Container Drayage vs Trucking: What’s the Difference?

Container Drayage vs Trucking: What’s the Difference?

People often use “drayage” and “trucking” interchangeably, but they’re distinct services with different equipment, operations, and pricing. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right service for your import logistics at PortMiami.

Key Differences

Equipment: Drayage uses chassis to carry ocean containers; trucking uses dry vans, flatbeds, or 53′ trailers. Distance: Drayage is short-haul (port to nearby warehouse); trucking covers any distance. Port access: Drayage drivers need TWIC cards; regular truckers don’t. Pricing: Drayage includes terminal wait time and chassis fees; trucking is typically per-mile.

When You Need Both

Many importers use drayage from port to a warehouse, then trucking for onward distribution. Or they transload from ocean containers to domestic trailers at a near-port facility, then truck to final destinations via FTL or LTL.

Go Freight Does Both

Go Freight provides both container drayage and dry van trucking — giving you one carrier for the entire journey from port to final destination.