Looks like there's some relief in store for drivers tired of battling congestion on the roads in and around the Port of New York and New Jersey. Traffic is expected to ease next spring, once an online container-tracking system goes live.

Known as the Virtual Container Yard, the system will serve as a clearinghouse for empty ocean containers. Once the system is in place, trucking companies will be able to go online to locate an empty container close to the site where they have an export pickup, thus avoiding an unnecessary trip to a port terminal (where empties are typically stored). The system also will alleviate the need for truckers to return empty containers to the port.

The initiative was sparked by double-digit cargo growth at the Port of New York and New Jersey, says Port Authority Executive Director Kenneth J. Ringler Jr. "It is critical that we find innovative ways to limit the number of trucks traveling to and from our port terminals," he says. "We hope this system will help reduce congestion on our property and along major roads throughout the region." The Port Authority is working with eModal.com of Irvine, Calif., to create the online system.