LA-Long Beach Truck Dwell Holds Under 3 Days for 15th Straight Month

Container dwell times for truck cargo at the Port of Los Angeles-Long Beach held at 2.59 days in April 2026, essentially unchanged from March's 2.61 days and below the 2.78 days recorded in April 2025.

How long are containers sitting at LA-Long Beach terminals?

Truck dwell has remained under the three-day mark for 15 consecutive months, according to the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. The sustained fluidity reflects consistent gate operations and drayage availability across the San Pedro Bay port complex, which handles more container volume than any other U.S. gateway.

Rail-destined containers averaged 5.06 days in April 2026, up from 4.41 days in March and modestly above the 4.72 days in April 2025. The PMSA noted that rail dwell has remained somewhat elevated for the last five months starting in December 2025, with month-to-month movement but no sharp deterioration.

What's driving the dwell-time stability?

The domestic trucking market has seen significant capacity exits this year as pandemic-era overhanging capacity leaves the market and stepped-up federal enforcement thins the carrier count. That shift has pushed long-haul rates higher, but drayage costs and capacity at the port complex have been mostly unaffected, according to the source.

Railroads in April saw steady increases in most freight categories including intermodal. Rising truck rates typically precipitate a shift by shippers to cheaper rail moves, which may account for the modest uptick in rail dwell as volume increases.

"Fifteen straight months under the three-day truck dwell threshold is a milestone worth noting," said Natasha Villa, external affairs manager of the PMSA. "Gate operations have been consistently fluid, and the complex continues to move cargo reliably for the shippers and supply chain partners that depend on it."

What this means for drayage fleets

For owner-operators and small fleets running drayage at LA-Long Beach, the sub-three-day dwell trend means predictable turn times and fewer detention charges. Consistent gate fluidity reduces the risk of equipment sitting idle at terminals, which directly impacts daily revenue potential per chassis.

The rail dwell uptick is less relevant to drayage operators unless they handle dual transactions, but it signals that intermodal volume is climbing as long-haul truck rates rise. Fleets running dedicated routes or intermodal runs may see increased demand as shippers shift freight to rail to avoid higher over-the-road costs.

The 15-month streak below three days is the longest sustained period of fluidity at the port complex in recent years. For fleets planning equipment orders or lease renewals, the data supports continued investment in drayage capacity serving the San Pedro Bay terminals.