What is drayage? How container drayage works in Canada

Drayage is the short truck move that gets a shipping container between a port or rail terminal and the place where it is loaded or unloaded. It is a small part of the total distance, but it is often where delays and extra charges start.

Last updated: 24 October 2026

Drayage in plain terms

An ocean container rarely travels from a ship straight to your dock. It is unloaded at a marine terminal, and then it either goes on a truck right away or rides a train to an inland rail terminal. Either way, a truck has to make the last move: from the terminal to your warehouse, and later back to a terminal or depot with the empty box. That truck move is drayage, and the trucking companies that specialise in it are drayage carriers.

Exports work the same way in reverse. A carrier picks up an empty container, brings it to the shipper to be loaded, and delivers the full container to a port or rail terminal before the cut-off for the ship or train.

The main types of drayage

Port drayage

Moves to and from marine container terminals. In Canada the largest container gateways are the Port of Vancouver, with four container terminals (Centerm, Deltaport, Vanterm and DP World Fraser Surrey), and the Port of Montreal, with four international container terminals (Viau, Maisonneuve, Cast and Racine). Trucking matters a lot at both. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says the trucking sector moves about half of all container shipments to facilities across the Lower Mainland, and the Port of Montreal reported that 60% of the 1.5 million TEUs it handled in 2023 moved by truck and 40% by rail.

Rail (intermodal) drayage

Many import containers leave the port on a train and are picked up at an inland rail terminal, often called a ramp. In the Greater Toronto Area the main ramps for marine containers include CN Brampton and CPKC Vaughan. Rail drayage is the truck move between the ramp and the customer. This directory is organised around these terminals because the rail terminal is usually the first thing a shipper knows about an inland move.

Other common moves

Cross-town or inter-terminal moves: taking a container between two terminals, or from a terminal to a depot.
Pre-pulls: collecting a container before the delivery date and holding it in the carrier’s yard, usually to avoid terminal storage charges.
Empty returns: bringing the empty container back to the terminal or depot the shipping line names.
Transloading moves: taking a container to a warehouse where the goods are moved into a domestic trailer.

How a typical import drayage move works

The container arrives. It is unloaded from the ship or the train and becomes available at the terminal.
It is released. Before a truck can take it, the container generally needs customs clearance and a release from the shipping line or railway. Any storage or other charges owed to the terminal or railway may need to be paid first. CN, for example, says the amount owing on an import container must show a $0 balance before pick-up is arranged.
The carrier books access. Many terminals require a gate appointment or a pre-gate transaction. CN lists gate appointments for its Brampton and Montreal terminals, and Termont in Montreal does not let trucks in without a confirmed appointment.
Pick-up. The driver collects the container on a chassis (the trailer frame a container sits on) and leaves through the out-gate.
Delivery. The carrier delivers either “live” (the driver waits while you unload) or as a “drop” (the container is left on its chassis and collected later).
Empty return. The empty goes back to the location the shipping line or railway names, within the free time it allows.

Who can pick up at Canadian terminals

Not every trucking company can collect a container at every terminal. Access depends on the terminal and the railway or port:

Port of Vancouver: trucks need a Truck Licensing System (TLS) licence from the port authority and a Container Trucking Services licence issued by the Office of the BC Container Trucking Commissioner.
Port of Montreal: drivers need a port access card. Montreal Gateway Terminals also requires trucking companies and drivers to register, and some shipping lines require carriers to sign the Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement (UIIA).
CN rail terminals: CN lists driver registration and CN Express Pass for its Canadian intermodal terminals.
CPKC rail terminals: CPKC uses a FastPass auto-gate system, and drivers must be registered by their dray carrier before they arrive.

When you look for a carrier, start with the terminal your container will be at, then check that the carrier has access to it.

What goes into a drayage price

Drayage rates vary by terminal, distance, equipment and market conditions, so treat any quote as specific to your move. A quote usually combines some of these items:

Item	What it covers
Base rate	The move between the terminal and your address, usually including the empty return.
Fuel surcharge	Usually a percentage that changes with fuel prices.
Waiting time	Charged when the driver waits beyond an agreed free period at the terminal or your dock.
Chassis	Use of the chassis, sometimes charged per day.
Pre-pull and yard storage	Collecting early and holding the container in the carrier’s yard.
Special handling	Overweight loads, dangerous goods, reefers and other special equipment.
Pass-through charges	Terminal storage, railway storage or shipping-line detention if they apply.

Ask for an all-in quote that lists every possible extra charge, so you can compare carriers fairly.

Why drayage often decides the total cost

Ocean and rail legs run on fixed schedules. Drayage is where the container’s clock starts to matter. Railway storage, shipping-line demurrage and detention all start after a free period ends, and some free periods are short. Under CPKC’s intermodal tariff, steamship-line containers in import and export service have 24 hours of free time at Vaughan and Lachine. A carrier that can collect quickly, and an importer who has the paperwork ready, will usually avoid most of these charges.

How to find a drayage carrier

Most shippers search by the terminal their container is going to. You can browse carriers by rail terminal, by port or by city, including Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. See how we verify carriers to understand what each listing shows.

FAQ

Is drayage the same as trucking?

Drayage is a kind of trucking. It means short container moves to and from ports and rail terminals, which call for terminal access, chassis and knowledge of each terminal’s rules.

Where does the word come from?

It comes from the “dray”, a low cart once used to haul goods short distances around docks and rail yards.

How far does a drayage move go?

Usually within the same metro area or region as the terminal. Longer moves are possible, but they are often priced and run as regular truckload freight.

Who books the drayage carrier?

It depends on the shipping terms. It can be the importer, the exporter, a freight forwarder or a customs broker. In some “door” bookings the shipping line or railway arranges the truck.

Find a drayage carrier

Start with your terminal: CN Brampton, CPKC Vaughan, Port of Vancouver or Port of Montreal. To request a quote, open a carrier’s page and contact that company directly. Run a drayage company? Add or claim your free listing.

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