What Is Drayage?

The process of shipping goods is more complicated than it may seem to the untrained eye. There are many steps involved in moving products from point A to point B—and oftentimes, this process includes stops at point C, point D and so on, before reaching a final destination. While we often only see the last step in the process, there’s a lot more that goes into it than loading and unloading one big truck.

One major piece of the shipping puzzle is drayage. This is the process of transporting goods over short distances. Drayage shipping in North Charleston, SC and around the world helps make the shipping process more efficient and increases the frequency and variety of available products in the marketplace.

How does drayage shipping work?

Drayage in North Charleston, SC usually involves moving products from one part of the metropolitan area to another part of the same metropolitan area. This might involve, for example, taking items off a ship and moving them to a truck or storage facility a short distance away. This process has been fine-tuned to be as efficient as possible, often being completed within a single shift for a trucker.

Different types of drayage

As you may expect, there are many different types of drayage. Which type is necessary depends on many factors, including the type of transportation, type of product and type of service needed. Here are some different types of drayage:

• Inter-carrier drayage: If a container needs to be moved between two different carriers, the process is referred to as inter-carrier drayage. One example of this is moving goods to a railyard from a trucking terminal.
• Intra-carrier drayage: If a container needs to be moved within the same type of carrier, the process is referred to as intra-carrier drayage. One example is moving cargo to a railyard from an intermodal hub.
• Shuttle drayage: One common issue in shipping is the need to store containers and goods between types of transportation. This may be needed for many reasons, including overcrowding at an origin hub. This is called shuttle drayage. This is used for both full and empty containers.
• Pier drayage: When containers are taken to a pier or a dock using roadways and highways, say, from a rail hub, the process is called pier drayage.
• Expedited drayage: When time is a critical issue, road transportation of goods is referred to as expedited drayage.
• Door-to-door drayage: When goods are taken from the sender and delivered straight to the door of the customer, the process is known as door-to-door drayage.

Make All Points Transport your first call when you need help with drayage shipping in North Charleston, SC. With over 15 years of experience specializing in all types of domestic and international shipping and movement of containers, as well as port access, familiarity with local destinations and access to secure storage yards, we have the knowledge and equipment to get the job done quickly, safely and reliably. Reach out to us today to learn more about what we can do to make your shipping processes more efficient.

Categorised in: Drayage Service