Wheel wear in gantry and bridge cranes presents a significant challenge, often resulting in operational delays and heightened maintenance expenses. Excessive wheel slip can lead to increased wheel wear. In search of the causes of increased gantry container crane wheel wear, the process of starting the movement of the crane is considered in the work. A dynamic model of a crane is described, including the traveling transmission of the left and right sides. The dependence of the slippage velocity of the driving wheels, the moment of turning the crane and the power of friction forces on time at different positions of the trolley are obtained. It has been established that the greatest power of friction forces, and consequently the wear of wheels and rails, develops during the transient process in the first 2 s from the beginning of the crane movement. A conclusion is made about the need to improve the control of the transmission motors, considering transient processes and the position of the cargo trolley.