The Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers Inc. Nov. 18 asked the Federal Maritime Commission to investigate truck detention times at several terminals.

The association wants an investigation of rates, tariffs, charges and rules they say work against truckers. Bi-State members are mostly small to medium-sized independent motor carriers.

In the petition, the group said, "Truckers and their drivers are seriously impacted financially because the excessive waiting time often results in a single transaction for the day. Oftentimes, such costs are prohibitive and cannot be absorbed by small trucking operations or independent owner-operators."

The 30-page petition is directed at American Stevedoring Inc., Port Newark Container Terminal, Universal Maritime Service Corp. and the New York Terminal Conference.

It alleges in part that port congestion and the terminal's "manipulation" of entry to terminal gates results in excessive idling and waiting time for trucks.

"Waiting in line for two to four hours means that most truckers can only make one or two deliveries a day, rather than the four or five they should," Dick Jones, president of Bi-State, said. "They cannot make a living."

The petition also says terminals don't compensate truckers for time spent waiting nor is the time combined with the waiting time inside the terminal in calculating truck detention penalties terminals must pay.

Further, it says tariff provisions at NYTC terminals protect the terminals from having to pay detention penalties. In addition, the association says terminals require trucks to use off-site chassis depots or other off-site facilities, spending time that is excluded from the calculation of penalties.