Chassis supply differs by country
Who brings the chassis depends on where the move happens. In much of the world, the trucking company supplies its own trailer or skeletal chassis. In the United States, many ocean carriers stopped supplying chassis, and most now come from leasing companies, shared pools or the trucker's own fleet. Whoever supplies the chassis usually bills for it, so the arrangement shapes the drayage invoice.
The chassis during a container's trip
The chassis joins the container at pickup and usually stays under it until the empty is returned. Every day the box waits at a warehouse, the chassis waits too, which is how chassis shortages build at busy ports. At some locations the trucker collects the chassis at one facility and the container at another, a move known as a chassis split that adds time and cost.
Matching the frame to the load
A chassis must fit the container's length and the cargo's weight, and it has to be roadworthy before it leaves the gate. Drivers usually check lights, tires and brakes at pickup, since defects found on the road become the trucker's problem. Heavy 20-foot containers and reefers often need specific equipment, which can be hard to find at short notice, so ask for it when booking the move.
- Length: 20, 40 or 45 feet, or an extendable frame
- Axles: tri-axle frames for heavy loads where rules allow
- Gensets: power units that keep reefers running on the road
Example
A drayage company collecting a 40-foot high cube at Norfolk picks up a 40-foot chassis from a pool near the terminal and keeps it under the box until the empty is returned.
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Questions
What does Chassis mean?
A chassis is a wheeled steel frame that a container is locked onto so a truck can haul it on the road. Chassis come in sizes for 20-foot, 40-foot and 45-foot containers, and some models extend to fit more than one length.
What is a chassis shortage?
It happens when available chassis cannot keep up with the containers that need them at a port or rail ramp, often during congestion or when chassis sit under boxes at warehouses. Pickups slow down even when the containers are ready.
Who pays for the chassis?
In the United States the cost usually reaches the importer or exporter through the drayage invoice. The trucker pays the pool or lessor for the days of use and passes it on, so long waits at a warehouse often show up as chassis charges.