The backlog of cargo at West Coast ports has been clearing up, but problems still remain.

Big improvements with terminal delays will certainly come when terminals work seven days a week, 24 hours a day, which is the norm at other comparable large port complexes. But who can hold their breath while we wait for that to happen? Realistically, we need to find ways to make existing processes more efficient.

Robin Grove, a board member of the Los Angeles Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association, said in a recent Journal of Commerce article, "terminals must do a better job of informing brokers and BCOs when a container is ready for pickup and where in the terminal it is located so the container can be delivered to the trucker as efficiently as possible.”

This is exactly what Crux Systems is focused on doing today. By integrating with terminals, we can provide fast and effective notifications for container availability.

We make it easy for truckers and cargo owners because they get this information as a byproduct the work they are already doing.

And, we ensure that notifications are sent to the people to whom it matters the most — the drivers en route to the terminal as well as the dispatchers. This allows potential problems to be addressed before drivers get caught up in delays at the gate.

All of this also benefits marine terminals because the work load on customer service is reduced and gate throughput is increased.

Learn more about how our app works, or sign up to try out the beta version.