Drayage

Drayage is the connective tissue of intermodal transportation: the truck leg that pulls a container off the terminal stack and delivers it to a warehouse door, or returns the empty box to the port. An ocean shipment that crosses the Pacific in 15 days can still miss a production slot because the final 30 miles went wrong.

The work depends on assets the shipper rarely controls. A container moves on a chassis, and when chassis pools run short, loaded boxes sit grounded at the terminal. Appointment systems cap how many turns a dray carrier gets per day, and congestion can stretch a one-hour terminal visit to four. Pricing reflects all of this: drayage is quoted per move, not per mile, with add-ons for chassis rental, pre-pulls (pulling a box out early into the carrier's yard), drops, and waiting time.

Drayage timing also sets the meter on the two most common surprise charges in container shipping. Pick the box up too late and it accrues demurrage at the terminal; return the empty too slowly and the line bills detention. A dray carrier with reliable chassis access is cheap insurance against both.

Frequently asked questions

What is drayage?

Drayage is the short-haul trucking that moves a shipping container between a port or rail ramp and a nearby warehouse, yard, or factory, usually within 50 to 100 miles. It is the connective tissue of intermodal transportation, and although it covers the shortest distance in an international shipment, it is a frequent source of delay and surcharges.

Why is drayage priced per move instead of per mile?

Drayage is quoted per move because the cost is dominated by terminal queues, appointment systems, and wait time rather than distance. A 28-mile dray from the Port of Oakland quoted at $385 plus chassis rental and a fuel surcharge looks expensive per mile, but the rate is pricing in the hours a driver may spend inside the terminal rather than the driving distance.

Why does drayage cause so many delays?

Drayage depends on assets the shipper rarely controls. Containers move on chassis, and when chassis pools run short, loaded boxes sit grounded at the terminal; appointment systems cap how many turns a dray carrier gets per day; and congestion can stretch a one-hour terminal visit to four. An ocean shipment that crosses the Pacific in 15 days can still miss a production slot because the final 30 miles went wrong.

How does drayage relate to demurrage and detention?

Drayage timing sets the meter on both of container shipping's most common surprise charges. Pick the box up too late and it accrues demurrage at the terminal; return the empty too slowly and the ocean carrier bills detention. A dray carrier with reliable chassis access is cheap insurance against both fees.

What is a pre-pull in drayage?

A pre-pull is when the dray carrier pulls a container out of the terminal early and holds it in its own yard until the consignee's dock can receive it. In one example, a box facing free-time expiry was pre-pulled for $150 plus $60 per night of yard storage, $510 all-in, versus roughly $925 in escalating terminal demurrage if it had stayed at the port.