Drayage shipping is most easily understood as short distance logistics shipping and part of a longer move. In the logistics industry, drayage often refers to a mode of transport occurring from intermodal drayage points, such as ocean ports or railyards, to nearby locations in the same metropolitan area.
The term drayage can also refer to the fee for this service. Asiana USA can provide the best international shipping quote for your needs.
How Drayage Works
A vessel carrying a container arrives at a pier or railyard. Once it is processed by the receiving team, it is unloaded and compartmentalized according to its next delivery point.
Items and crates are loaded onto other trains, trucks, or vehicles to move deliveries to their next location. This location could be a warehouse, railyard, next port, or business. If that is the final location, the delivery is completed, or moved onto a different vehicle to continue its journey to its final destination.
Different Types of Drayage Service
You need a drayage service when you want to get a shipment between an intermodal point, such as a port or railyard, to your warehouse. This is common if you are working with a long-term overall supply chain and have constant shipments coming in and out of your space.
Wholesalers, manufacturers, and other large-scale businesses will be familiar with this mode of transport, as it is a core part of their commerce.
However, another common reason you might need drayage is to receive deliveries at a trade show or shopping mall. Trade shows account for a lot of business and rely on the time sensitive movement of large shipments. Often a trade show or exhibition will have a show warehouse where all shipments are received and then transported to the show. Other times, all shipments are made directly to the show address.
In either case, the drayage process may include the coordination and handling of materials from the main delivery point to the actual booth space for each exhibitor.
Shopping malls often have one loading dock to which all deliveries are made. Each store then coordinates their pickups and moves goods to their stores to sell. It is difficult for a large vehicle to deliver items individually to each store, so shuttle drayage helps make this process more efficient by compartmentalizing shipments to and from areas that are highly congested. This facilitates the overall movement of goods.
The Takeaway
Whether you are a large-scale business, a small shop organizing weekly deliveries, or a start-up organizing a trade show, drayage shipping may be part of your logistics plan. Make sure you find a reliable 3PL partner to work with. Request a quote from Asiana USA at 855-500-1808.