On October 7, USC students were given the unique opportunity to tour TraPac’s Los Angeles Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles. Students were first given an overview presentation of TraPac and its innovative impact on the logistics and goods movement industry. The presentation was followed by an exclusive tour of TraPac’s fully automated terminal. TraPac Los Angeles is the first automated container terminal on the United States west coast. The terminal’s automated operations increase efficiency and sustainability. TraPac Los Angeles is the cleanest terminal at the Port of Los Angeles and the first California terminal to receive Green Marine’s certification. 

For many students, such as USC Price International Public Policy and Management Program Graduate Student Hong-Sheng (Clark) Hsu, witnessing TraPac’s terminal was an “eye-opening experience.” Hsu reflects, “As a worker in the inland logistics industry, I am especially fascinated by the idea of spreading the import containers evenly throughout the yard for picking up. Truck drivers can deliver empty containers and load them with imports in the same shift. This functional design shortens the wait time of truckers and meanwhile reduces the emissions generated by vehicles.”

(Photo credit to Prof. Eric Shen, for more photos click here)

The tour was organized by Adjunct Professor Eric Shen and led by Reliability Engineer Manager Joshua Linares (USC ‘18 and ‘23). Adjunct Professor Eric Shen remarks, "Moving goods is a team effort. This tour offers a glance at the complex yet interrelated industry." Shen currently explores goods movement topics through an urban planning lens in USC Price’s Transportation Planning Studio course. The course, taught this semester, focuses on supply chain congestion.

About the Author:
Emily Ng is a second-year Master of Urban Planning student concentrating in Planning for Climate Change and Sustainability. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she is interested in creating sustainable and equitable communities through an urban planning and policy lens.