What is drayage?

Drayage is the short-distance trucking of ocean containers — port to warehouse, port to rail ramp, rail to distribution center. It is its own specialty because it requires chassis equipment, port credentials and appointment slots, and because the economics are dominated by waiting time rather than miles.

Drayage invoices commonly include the base move plus chassis rental per day, pre-pull and yard storage when a container is pulled before the warehouse can receive it, and detention when the driver waits at the dock. Free time at the port is limited — exceed it and demurrage starts accruing on top. Coordinating the warehouse appointment with the container's availability window is where most drayage money is saved.