Drayage
Definition
Drayage is the short-distance trucking of containers, typically between a port or rail ramp and a nearby warehouse, yard, or terminal. It is the connecting link at each end of an intermodal or ocean move.
In Practice
Dray moves are short but operationally dense. The driver must have port or ramp credentials, an appointment in many terminals, and a compliant chassis to carry the container. Common variants include live unloads, where the driver waits while the container is emptied, and drop-and-hook, where the container is left at the warehouse and retrieved later.
For planners, drayage is where import schedules most often slip. Terminal congestion, chassis shortages, and missed appointment windows can strand a container for days, and slow pickup burns free time, triggering demurrage at the terminal or detention on the equipment. Watching last free day and dray capacity is a daily task during peak season.
A typical example: after a vessel discharges in Long Beach, a dray carrier picks up the 40-foot container, delivers it 30 miles to a distribution center, and returns the empty to the terminal within the free days allowed.
Related Calculators
Related Terms
Demurrage is a charge assessed when a container stays at a port or rail terminal beyond its allotted free time before being picked up. It is billed per container per day and escalates the longer the box sits.
DetentionDetention is a charge for keeping a carrier's equipment, such as a container outside the terminal or a trailer at a dock, longer than the agreed free time. In trucking it also refers to fees for holding a driver beyond the allotted loading or unloading window.
Intermodal TransportationIntermodal transportation moves freight using two or more modes, most commonly truck and rail, with the cargo staying in the same container or trailer throughout. Goods are transferred between modes without being unloaded and rehandled.
Ocean FreightOcean freight is the transport of goods by sea, typically in standardized containers aboard container ships. It is the dominant mode for international trade, offering the lowest cost per unit at the price of long transit times.