For drayage
On a short haul, the wait at the terminal is the margin
A drayage move may be a few hours of driving and a few hours of waiting. Per-mile math breaks down. The audit works in truck hours and tracks chassis days, wait time and fees by move.
- Measure a drayage move per truck hour, not per mile.
- Log gate-in, gate-out and appointment times for every move.
- Know who pays chassis, per diem and storage-type fees before you accept. Terminal rules differ verify with your customer and terminal.
What changes in drayage
Four cost drivers
Containers and chassis
The truck pulls a container on a chassis. Chassis may be supplied by a pool, the ocean carrier or you. Daily chassis charges run while the box is out, so a slow return costs money.
Per diem and demurrage-style waits
Fees for keeping a container too long, or leaving it at the terminal, usually bill to the cargo owner or the carrier of record. Whether they fall on you depends on your agreement. verify the party and the clock before accepting.
Appointments
Terminals often use appointment systems. A missed or late slot can mean a rebook and a second trip. Keep screenshots of the slot, the gate transaction and any rejection reason.
Pre-pull and chassis split
A pre-pull moves the container to your yard before delivery. A chassis split picks up the box and the chassis from different places. Both add steps. Price each step, not just the final delivery.
One move, drawn out
Time on the move splits into driving and waiting. Waiting is the part you can sometimes cut with better appointments and sometimes bill. If your agreement has a free-time rule for terminal or customer waits, record the times that apply.
If it has none, the wait is a cost you absorb, and the audit shows it per move so you can price it into the next quote. Related: detention pay, ports and trade, border truck crossings.
Who pays what: ask before you accept
| Item | Question to ask | Record to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Chassis | Who supplies it and who pays the daily charge? | Chassis ID, pick-up and return times |
| Per diem | Who is billed and when does the clock start? verify | Container out and in dates |
| Terminal wait | Is there free time, and who pays past it? | Gate-in, gate-out, appointment time |
| Failed appointment | Is a dry run or rebook paid? | Screenshot of rejection reason |
Worked example EXAMPLE VALUES
Invented numbers. A move pays $400. Driving takes 2 hours and terminal waiting takes 3. Truck time costs $60 an hour in this example, and one chassis day costs $40.
- Truck cost: (2 + 3) h x $60 = $300. Net: $400 - $300 - $40 = $60. That is $12 per truck hour ($60 / 5 h).
- If the wait drops to 1 hour: (2 + 1) h x $60 = $180. Net: $400 - $180 - $40 = $180. That is $60 per truck hour ($180 / 3 h).
Same rate, same chassis day, three times the net. Find the moves where waiting ate the margin. We do not publish drayage rates, and we do not know your terminal's fee schedule.
What to log on every move
- Appointment time and gate-in time.
- Gate-out time and any exception notes.
- Container and chassis numbers.
- Empty return time and location.
- Photos of seal, damage and interchange papers.
Tools and data
- Detention calculator if your terms include free time
- Deadhead calculator for empty repositioning
- Freight corridors and truck parking
- Accessorial recovery
Questions
Do you know terminal fee rules for my port?
No. Terminal rules and fees vary and change. Get them from your customer and the terminal, and keep the records for each move.
Can wait time be billed in drayage?
Only if your agreement says so. Many carriers negotiate free time and an hourly rate. We are not lawyers, so check your contract.
Why not use rate per mile?
Short moves have few miles and many hours. A rate per mile can look fine while the truck loses money by the hour. Use net per truck hour alongside it.
Related: layover pay, accessorial recovery calendar, true RPM.
See what your last 20 loads show.
One short form. We reply by email with the next step, and a one-page report follows. Free, no obligation.
Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Raleigh, NC). Voicemail is answered the next business day.