Direct ChassisLink said it will expand its chassis program to the Southeast and Gulf inland regions starting Sept. 7.
The expansion will include Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, Hidalgo, Laredo, and San Antonio, Texas; Atlanta and Dalton, Ga.; Charlotte, N.C.; Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.; Huntsville, Ala.; and Jacksonville and Tampa, Fla.

In these areas, chassis will be available for use to drayage companies at container yards and railroads. About 2,000 drayage companies are currently participating in the program in the Southeast, Gulf and Pacific Northwest port areas and the Northeast, Ohio Valley and Chicago/Midwest areas.

With the expansion, this will increase the DCLI fleet available to draymen to over 38,700 chassis located in over 90 locations.

"We are very happy with the model's overall acceptance among draymen where we have already implemented the program," said Andy Chinigo, Direct ChassisLink vice president. "It is exciting and gratifying to see other ocean carriers and chassis leasing companies adopting similar positions. This will increase the scope and opportunities of the environmental, operational, safety and cost benefits for everyone in our industry; draymen, customers, ocean carriers, port authorities, railroads and marine terminals. Many of them are already reaping benefits from greater hours of service efficiency, operational flexibility, faster terminal turn times, increased revenue turns, fuel savings and less equipment wear."

When operationally feasible, a drayage company may be able to use the same DCLI chassis multiple times in one day for any ocean carrier's or other container moves for a single charge. Upon return to one of the designated locations, the daily usage fee will stop on the chassis. An invoice for the calendar days from gate out to gate in is invoiced directly to the draymen. Drayage companies must have a valid DCLI interchange agreement in place to take advantage of the program.

More info: www.chassislink.com