Full Truckload (FTL)
A dedicated truck or trailer for your shipment, providing direct transportation from pickup to delivery without sharing trailer space with other freight.
Over-the-road
Drayage
We coordinate the ground transportation of your containers from ports and rail ramps to warehouses and final destinations. Our brokerage network connects your shipment with the right carrier and equipment for the move.
When to choose it
When you need drayage
A container that has arrived is not a shipment that has finished. Drayage is the transportation that moves your container from the port or rail ramp to the warehouse, distribution center, or final destination.
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The container has landed
It is at the port or rail ramp and needs to reach a warehouse, distribution center, facility, or final destination.
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You handle the ocean leg yourself
You manage the international move and need a reliable partner to handle the ground transportation.
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There is a clock running
Terminals and ramps charge for containers that sit. Timing matters. We help keep the move on track.
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It has to come back
The empty container needs to be returned. We coordinate the return to complete the move.
What to expect
How we handle a container move
We work with trusted carrier partners and coordinate your container transportation from pickup to delivery, including the paperwork along the way.
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A quote with the details that matter
Container size, weight, pickup location, delivery location, and timing. These details help us build an accurate quote for your shipment.
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The right carrier and the right equipment
We work with a network of carrier partners and match your shipment with the right equipment and availability for the job.
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Pickup and delivery, coordinated
We coordinate pickup, delivery, appointments, and the paperwork needed to keep your shipment moving.
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Someone keeping you informed while it moves
If something changes at the terminal, with the carrier, or on the road, you hear it from us. We stay in touch throughout the transportation process and keep you informed along the way.
Compare
Drayage or full truckload?
Both move freight by truck, but they serve different transportation needs. Drayage typically moves containers between ports, rail ramps, warehouses, and nearby destinations, while full truckload (FTL) uses an entire truck or trailer for one shipment.
| Feature | Drayage | Full Truckload (FTL) |
|---|---|---|
| What moves | A container, on a chassis | Loose or palletized freight in a trailer |
| Distance | Usually short-distance, around a port or rail ramp | City to city, state to state, or longer |
| Where it starts | Port, rail ramp, or container yard | Anywhere your freight is ready for pickup |
| The empty | Normally needs to be returned | Not applicable |
| Best for | Containers that need to move from port or rail to their next destination | Shipments that need a dedicated trailer |
FAQ
Questions about Drayage
What is drayage?
Drayage is the ground transportation of a container over a short distance, usually between a port, rail ramp, or container yard and its next destination. It is the ground transportation portion of a shipment that started somewhere else.
Do you move containers overseas?
No. Shoolin Logistics is a truck brokerage focused on ground transportation within the United States. If your container is arriving from overseas, another provider handles the ocean leg, and we take over at the terminal.
Do you work with freight forwarders?
Yes, and often. Freight forwarders arrange the international transportation and bring us in to handle the ground transportation on this side. It is one of the services we handle most.
What do you need to quote a container move?
To provide an accurate drayage quote, we need the container’s current location, pickup and delivery locations, container size, approximate weight, and requested pickup date. If the container is at a port or rail ramp, let us know the free-time or last free day as well.
How does a brokerage move my container?
We work with carrier partners under established agreements and rates, and select the one with the right equipment and availability for your shipment. You deal with us; we coordinate the rest.
Next options
Other ways to move your freight
Transloading
Cargo is unloaded from one container or trailer and transferred to another for the next leg of its journey.
Less Than Truckload (LTL)
Your freight shares trailer space with other shipments, making it a practical option when you do not need a full truck. You pay for the portion of the trailer your shipment uses.
Not sure drayage is what you need?
Answer a couple of quick questions and our assistant will point you to the right service.
Free quote
Get a quote for Drayage
Tell us where the container is, where it needs to go, its size and your dates. We’ll come back with options.