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Why You Want to Avoid Giant Drayage Companies

As vital and ever-changing aspects of shipping and logistics, drayage and drayage companies can come in many different forms and function uniquely. Drayage can refer to many distinct interactions and transfers of goods. Giant drayage companies, for instance, function much differently than growing drayage companies. They come with several negative aspects in comparison and lack the positive benefits of a growing drayage company. In this article, we’ll discuss what drayage means and what it involves, what drayage trucks are and how they differ from other drayage, and why you want to avoid giant drayage companies.

drayage truck

What Is Drayage?

The meaning of drayage is the short-distance transportation of containerized freight and other goods from one location to another. These two locations can be anything from an ocean port to another port, from a port to a railyard, or from one location to its final destination by a drayage truck. Drayage typically refers to minor goods transporting. It is typically a confined part of the container shipping industry of the supply chain process. 

In short-distance transportation, the departure and arrival locations are typically in the same metropolitan area in contrast to other forms of shipping, and one shift is usually sufficient to complete a transport. The main types of drayage include inter-carrier drayage, intra-carrier drayage, expedited drayage, door-to-door drayage, pier drayage, and shuttle drayage.

Inter-Carrier Drayage

This type of drayage refers to the movement of units over a short distance between different types of carriers, such as railroad and trucking stations.

Intra-Carrier Drayage 

Transportation of freight is from a rail hub to a hub that is intermodal, with the same carrier controlling all aspects. 

Expedited Drayage 

This transportation of time-sensitive goods occurs across roads in a highly efficient, quick manner.

Door-To-Door Drayage 

This drayage refers to retail units traveling through roadways to the final customer. 

Pier Drayage

An intermodal unit travels to a pier or dock from a previous rail hub, utilizing railways. 

Shuttle Drayage

An intermodal unit travels from its hub of origin to a parking lot. Both empty and loaded units experience this method when the hub of origin has overcrowding.

drayage

What Are Drayage Trucks?

Drayage trucks play a similarly important role in the supply chain process and the economy as other types of drayage. They provide short-distance transportation of freight in containers and other bulk freight with a truck involved in one or more portions of the journey. Drayage truck journeys typically rely on transportation between a port and a distribution center, an intermodal rail facility, or another near-port location. These trucks often provide less air pollution, especially newer drayage trucks, and provide highly efficient, speedy, and valuable transport of goods between areas less accessible by other forms of transportation.

What Is a Drayage Company?

For the individual drayage drivers and other involved parties in the supply chain process, a drayage company is a representative business in charge of providing short-distance transportation and transporters as a small portion of the overall supply chain process. They fulfill the pick-up, transport, and/or delivery of freight and other goods to their various destinations. This includes taking the freight containers in and out of their various warehouses, rail terminals, harbors, and ocean ports, and hauling them to a storage facility or warehouse to ready them for the next portion of the intermodal shipping process.

There is much distinction among drayage companies, and choosing the right company to represent, do business with, or otherwise support makes a big difference. A growing drayage company can provide you with several top benefits that giant companies cannot. Also, giant drayage companies can bring unwanted, negative aspects to your drayage use and business experiences. The top benefits of using a growing drayage company in comparison to a giant drayage company include increased focus, increased quality, positive branding, increased loyalty, easier workloads, and competitive pricing.

Increased Focus

Larger companies aren’t always better and this is certainly the case with drayage companies. A growing drayage company has increased focus on its obligations, quality, and relationships.

Increased Quality

Increased focus and increased quality go hand in hand. Growing drayage companies have the needs, desires, and interests of all involved parties at the top of their priorities. 

Positive Branding

More positive branding is another benefit and result of a growing drayage company. There is increased focus and quality. Plus, relationships are a top priority in their business and its handling.

Increased Loyalty

In its goals of positive business relationships and growth, a growing drayage company is more loyal. This includes workers, clients, and other involved parties.  There is a greater understanding of their value and importance.

Easier Workloads

A growing drayage company has more focus and more value toward its relationships.  This leads it to provide easier workloads with less overwhelm. Therefore, they can focus on quality and a positive brand.

Competitive Pricing

As an increasingly competitive and successful company, a growing drayage company also provides more competitive pricing. This makes it the all-around best solution for quality and price.

drayage companies

What Is a Drayage Directory?

There are many different drayage directories out there. Each consists of an extensive list of available drayage companies, their locations, services, and other details. The goal is to inform your choice on which to work with. These directories can be highly overwhelming, unreliable, and impersonal. This is especially true when understanding your unique drayage needs in relation to the listings. Choosing Heavy Weight Transport allows you to forgo this frustration. We provide quality service at all major ports, increased accuracy, reliability, and all of the benefits of a growing company with you as their top priority.

Enjoy the Benefits of Heavy Weight Transport

As a vital and valuable part of the supply chain process whether you are a current drayage company employee, prospective employee, client, or customer, choosing the right drayage company to work with and/or represent is important. To experience the value, positive impacts, benefits, and experiences of the right drayage company and avoid all of the negative impacts, experiences, and lack of possible benefits, avoid the giant drayage companies and choose Heavy Weight Transport today.