How Well Do You Know Drayage Logistics Services?

Drayage logistics is a type of freight forwarding that deals with transporting goods from one point to another. It can be broken down into several categories, including bulk drayage, expedited drayage, inter and intra drayage, and specialized service providers like Shuttle drayage and door-to-door drayage. 

Based on the needs of business customers, they can choose drayage services for transporting their goods and commodities. These categories are commonly used interchangeably. However, each class is unique. Here’ rundown of some common types of drayage services and their applications:

• Bulk Drayage

Bulk drayage is one of the most common types of drayage logistics. It refers to transporting bulk materials, such as aggregate and lumber. Bulk materials are less valuable than truckload or freight car transport. Trucks that move bulk materials have low payloads and short travel times between stops due to their lighter weight than shipping containers used for intermodal transport (IMT).

• Expedited Drayage

Generally, people opt for expedited Drayage Company for faster processing of their shipments. Expedited drayage refers to transporting very high-value commodities, such as freight cars and containers, with higher payloads and more excellent travel time between stops. Expedited drayage is used for items that require significant time or can’t be moved via other means. 

• Inter Drayage

Intermodal transport is a method of transporting goods from one point to another. Intermodal transportation can use multiple modes of transport to move an item from one place to another. The term “inter” refers to the way that these types of transports are used between modes of transport, for example, rail and truck (rail-to-truck) as well as water (water-to-sea and water-to-rail).

• Intra Drayage

Intra-drayage refers to the shipment of goods between facilities within a single facility. These services are also utilized as a part of general production logistics. For example, if a firm operates a warehouse and a plant to transport materials, it will likely use intra-facility transportation (water-to-water) rather than inter-facility transportation.

• Shuttle Drayage

Shuttle drayage refers to the shipment of goods between facilities that do not have a direct physical link between them. Their schedule rather than their route can identify these types of loads, which is why the term “shuttle” is used. Shuttle drayage services are often organized by customer demand, which is why they are commonly known as ‘customer originated.’ 

• Door-to-Door Drayage

Door-to-door drayage refers to transporting goods from one facility to another through a typical distribution center or bypassing a broker to save money. It is less common than other types of drayage services, but businesses are starting to take advantage of door-to-door drayage for their shipper’s convenience. A professional drayage service can assist with the planning and tracking of shipments and equipment movement (i.e., use the latest technology).

The Bottom Line

Drayage services are standard in the business world, as they are a vital part of the transportation of goods. There are several different types of drayage services. To choose the best drayage service for your needs, you should understand the different types available, including bulk and expedited drayage services.