Shipping & Logistics
Drayage
Also known as: Container Drayage
Drayage is the short-haul trucking movement of containerized freight, most commonly between a seaport or rail terminal and a nearby warehouse, distribution center, or inland ramp. Though it covers only a small fraction of a shipment's total distance, drayage is a critical and frequently congested link: delays or capacity shortages at this stage can trigger demurrage and detention charges and stall an otherwise smooth supply chain. Drayage providers must manage appointment systems, chassis availability, and port congestion, and their efficiency has an outsized effect on total landed cost and delivery reliability.
Short-haul trucking, and the leg where schedules quietly fail. Chassis availability, terminal appointment windows and driver hours are the real constraints, and none of them are visible on an ocean booking. Build the buffer here rather than at origin.
Related terms
Reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Definitions are general information, not legal or customs advice for a particular shipment. Duty rates, tariff programs and agency requirements change frequently.