What is Drayage? Everything You Need to Know for Your Business
Have you ever wondered what is drayage? If you work in the logistics industry, you have likely heard this term again and again.
Understanding the drayage process and how it was developed can help you make the most out of the service.
Keep reading to learn more.
What Is Drayage?
Do you want to learn more about drayage? If so, a good place to start is by figuring out what it is.
Drayage is an important service that involves shipping items over a short distance between the longer hauls of intermodal transport.
It is considered an important part of the bigger transportation and shipping process. It is an important component in many industries, including the container industry and cold logistics.
Container companies regularly use drayage to ship large loads, including metals, automobiles, steel, and more. In most cases, these containers weigh over 1,000 pounds.
Drayage History
Drayage isn’t new. While there are more modern methods of drayage used today, it is a concept that predates the industrial era and that originated with older types of containers.
The actual term, “drayage,” is derived from the name of a horse-drawn cart, which was called a dray. Because of the physical limitations of horses used in the process, delivery was only possible for short distances, close to canal terminals, railroads, or marine ports.
This method that involved horses was used from the 1800s until the early part of the 1900s. At this point, trucks began being used as the standardized equipment for drayage.
Transporting Using Drayage
The timeframe it takes for a drayage service to move containers is considered a short period in the total transport of the shipment. When container ships arrive in a port, drayage service drivers will move quickly to transport the assigned cargo.
Drayage also means moving cargo to a warehouse or another port. It could also refer to delivering it to the end destination within a certain radius.
Several companies can offer multiple services. While this is true, other drayage services provide niche services, such as rail-to-rail drayage.
In the shipping industry, drayage is required to help keep things moving toward delivery. While this is true, some issues can arise with the process, just like other aspects of the shipping industry.
Even though this may be the case, most drayage services can shift and move resources as needed to make up for lost time thanks to the shorter distances they serve.
Now You Know the Answer to What Is Drayage
When trying to learn what is drayage, you may encounter a lot of information. Above, you have a brief overview of what it is and why it is an important part of the shipping industry.
Do you need more helpful and informative information? If so, be sure to check out some of the other blogs on our site. We cover an array of topics like self-improvement, education, and more.
