Drayage

Drayage refers to the short-distance transportation of goods, typically over distances of less than 100 miles. The term most commonly describes the trucking of shipping containers between ports, rail terminals, container yards, and nearby warehouses or distribution centers. Though the distances are short, drayage is a critical link in the supply chain that connects long-haul transportation modes.

The most common types of drayage include: port/pier drayage (moving containers from a seaport to a nearby warehouse or rail terminal), inter-carrier drayage (transferring freight between different transportation companies), intra-carrier drayage (moving freight between a carrier's own facilities), shuttle drayage (moving containers within a port or terminal complex), and door-to-door drayage (delivering a container from the port directly to the consignee).

Drayage operations face unique challenges. Port congestion can cause significant wait times, with drivers sometimes spending hours in queues to pick up or drop off containers. Chassis availability is a persistent issue — drivers need wheeled frames (chassis) to transport containers, and shortages at busy ports are common. Environmental regulations, particularly in California, impose strict emissions standards on drayage trucks operating near ports.

Drayage pricing is typically structured differently from long-haul freight. Rates are often quoted as flat fees per container move rather than per-mile, and may include surcharges for fuel, chassis usage, port congestion, and wait time. Despite the short distances, drayage can be surprisingly expensive per mile due to the time-intensive nature of port operations and the specialized equipment required.