Drayage. Definition & types of drayage services
Freight transport, especially international freights transports usually involve numerous steps and transport methods from shipping location to destination. It is common for goods to be transported by road, rail and ship before reaching their endpoint. In this complex process drayage is often a necessary step for completing the transportation process. In this blogpost we will explain the meaning of drayage, describe various types of drayage and we have listed the top drayage carriers in the U.S. and Canada.
What is drayage?
What is the definition of drayage? Drayage refers to the transportation of goods over a short distance. This can involve transferring goods to their final destination, making it the last step in the logistics process. Typically, this transport can be completed within a single shift. Drayage can also refer to an intermediate step in the logistics chain, such as container drayage. It is a vital component in the logistics and supply chain operations of businesses. Drayage is also known by other terms like haulage or cartage.
The term drayage originates from dray, which is a wagon that was used to be pulled by draught animals. These were used to move goods for short distances, generally at ports for transporting goods to canal and rail terminals.
Container drayage
Container drayage is a term commonly used in intermodal freight transports. When shipping containers arrive at a port, they often need to be moved to a nearby final destination or other transport method, such as rail or canal . This short-distance movement of containers is known as container drayage. It is usually carried out by trucks within metropolitan areas. Drayage services performed by drayage carriers are in high demand in cities with large ports. This growth is partly due to the rise of the e-commerce market, which demands shorter delivery times. Efficient transportation, including drayage, is essential to meet these demands.
Types of drayage services
The Intermodal Association of North America defines 6 types of drayage services.
- Cross-town or inter-carrier drayage: The movement of an intermodal unit “across town” from one railroad to another for the continuation of the shipment, such as sea-to-rail or rail-to-rail transfers.
- Door-to-door drayage: Retail drayage involving over-the-road movement of a unit to a customer location carried out by a drayage truck.
- Expedited drayage: The movement of an intermodal unit over-the-road to ensure timely delivery. This type of drayage usually involves time-sensitive freight, such as food shipments.
- IMX or intra-carrier drayage: The movement of an intermodal unit from a carrier’s rail hub to the same carrier’s intermodal hub. IMX drayage extends the reach of an intermodal hub.
- Pier Drayage: The over-the-road movement of an intermodal unit from a carrier’s rail hub to a port’s dock or pier, where the goods are loaded into a container ship.
- Shuttle drayage: The movement of an intermodal unit either loaded or empty from a hub to another parking lot because the railroad has run out of room at the hub.
Drayage carriers
Are you looking for drayage services? We have listed to top drayage companies in the U.S. and Canada.
J.B. Hunt Intermodal
⭐ Profile: North America Mega Carrier / Intermodal Leader
🗺️ Network: Massive intermodal network utilizing their own fleet of 53 ft containers and transload capabilities.
🚛 Specialization: End-to-end intermodal, including drayage operations surrounding rail and port-related flows via transload.
💻 Technology: Industry leader in visibility and planning within the intermodal space.
🔄 Flexibility: Highly scalable for high-volume lanes and fixed capacity programs.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Major US rail ramps and large port gateways via intermodal and transload, with significant density in Southern California.
Hub Group
⭐ Profile: National Premium / Large Intermodal Platform
🗺️ Network: Extensive intermodal assets combined with a vast third-party drayage network across North America.
🚛 Specialization: Drayage at major coastal and inland ports, including ramp-to-door and port-to-door services.
💻 Technology: Strong capabilities in planning, tracking, and data analytics surrounding intermodal execution.
🔄 Flexibility: Excellent for mode shifts and overall network optimization.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: All major US coastal and inland ports and rail ramps, aligned with their drayage service offering.
Schneider Rail Dray
⭐ Profile: Enterprise Intermodal / Rail Dray Focus
🗺️ Network: Intermodal shipping throughout North America utilizing a ramp-to-receiver model.
🚛 Specialization: Rail drayage from shipper to rail ramp and from rail ramp to consignee.
💻 Technology: Robust tools for quoting, planning, and visibility in intermodal moves.
🔄 Flexibility: Ideal for shippers utilizing their own containers (SOC) requiring rail partners.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Focused on rail ramps across North America for first-mile and last-mile drayage.
Werner Enterprises
⭐ Profile: Top 5 Intermodal Player / Cross-border Specialist
🗺️ Network: Extensive US coverage, but a dominant market leader in cross-border trade lanes to and from Mexico.
🚛 Specialization: Intermodal, drayage, and a strong focus on Temperature Controlled (Reefer) intermodal.
💻 Technology: Werner EDGE platform for real-time tracking and capacity management.
🔄 Flexibility: Very strong in automotive, retail, and complex cross-border supply chains.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Dominant on the Laredo corridor (Texas/Mexico border) and all major US rail hubs.
STG Logistics
⭐ Profile: Port-to-Door National Leader / Largest Container Freight Station Network
🗺️ Network: Now operates the massive former XPO drayage network combined with the largest network of bonded warehouses.
🚛 Specialization: Import distribution, transloading (IPI), and drayage.
💻 Technology: Integrated systems for container tracking from port arrival to warehouse floor.
🔄 Flexibility: A unique proposition for shippers looking to combine drayage with immediate deconsolidation (transload).
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Top player in every major US port (LA/LB, NY/NJ) and inland rail hubs.
Knight-Swift Intermodal
⭐ Profile: North America’s Largest Full Truckload Carrier / Merged Giant
🗺️ Network: The combined power of Knight Transportation and Swift; boasts a massive drayage fleet.
🚛 Specialization: Offers both asset-based intermodal (company-owned containers) and port drayage services (Knight Port Services).
💻 Technology: Enterprise-scale shipment management and tracking.
🔄 Flexibility: Unmatched capacity via “drop trailer” pools due to the sheer size of their fleet.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Strong coverage around all major inland ramps and gateways to West Coast and Southeast ports.
Evans Network of Companies
⭐ Profile: Drayage and Intermodal Specialist / Multi-terminal Network
🗺️ Network: Extensive footprint around ports and rail via various divisions.
🚛 Specialization: Port and rail drayage, plus container services and warehousing.
💻 Technology: Practical execution tooling deployed across their terminal network.
🔄 Flexibility: Strong for regional customization and rapid growth via acquisitions.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Examples include Houston and diverse port/rail markets, including Louisville rail and multiple seaboard markets.
IMC Logistics
⭐ Profile: Marine Drayage Leader / End-to-end Landside Logistics
🗺️ Network: National network with deep regional expertise and an interactive location map.
🚛 Specialization: Marine drayage, chassis provisioning, transloading, and intermodal rail.
💻 Technology: Advanced execution and visibility regarding port and rail flows.
🔄 Flexibility: A seamless combination of drayage, storage, and rail solutions.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Serves “Every major port and inland market” according to their intermodal rail offering.
RoadOne IntermodaLogistics
⭐ Profile: Asset-based National Drayage Platform
🗺️ Network: Positions coverage “at all major ports and rail heads” in the US.
🚛 Specialization: Drayage combined with transload, yard, and depot solutions.
💻 Technology: Strong operational control and predictability via dedicated teams.
🔄 Flexibility: Excellent for dedicated and semi-dedicated drayage programs.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: All major US ports and rail heads.
Performance Team – A Maersk Company
⭐ Profile: Ocean Carrier Integrated Logistics / Vertical Integration
🗺️ Network: Directly integrated with the Maersk ocean network and a massive warehousing footprint.
🚛 Specialization: Port drayage, warehousing, and distribution as a single bundled package.
💻 Technology: End-to-end visibility derived directly from carrier data.
🔄 Flexibility: Powerful for clients seeking to consolidate ocean freight and landside logistics with one provider.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Extremely dominant in LA/Long Beach, NY/NJ, and Savannah.
ContainerPort Group (CPG)
⭐ Profile: Drayage First / Coast-to-Coast Coverage
🗺️ Network: Terminal network providing support at every major port and rail terminal.
🚛 Specialization: Port drayage, regional moves, and dedicated trucking support.
💻 Technology: Tracking and proactive customer updates regarding drayage execution.
🔄 Flexibility: Strong for shippers needing to rapidly scale drayage capacity per hub.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Every major port and rail terminal.
NFI Port Services Drayage
⭐ Profile: Integrated Port Services / Large Drayage and Transload Operator
🗺️ Network: Presence at all major ports and logistics hubs across North America.
🚛 Specialization: Massive drayage capabilities following the acquisitions of California Cartage and G&P Trucking.
💻 Technology: End-to-end supply chain integration surrounding port flows.
🔄 Flexibility: Ideal when drayage needs to be tightly coupled with transload and warehousing.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Major ports and hubs in North America, with renowned coverage in the Southeast.
Universal Intermodal Services
⭐ Profile: National Intermodal Drayage Terminal Network / US & Canada
🗺️ Network: Operations spanning 40+ terminals and container yards.
🚛 Specialization: Door-to-door drayage to and from ports, rail, and customer facilities.
💻 Technology: Multi-terminal execution and asset control.
🔄 Flexibility: Handles imports, exports, and domestic moves with own chassis and containers.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: “All major US Ports and intermodal Rail Ramps” servicing 48 states plus Canada.
Forward Air Intermodal Drayage
⭐ Profile: High Service Drayage and Brokerage / Import-Export Focus
🗺️ Network: Intermodal drayage offered as a core service within a broader premium portfolio.
🚛 Specialization: Drayage, storage, and security services for importers and exporters.
💻 Technology: Visibility and exception handling for time-critical flows.
🔄 Flexibility: Scalable solutions for both domestic and international cargo.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Focused on Midwest, Southeast, Gulf, and Seattle regions.
Gulf Winds International
⭐ Profile: Gulf and Southeast Heavy / Intermodal Container Solutions
🗺️ Network: Strong regional focus with yards and terminals; significant chassis positioning.
🚛 Specialization: Container drayage and port-side transloading.
💻 Technology: Practical execution focused on port and rail efficiency.
🔄 Flexibility: Strong for heavy-haul and one-way van transload strategies.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Strong presence in Houston, Dallas, Mobile, Memphis, Savannah.
Landstar Rail Intermodal
⭐ Profile: Agent-based Capacity / Intermodal Orchestration
🗺️ Network: Vast partner network providing rail intermodal services.
🚛 Specialization: Intermodal planning, with drayage often executed via vetted partners.
💻 Technology: Shipment management portals and visibility tools.
🔄 Flexibility: Highly flexible for lane switching and project-based flows.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Typically deployable at large rail ramps and port gateways via network partners.
C.R. England Intermodal
⭐ Profile: Large Carrier with Intermodal Offering / Reefers
🗺️ Network: Broad network with intermodal rail connections.
🚛 Specialization: Ramp-to-door dray support, widely known for refrigerated intermodal expertise.
💻 Technology: Enterprise TMS tooling.
🔄 Flexibility: Can be combined effectively with dedicated and TL capacity.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Primarily rail ramps in major inland hubs.
Bison Transport
⭐ Profile: Canadian Major / Cross-border Corridors
🗺️ Network: Canadian base with North American reach.
🚛 Specialization: Intermodal solutions for Canada-US lanes.
💻 Technology: Planning and service performance at the corridor level.
🔄 Flexibility: Strong for cross-border program freight.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Focus on Toronto and Montreal plus corridor rails toward Chicago.
Day & Ross
⭐ Profile: Canadian Enterprise Carrier / Multimodal
🗺️ Network: Strong Canadian footprint with North American connections.
🚛 Specialization: Intermodal and trucking as part of broader logistics services.
💻 Technology: Enterprise execution tooling.
🔄 Flexibility: Useful for Canadian lanes combined with US distribution.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Typically Eastern Canada hubs such as Halifax and Montreal.
Marten Transport
⭐ Profile: Time-sensitive Carrier / Mixed Network
🗺️ Network: US, Canada, and Mexico presence.
🚛 Specialization: Combination of service types, suitable for time-sensitive supply chains.
💻 Technology: Data-driven systems.
🔄 Flexibility: Mix of regional and national moves.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Typically via large inland rail ramps in the Midwest and Southeast.
Paper Transport
⭐ Profile: Midwest Rooted / Intermodal Solutions
🗺️ Network: Intermodal and drayage as a core solution pillar.
🚛 Specialization: Intermodal shipping solutions with dray connections.
💻 Technology: Customer platform for planning and communication.
🔄 Flexibility: Mix of asset and non-asset models.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Primarily Midwest ramps like Chicago, Kansas City, and St. Louis.
Canada Drayage Inc.
⭐ Profile: Canada Focused Drayage / Port and Rail
🗺️ Network: Canadian drayage centered around terminals and inland nodes.
🚛 Specialization: Ocean and intermodal containers.
💻 Technology: Execution and status updates.
🔄 Flexibility: Strong for Canada first-mile and last-mile operations.
🚢 Key ports and rail ramps: Typically Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Montreal, and Halifax.
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Niels Pas
CEO Hoefon Security Seals
Niels Pas has been Hoefon Security Seals’ CEO since 2017. He has extensive international experience and speaks 4 languages professionally.
