Two long-standing drayage trucking companies serving the port of Oakland, California, and the surrounding area have closed in recent weeks, marking the end of approximately 40 years in business. Management and staff cite an increasingly challenging business environment as the primary reason.
T.G.S. Logistics ceased operations on 31/7, according to an announcement by Peter Schneider, president of T.G.S. Logistics and T.G.S. Transportation. In a letter to customers, Schneider expressed regret at ending the 40-year journey and thanked those who had supported the company. Some T.G.S. team members will continue working under a new brand in the future.
Founded in 1985 by Tim Schneider, T.G.S. provided international transportation services from the ports of Oakland, Los Angeles, and Long Beach, as well as domestic transportation in the Lathrop/Stockton area.
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Trucks at the Port of Oakland's shipping terminal. Photo: Noah Berger |
Trucks at the Port of Oakland's shipping terminal. Photo: Noah Berger
A few weeks earlier, Peter Schneider also expressed sympathy for GSC Logistics, the largest trucking company at the port of Oakland, when it closed in early July. GSC Logistics, founded in 1988 by Scott Taylor, held about 10% of the drayage market share at the port of Oakland, with an 7,400 m2 facility and 110 dock doors. Taylor received a lifetime achievement award from the Containerization and Intermodal Institute in 2024.
Container volume through the port of Oakland in June decreased by 10.1% compared to the previous month and 12.8% compared to the same period last year. The port's maritime director, Bryan Brandes, said this was not a seasonal decline but a market adjustment as importers and exporters altered their supply chain plans.
A similar situation occurred at the port of Long Beach, where June container volume decreased by 16.4% compared to the previous year. Paul Bingham of S&P Global Market Intelligence noted that current tariff levels are the highest in nearly a century, negatively impacting logistics operations.
Not only drayage trucking companies, but many other large logistics businesses have also been significantly affected. For instance, Carroll Fulmer Logistics in Florida, founded in 1954, closed in July.
President Donald Trump's tariff policies are considered a primary cause, delaying company investments, disrupting supply chains, and weakening the freight transportation industry.
Gia Han (According to TTNews)
