Port Truckers Halt Work Over Rate Cuts

Nearly 130 drivers and 15 carrier companies stopped moving containers between Charleston terminals and rail yards, citing rate cuts that they say make safe operation unaffordable.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Transportation

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Roughly 130 drivers from 15 carrier companies halted work Monday, affecting more than half of the roughly 200 drivers who haul cargo between Charleston-area port facilities. Drivers and owners say per-container rate cuts have made it hard to cover rising insurance, labor, parts, maintenance, and fuel costs.

Why it matters

Truckers typically haul loads of up to 90,000 pounds and move about 1,200 containers a day, so a stoppage affects the flow of cargo through the port. Owners say the original per-container rate is the minimum needed to operate safely, and the rate per container move has been nearly cut in half.

Drivers and owners cite a per-container rate that has been nearly cut in half, while one trucking owner's weekly fuel cost rose from at least $600 to $1,200–$1,300 per truck. The stub does not include a port-wide revenue or volume figure, and the stoppage's duration is not yet known.

The players

Micah Mallace

Micah Mallace is the CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority, the state agency that operates the ports where the affected containers are moved.

South Carolina Ports Authority

The South Carolina Ports Authority is the state agency that operates the Charleston-area marine terminals and said it has been working with local motor carriers on operational improvements.

The details

Drivers halted work on Monday and were scheduled to meet with Ports Authority CEO Micah Mallace that afternoon. Coalition 18 members, who are not affiliated with the International Longshoremen's Association, say their focus remains on keeping unsafe equipment off Lowcountry roads.

Monday (Nov. 9, 2026): Drivers halted work and were scheduled to meet with Ports Authority CEO Micah Mallace that afternoon.

Market Landscape

The stoppage follows the per-container rate cuts that Coalition 18 members say have made their business unsustainable at current cost levels. It places the Charleston ports' cargo flow in direct tension with the small independent carriers that move containers between the terminals and rail yards.

Shoppers and businesses that rely on containers moving through Charleston's port may see delays in deliveries while the stoppage continues. The outcome of the Ports Authority meeting will determine whether those delays persist.

The takeaway

Trucking capacity at the Charleston ports depends on drivers who can cover their costs at current rates. How the Ports Authority responds to the Coalition 18 demands will show whether rate and safety concerns can be resolved before cargo flow is disrupted further.