Drayage is an essential part of the global supply chain and can help efficiently move cargo from one place to another. Sometimes, however, it can be tricky to know if you are actually in need of a drayage service to help move your cargo. At Heavy Weight Transport, we want you to know that you can rely on us to help ship your freight anywhere it needs to go.
This article will define what drayage is and why it is important, as well as explain when there is a need for drayage trucking services in your own business.
How Do You Define Drayage?
The first step in knowing when you need to use drayage trucking services is to understand what drayage is at its fundamental level. To put it simply, drayage is one of the most important parts of the global logistics and shipping industry. It is the act of transporting large loads of cargo over short distances on land. Shipping drayage is the means by which your cargo might get from its place on a cargo ship to a freight train, or from a central means of transport into a storage warehouse. Typically, this type of shipping occurs through smaller urban areas like large cities or regions within a state.
Typically, a drayage run can be completed in a single shift by one driver. This is another illustration of its efficiency. Some trucking companies, like Heavy Weight Transport, are specially equipped to handle the drayage of overweight cargo hauls. Not every trucking company is able to handle drayage work because of this factor; a lot of drayage hauls involve the transport of overweight materials. If a truck is not equipped with the right tools to support a large load, it could lead to further damage or disaster.
Why is Drayage Important?
Drayage trucking plays a much more important role in the shipping process than a person might assume at first glance. While drayage is usually only a short trip from one place to another, the loss of drayage would have detrimental effects on the shipping industry.
Many people define drayage as the “first mile” because it serves the same purpose as the first domino in a row: to kick off the greater process. But if that first domino falls the wrong way and doesn’t connect to the second in the right way, it compromises the entire process. This is an excellent analogy to illustrate the importance of drayage in the shipping industry. If drayage shipping does not get accomplished with the necessary efficiency and speed, it can cause damage to the rest of the industry. Specifically, it can cause a lot of backup in ports.
If a ship comes into the harbor carrying a large load of cargo, that cargo needs to get unloaded and taken away as soon as possible. If the cargo doesn’t get removed, then the ship cannot receive more cargo and sail out again. Plus, the ship sitting and waiting prevents more ships from entering and docking in the harbor, which can cause more delays in the industry process.
This possibility makes companies eager to grab a drayage quote and hire the best trucking service for the job.
When Do You Need Shipping Drayage Services?
If you are shipping cargo across any distance, long or short, it is very likely that you will require drayage trucking services. In fact, approximately 95% of all cargo that is shipped across the globe has to encounter drayage services at some point during their travels. There are many benefits to using drayage services in addition to their overall importance to the supply chain, especially when relying on a service like Heavy Weight Shipping.
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- Efficiency: Drayage is a fast and reliable service that is managed by professionals in the field. Not every trucking company can be a drayage company, so you know you are in good hands with a professional drayage service.
- Affordability: Drayage services are an excellent alternative to shipping your cargo by plane or through large containers. The costs of air freight and rental containers can be extremely high.
Getting a Drayage Quote
When you are considering working with a drayage trucking service like Heavy Weight Transport, knowing the rates and costs of drayage services is definitely important. Even though drayage is the shortest part of the shipping process, that does not mean it isn’t an important factor to budget for.
What Is Included In Drayage Rates?
When it comes time to define drayage costs, there are a lot of different factors at play. Here are some of the calculations that determine the final cost of your drayage service:
- Hundredweight of Freight: Part of your drayage shipping cost is calculated by every hundred pounds of freight that is being shipped. If you are able to consolidate your shipment’s weight, you will be able to save yourself some money.
- Mileage and Time: As with most trucking services, the distance traveled and the time it takes to get from Point A to Point B will contribute to the drayage charge.
- Fragile Items: Shipping drayage can become more expensive when you are transporting fragile or delicate items. Make sure that everything is well packaged and prepared for travel beforehand in order to keep these costs down.
Work With Heavy Weight
Because drayage is an essential part of almost every shipping process, it is important to choose the right drayage company to help you move your freight efficiently and safely.
At Heavy Weight Transport, we aim to positively impact the global community by continually providing exceptional and ethical service in drayage trucking, warehousing, and brokerage to importers and exporters in the United States, with a focus on heavy cargo. With our locations in California Georgia, South Carolina, New Jersey, Texas, and Tennessee, we are placed in close proximity to some of the United States’ biggest ports. This makes us fully equipped to take on any drayage and intermodal shipping needs you may have coming, whether you are shipping out or receiving new goods.
Contact us at Heavy Weight to experience our top-of-the-line drayage services. Get a drayage quote from us today.
