A chassis is the wheeled trailer frame an ocean container sits on. A container can’t move on the road without one. At the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, most chassis are rented from chassis providers such as DCLI and TRAC, at daily rates the providers set themselves.
Pool arrangements change. For example, the LA/Long Beach “Pool of Pools” shared by DCLI and TRAC ended on June 30, 2026, and DCLI now runs its own daily rental pool. We handle the chassis arrangement for your move. If your company has its own chassis agreement, tell us in the quote form.
How chassis days are counted
Chassis days generally run from the day the chassis leaves the terminal or pool with your container until the day it is returned. The exact counting rules (calendar days, minimum charges, free days) depend on the chassis provider and on your rate agreement with us.
Examples
- Same-day live unload. We pull the container, deliver it, you unload while the driver waits, and we return the empty the same day. That’s usually 1 chassis day.
- Drop for 3 days. We deliver Monday and pick up the empty Thursday. The container stays on the chassis the whole time, so it’s about 4 chassis days.
- Prepull plus 2 days in our yard. The container sits on a chassis in our yard before delivery. Those yard days add chassis days on top of the delivery.
How it appears on your quote
- If chassis use is included in your lane rate, the quote says so and shows no separate line.
- Otherwise the quote shows Chassis (estimated days): the daily rate times the days we expect. It’s marked estimated, because the final bill follows the actual gate dates on the EIRs.
Special chassis
Heavy containers may need a different chassis, such as a tri-axle, plus a matching tractor and sometimes a permit. Whether a heavy container can move legally depends on the actual weights, the equipment and the route. See cargo weight and overweight. 45’ containers need a chassis that fits them. We confirm availability for each shipment.