Drayage & Port Logistics
Port-to-door solutions at all major US ports. 100+ drayage carriers, transloading, and over-dimensional capacity.
Drayage moves your containers the critical short distance between ports, rail ramps, and warehouses. Route 89 Logistics provides port-to-door drayage at all major US ports, with the carrier capacity to keep your containers moving.
We coordinate container pickup, transloading, and final delivery so your import and export freight clears the port without costly delays.
What you get
- Coverage at all major US ports and rail ramps
- 100+ drayage carriers for dependable capacity
- Transloading and container deconsolidation
- Over-dimensional and heavy container handling
- Demurrage and per-diem management
Ideal for
- Importers and exporters moving containers
- Freight that needs transloading near port
- Shippers facing port congestion or delays
- Over-weight or over-dimensional containers
How it works
Coordinate container availability
Once your container is available at the port or rail ramp, we get notified of the release and schedule pickup with a dray carrier before free time expires.
Port pickup
Our drayage carrier picks up the container from the port terminal and transports it to your warehouse, transload facility, or directly to your customer.
Transloading if needed
If your container needs to be broken down and distributed across multiple destinations, we coordinate transloading into domestic trailers near the port.
We manage free time and demurrage
Port delays happen. We track your container's free time and keep you informed so you can make decisions before demurrage and per-diem charges start accumulating.
What affects the price
- Distance from port or ramp to delivery point
- Container size — 20', 40', 45', or high-cube
- Port congestion and chassis availability
- Overweight container fees and permits
- Transloading labor and warehouse handling if needed
Industries we serve
- Importers and retail importers
- E-commerce and fulfillment operators
- Chemical and plastics manufacturers
- Furniture and home goods importers
- Agricultural exporters
Frequently asked questions
What is drayage in freight shipping?
Drayage is the short-haul trucking of shipping containers between a port, rail ramp, or terminal and a nearby warehouse or transload facility. It is the critical "first mile" of domestic distribution for imported goods.
What is demurrage and how can I avoid it?
Demurrage is a daily fee charged by the ocean carrier when a container is not picked up from the port within the free-time window — typically 3–5 days. To avoid it, have your drayage carrier scheduled and the container released before free time expires. We monitor free time on all containers we manage.
What ports does Route 89 cover?
We have drayage carrier coverage at all major US ports including Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Savannah, Houston, Seattle/Tacoma, and Charleston, as well as inland rail ramps nationwide.
What is transloading and when do I need it?
Transloading is the process of unloading cargo from an ocean container and reloading it into domestic trailers. It is useful when you need to split a container across multiple delivery points, when the container is overweight for US roads, or when domestic trailer capacity is more economical than container delivery.
More questions? Visit our full FAQ or contact our team.
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