Service
Drayage & Transloading Services
Drayage moves your container from the port or rail ramp to a warehouse. Transloading unloads it and reloads the freight into domestic equipment. One request returns 3 to 5 quotes covering both.
What it is
Drayage is the short-haul move between a marine terminal or intermodal ramp and a nearby facility. Transloading is what happens next: the container is devanned and the freight is palletized, re-stacked, or floor-loaded into 53-foot trailers for the long haul.
Together they let you pull three 40-foot containers into two domestic trailers, return equipment before per diem starts, and keep inland freight cost down.
Who needs it
- Importers paying per diem and demurrage on containers that sit too long
- Shippers moving ocean freight inland who want fewer, fuller domestic loads
- Retail suppliers that need pallets built and labeled before delivery
- Anyone transloading from Puget Sound, Savannah, LA/Long Beach, or NY/NJ
How pricing typically works
Drayage is quoted per container move, with separate line items for chassis, fuel, prepull, chassis split, and any waiting time. Distance from the terminal and the market's congestion drive most of the cost.
Transload is quoted per container for floor-loaded freight or per pallet for palletized freight. If the freight stays before it ships, you also see storage per pallet position per month.
Markets that offer it
Go deeper
Read our guide Bonded Warehouse vs. Foreign Trade Zone vs. Container Freight Station — duty deferral, duty reduction or simple devanning — how the three customs-controlled facility types differ and which importer profile each one fits.
Read our guide Which Warehouse Type Fits Your Product? A Commodity-by-Commodity Guide — food, supplements, hazmat, ecommerce, electronics, apparel, building products, containerized imports and oversized freight — the right facility for each.
Solutions for your operation
Submit one request and we bring back 3 to 5 quotes from partners that handle this service. You compare and choose. It costs you nothing.
Answers before you commit
Frequently asked questions
Clear terms. No cost. Your choice.
01Can partners handle last free day and per diem pressure?
Yes. Port-adjacent partners track last free day, schedule prepulls when the terminal is tight, and return equipment quickly. Quotes spell out how prepull and chassis charges are handled.
02Do I need storage to get a transload quote?
No. Plenty of shippers transload and ship out the same week. If you do want product to rest, tell us for how long and the quotes will include storage.
03Can you quote drayage in one market and storage in another?
Yes, and it is common — for example pulling containers in Seattle or Los Angeles and storing in Portland or Phoenix. List both markets on your request.
Your next warehouse starts here
Get your 3–5 quotes started.
One request. Multiple competitive quotes from vetted 3PL warehouses. You choose the partner.