30 августа 2026 г.
What is actually inside a drayage rate, and why two quotes are not comparable
Two carriers quote the same container and the numbers differ by a third. That usually is not one of them being cheap; it is the two quotes containing different things. A drayage price is a distance-driven base plus a set of accessorials that may or may not have been mentioned, and the ones that get left out are predictable: the chassis, the pre-pull, the waiting time and the fuel. Here is what sits inside the number, so you can ask two carriers the same question and get answers you can actually compare.
The base is distance, and distance starts at a specific gate
The core of the price is the run itself, which is driven by miles between a particular terminal and a particular address. Not the port in general, the terminal, because the same delivery is a different distance from the Port of Miami, Port Everglades and Palm Beach.
Short local runs are priced differently from long ones. Below a certain radius the cost is dominated by the time the transaction takes rather than the driving, which is why a very short move is not proportionally cheap.
Fuel is normally folded into the distance rather than quoted as a separate percentage. That is a presentation choice; what matters is knowing which of the two you are reading, because a base that excludes fuel looks lower and is not.
The accessorials that decide whether a quote was honest
The chassis. Included, or assumed available and billed later, or a split if it is somewhere else. This is the single most common gap between a quote and an invoice.
The pre-pull, if the box has to come out before you can receive it, and the yard storage that follows. Waiting time at your dock, which becomes detention past the free window. And the terminal's own charges, which are not the carrier's money at all but still appear on your bill.
None of these are dishonest charges. They become dishonest quotes when the carrier knows they are likely and does not mention them, and there is no way for you to tell from the number alone which kind of quote you are holding.
What changes a price legitimately
Equipment. A 45 needs a specific chassis, an overweight box needs a tri-axle and a permit, a reefer needs a genset, hazmat needs an endorsed driver and a route that avoids the tunnel. Each is real work rather than a surcharge.
Timing. A same-day pull against a last free day competes for an appointment somebody else also wants, and flexibility on the date is genuinely worth money to whoever is planning the week.
Pattern. Steady volume and paired lanes, where a truck has something to do in both directions, cost less to serve than one-off moves, and it is fair to ask for that to be reflected.
How to make two quotes comparable
Send both carriers the same facts: container number, terminal, size and type, destination with receiving hours, and anything unusual about the box. Different inputs guarantee incomparable outputs.
Then ask one question of each: what is not in this number? A carrier who has thought about your move will name the chassis, the waiting time and the terminal charges without hesitating. Hesitation is information.
Our own version of this is the rate calculator on the quote page, which shows the structure rather than a single figure, and every rate carries its assumptions with it. A price you can take apart is the only kind you can check.
Rates · Quotes · Accessorials · Chassis · Transparency
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Прямые ответы
What makes up a drayage rate?
The core is the run itself, driven by miles between a particular terminal and a particular address. Not the port in general but the terminal, because the same delivery is a different distance from the Port of Miami, Port Everglades and Palm Beach. Around that base sit accessorials: the chassis, a pre-pull and the yard storage that follows it, waiting time at your dock, and the terminal's own charges, which are not the carrier's money at all but still land on your bill.
Why do two drayage quotes for the same container differ so much?
Usually not because one carrier is cheap. It is because the two quotes contain different things. The items that get left out are predictable: the chassis, the pre-pull, the waiting time and the fuel. None of those are dishonest charges in themselves. They become a dishonest quote when the carrier knows they are likely and does not mention them, and there is no way to tell from the number alone which kind you are holding.
Is fuel included in a drayage rate?
Normally it is folded into the distance rather than quoted as a separate percentage, but that is a presentation choice rather than a rule. What matters is knowing which of the two you are reading, because a base that excludes fuel looks lower and is not. It is a fair question to ask outright. Short local runs are also priced by the time the transaction takes rather than the driving, so a very short move is not proportionally cheap.
What legitimately changes the price of a container move?
Equipment, timing and pattern. A 45 needs a specific chassis, an overweight box needs a tri-axle and a permit, a reefer needs a genset, and hazmat needs an endorsed driver and a route that avoids the tunnel. Each is real work rather than a surcharge. A same-day pull competes for an appointment somebody else wants, so flexibility on the date is worth money. And steady volume with paired lanes costs less to serve than one-off moves.
How do I make two carrier quotes comparable?
Send both the same facts: container number, terminal, size and type, destination with receiving hours, and anything unusual about the box. Different inputs guarantee incomparable outputs. Then ask each one question: what is not in this number? A carrier who has thought about your move will name the chassis, the waiting time and the terminal charges without hesitating. Hesitation is information. A price you can take apart is the only kind you can check.
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