What are factors to consider when selecting drayage carriers in California?

What are factors to consider when selecting drayage carriers in California?

What are factors to consider when selecting drayage carriers in California?

In today's complex and evolving supply chain, there are many harbor drayage companies to choose from when it comes to your freight. Many companies operate differently, but there are certain factors you should consider when researching the right drayage company to meet deadlines and improve your bottomline- especially when your freight moves into California. It's essential to select a company who can offer a suite of services, whether the company is small or large, but what are other solution-based offerings you should be mindful of? Here are a few factors to consider:

1. Location and proximity to major ports: Select a company that specializes in import/export container drayage to and from all major California ports, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland. Companies with years of experience in the industry will strategically position their facilities minutes away from the ports to make themselves more accessible for the handling of your freight.

2. Transloading: Avoid equipment storage and/or demurrage charges! Select a port drayage company that has a proven track record for safety and reliability in international and domestic container drayage, transloading, intermodal rail, and trucking.

3. Overweight Corridor: Do you anticipate moving in heavy or overweight commodities such as raw materials, heavy sacks, food & beverage items, etc.? Find a company whose facilities are located in the Southern California overweight corridor and who can quickly meet any requirement for handling overweight import/export containers

4. Warehousing & Distribution: You might need flexible distribution options when your freight arrives into California. Select a company that can handle your dray with prime warehousing space near all the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland, California. Identify a company that understands the complexities of storing your goods, and who can customize a solution based on your short or long-term needs

What factors do you consider when choosing a drayage company?

What factors do you consider when choosing a drayage company?

There are many factors to consider when choosing and searching for a trustworthy drayage company online: years of experience, size of the company, and more importantly, overall excellent service. Although these are common factors when researching drayage companies on the web, other factors/questions to consider should also include: Other than drayage services, do they provide strategic solutions based on our supply chain needs? Do they have dedicated managers/experts who we can contact anytime during the process?  Can they offer other services/solutions for our customized requirements if needed? Let's take a more in-depth look into these factors. 


Drayage solutions: you need a transportation and logistics company that offers solutions based on your specific needs. Services is one thing, but a dependable company will provide solutions based on your customized projects including handling heavyweight/oversized freight requirements within the overweight corridor, transloading freight to avoid equipment storage and/or demurrage charges, providing warehousing or cross-docking solutions to store and move freight to meet deadlines: Most companies discover that they need more than just drayage services, and a company who possesses assets and experts within the industry will give customers more peace of mind that their freight is being handled professionally in case other needs arise throughout the process. 


Dedicated managers: you need an experienced manager to oversee your supply chain requirements- one contact person, one subject matter expert. Many companies will have a multitude of personnel managing your requirements; sometimes, you are "on hold" waiting to discover where your shipments are, how they are being handled, etc. When you work with one dependable drayage company, you should have a centralized contact who is communicating with you throughout the entire process, whether it be via phone or email. These managers should be able to strategize and provide solutions to their customers based on their unique projects. After all, this is your precious freight; answers should be available to the customer whenever possible!


Enterprise services: you need a drayage company that also offers a variety of services to help achieve your business goals. After communicating with a drayage manager, you might discover that you also need local LTL delivery services, warehouse storage for your organic goods, or ocean freight forwarding services- wouldn't it be easier to work with one company that can provide ALL of these services and solutions quickly and professionally? This strategy saves time and money while eliminating numerous calls and emails to other companies requesting information about their services. Having one dedicated manager, one company, and one solution is the key to optimizing your entire supply chain-learn more

Harbor Drayage

Harbor Drayage

Selecting Drayage Companies with added Service Benefits


Moving your valuable freight and merchandise to its final destination is challenging. When shipments are missed or delayed, how do you overcome these obstacles and swiftly? In this rapid-paced business environment, we all know things can happen- weather delays, vessel delays, rerouting freight,  just to name a few. In today’s competitive market of harbor drayage companies, it's essential that you select a company with a proven track record who can provide other value added services and unique benefits besides standard drayage to help streamline your shipments and fast.  For example, if you are shipping throughout the West Coast region, especially in Southern California, you will need a reliable company with facilities close to all major ports who can provide flexible transportation options should problems occur, and customizable solutions to help lower costs and stay within budget.


Selecting an asset-based intermodal trucking company who specializes in import/export container drayage with added service benefits including transloading, multimodal transportation, overweight corridor accessibility,  cross-docking, and warehousing has proven to be a successful option for businesses looking to optimize their supply chain and meet their goals. As mentioned above, problems can happen during one aspect of transporting your goods or throughout the entire process of the shipment.  You might need to cross-dock and store your freight in a warehouse to meet your deadlines. When you partner with an experienced company who can provide multiple services other than standard drayage, there is a higher likelihood of significant cost-savings in rates, added value of working with an industry expert who can assist with problem-solving, and the peace of mind of working with one reliable source versus multiple sources.


Dependable's asset-based harbor drayage, intermodal trucking and intermodal transportation division handles all nationwide drayage moves for containers coming from or going to West Coast seaports. In addition to container drayage, we specialize in complex multiple-hub cargo moves through multimodal transportation strategies with complete warehousing and distribution services via our warehousing division.

Drayage & Intermodal Services

Drayage & Intermodal Services

Why Your Business Needs Drayage Services

The words drayage and intermodal drayage may not be familiar to you, but these services are responsible for a large number of goods you use, buy, eat and even wear daily. Drayage is an essential link in the safe and secure transport of goods from one point to another, usually for short distances. On the other hand, intermodal freight transport is the method of transportation of goods in an intermodal or shipping container. With intermodal freight containers, large amounts of goods may be transported through long distances in the most efficient manner. 


Drayage is shipping freight in a short distance while intermodal freight is for long distances. Businesses big and small use these services to take their products from the manufacturing plant to where their customers are located. Without quality drayage and intermodal freight services, meeting deadlines for the movement of goods and services to your customers will impact your bottom line. If your business ships goods, you must use a dependable and efficient drayage company with years of experience and proven service. 


How do you find the ideal drayage service that’s right for your business?  Here are some factors to consider:


•    Proximity to rail yards and ports

Is the drayage company you want to use near rail yards and ports? Does the rail yard or port run 24 hours? This is important because a port that works 24 hours coupled with a company that can transport goods all day would be able to ship your products faster and more efficiently as well.

•    Drayage company with local assets

A company that resides close to the ports and has local assets will surely have the insight into what goes on in the local market. 

•    Equipment condition

Drayage companies with old and worn out equipment may find it hard to fulfill their obligations to your company. These could suffer from equipment failure and repairs that will only cost you valuable time. Always look for a company with new, working or quality equipment (trucks, refrigeration equipment, forklifts, etc.) to ensure the safety and quality of your goods as well. 

•    Experienced drivers

Drivers should be experienced with local routes and are trained to handle large equipment and new monitoring equipment.

•    Flexible shifts, flexible service

Do you know that you can save on shipping when you ship during the off-hours? A company with this flexible service/schedule is rare but is something that you must include when you make your decision.

•    Check for regulations and compliance

Check the company’s compliance with local regulations on shipping. Usually, this is communicated on the drayage service website. 


With facilities in the Southern California overweight corridor, Dependable Supply Chain Services can quickly meet any requirement you have for handling overweight import/export containers. Our asset-based harbor and intermodal division handle all nationwide drayage moves for containers coming from or going to West Coast seaports. In addition to container drayage, we specialize in complex multiple-hub cargo moves through multimodal transportation strategies with complete warehousing and distribution services via our warehousing division.