What Is Drayage? A Shipper’s Guide to Port and Rail Container Moves

How drayage fits into intermodal shipping

An intermodal move uses more than one mode of transport, such as ocean, rail, and truck, while the freight stays in the same container. Drayage is the truck leg at each end of the trip: picking the container up at the port or rail ramp and delivering it, or bringing an export container back in.

Even though these moves are short, they are often the most complicated part of the trip, because they depend on terminal appointments, equipment availability, and customs release.

Common types of drayage

Most drayage moves fall into a few categories:

• Pier drayage: port terminal to a nearby rail ramp
• Door-to-door: port or ramp to the consignee’s facility
• Shuttle: to a nearby yard for staging when the destination isn’t ready
• Cross-town: between two rail ramps in the same city
• Expedited: priority moves to beat last free day

What drives drayage cost

Base rates depend on distance and market, but accessorials often decide the final bill. Demurrage is charged by the terminal when a container sits past its free time. Detention and per diem are charged by the steamship line when equipment isn’t returned on time. Chassis rental, prepulls, and overweight surcharges add to the total.

The best way to control drayage cost is planning: track last free day, book appointments early, and have a transload or yard option ready when the destination can’t receive.

How LIME Logistics handles drayage

LIME services all US and Canadian ports and rail ramps through a vetted carrier network. We watch free time on every container, coordinate prepulls when needed, and can transload freight into domestic trailers to return equipment quickly.

Frequently asked questions