels, they need a chassis underneath them to move on public roads. When a drayage driver picks up a container at the port, they need both the container and a chassis. If either one isn't available, the container doesn't move.
Why there's a shortage
The ownership shift
Historically, ocean carriers owned and provided chassis as part of their shipping service. Starting in the 2000s, most carriers divested their chassis fleets, transferring ownership to chassis leasing companies and intermodal equipment providers (IEPs) like TRAC Intermodal, Flexi-Van, and Direct ChassisLink. This created chassis pools, shared fleets of chassis available to multiple carriers and trucking companies at each port.
The problem: chassis pools are managed for profitability, not for shipper convenience. When demand exceeds the pool's inventory, which happens regularly during peak shipping seasons, there simply aren't enough chassis to go around.
Import volume growth
US container import volumes have grown significantly over the past decade, but chassis fleet growth has not kept pace. More containers competing for the same number of chassis creates structural shortage conditions.
Street dwell time
Chassis are only available in the pool when they're returned. When containers sit on chassis at warehouses, distribution centers, or transload facilities for days waiting to be unloaded, those chassis are out of circulation. Extended dwell time, containers sitting on chassis outside the port, is one of the biggest contributors to the chassis shortage.
Chassis condition and maintenance
A significant percentage of chassis in the pool are out of service at any given time due to maintenance issues, flat tires, broken lights, structural damage. A chassis that fails a pre-trip inspection can't be used, reducing the available pool further.
How the chassis shortage affects your drayage
When your driver arrives at the terminal and no chassis is available, several things happen. The driver waits, burning hours of service time that could be spent hauling freight. Your container sits at the terminal, accruing demurrage if free time has expired. Your delivery is delayed, potentially disrupting your production schedule or customer commitments. You may pay premium rates for chassis when one finally becomes available.
Strategies to manage chassis availability
Work with a drayage provider who monitors chassis pools. Your provider should check chassis availability before dispatching a driver, not after the driver arrives at the terminal. Total Connection confirms chassis availability as a standard pre-dispatch step.
Minimize street dwell time. Unload containers and return chassis as quickly as possible. Every day a chassis sits under a container at your facility is a day it's unavailable for other moves, and a day you're accruing per-diem chassis charges.
Consider private chassis. For high-volume shippers, owning or leasing a private chassis fleet eliminates dependence on the pool. The economics work when your volume is consistent enough to keep the chassis utilized.
Schedule around peak periods. Chassis availability is worst during peak shipping seasons (August through October) and at the beginning of each week when weekend-accumulated containers need to move. Mid-week pickups often have better chassis availability.
Use off-dock container yards. Some off-dock facilities maintain their own chassis inventory, reducing dependence on the port's chassis pool.
How Total Connection manages chassis for your freight
We don't send a driver to the terminal without confirming chassis availability first. Our operations team monitors chassis pools at every major US port, checks availability before dispatch, and has contingency plans, including access to private chassis pools, when the public pool is tight.
Call 732-817-0401 or request a quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of chassis per diem?
Chassis per diem typically ranges from $25-$75 per day depending on the chassis provider, equipment type (standard vs. specialized), port location, and market conditions. These charges start after your chassis free time expires, usually 3-5 days after pickup. During peak shipping seasons or in tight markets, per diem rates can increase. Refrigerated chassis and specialty chassis for overweight or oversized containers carry higher per diem rates.
Can I use any chassis with my container?
No. Chassis must be compatible with your container size (20-foot, 40-foot, 45-foot, etc.) and type (standard, high-cube, refrigerated). Additionally, the chassis must come from a pool or provider that the ocean carrier and terminal accept. Some terminals restrict which chassis pools can be used for specific container lines. Your drayage provider verifies chassis compatibility before dispatch.
How long can I keep a container on a chassis?
Technically as long as you're willing to pay per diem charges for both the container (detention) and the chassis. Practically, you should unload and return within your free time period, typically 3-5 days total. Extended holds not only accrue expensive daily charges but also contribute to the overall chassis shortage by keeping equipment out of circulation, which can affect your ability to get chassis for future shipments.
What is the difference between pool chassis and private chassis?
Pool chassis are owned by chassis leasing companies (IEPs) and shared among multiple carriers and trucking companies at each port. You rent them per-use with per diem charges. Private chassis are owned or long-term leased by a specific company for exclusive use. Private chassis eliminate pool availability issues and per diem charges but require capital investment and consistent volume to justify the economics.
Do all US ports have chassis shortages?
Not equally. Major high-volume ports like Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, and Savannah experience chronic chassis shortages, especially during peak import seasons (August-October) and after holiday closures. Smaller ports and inland ports often have better chassis availability. The severity varies by season, overall import volume, and how effectively local chassis pools are managed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a chassis in container shipping?
A wheeled trailer frame that a shipping container sits on for road transport. Containers don't have wheels, they need a chassis to move on public roads. Both a container and a chassis must be available for a drayage pickup to happen.
Why is there a chassis shortage?
Ocean carriers divested their chassis fleets to leasing companies, creating shared pools that are managed for profitability. Import volumes have grown faster than chassis fleets. Extended dwell time keeps chassis out of circulation. And maintenance issues take a percentage of chassis out of service at any given time.
How does the chassis shortage affect my shipments?
Drivers arrive at terminals with no chassis available, causing delays, wasted driver hours, extended demurrage exposure, and delivery disruptions. During peak season, chassis unavailability can delay pickups by days.
How does Total Connection handle chassis availability?
We confirm chassis availability before dispatching a driver, not after arrival. Our team monitors chassis pools at every major port and has contingency access to private chassis when public pools are tight.
