The importance of drayage is not only evident to shippers, but also to third-party logistics providers. The main purpose of drayage is to move shipments from a warehouse to a shipping facility, and it requires specific equipment. This service is essential to intermodal rail services and import/export operations. In fact, a substantial portion of the products you see on store shelves are drayage-trucked.
Drayage services help businesses streamline their supply chains and ensure that goods reach their final destination quickly. They match freight with the appropriate equipment to ensure that they arrive in a timely fashion. Drayage services also help businesses respond quickly to delays in the supply chain and improve customer satisfaction. For many companies, drayage services are critical to their supply chains. Check This Out for more information.
Dratage services are divided into two types: intra and intermodal. Intra-carrier drayage involves moving shipments between intra and intermodal hubs that belong to the same freight carrier. These transports are often short-distance. However, some drayage services are dedicated to moving goods across borders.
Dratage services have a long history. They started as a horse-drawn method of moving goods, but as the technology advanced, trucks became the primary means of drayage. In the late 1800s, combustion-powered vehicles became the main form of transportation. Today, trucks are commonly used for drayage services, and freight forwarders are using technology to improve drayage services. This helps ensure the transparency of drayage services while reducing their environmental impact.
Dratage has become a vital aspect of logistics supply chains, as it allows the movement of goods efficiently. For example, a clothing company orders 2,000 cartons of a certain product, which it packs into an intermodal container. The container is then loaded onto an ocean freighter in Bangladesh and arrives at the Port of Los Angeles two weeks later. It is then offloaded from the ship and transported to a truck. From there, it is delivered to a rail yard owned by the Union Pacific. There, it may take another 29 miles before the container is delivered to its warehouse.
The importance of drayage services cannot be stressed enough. Whether it is a single or multimodal shipping operation, drayage services are necessary to make operations more efficient. They reduce the risk of accidents, damage, and theft to the cargo, while eliminating the need to monitor and track cargo by physical means. Additionally, drayage services offer tracking along the way via GPS.
While transload and drayage serve different functions in the supply chain, both services play a vital role in ensuring seamless supply chains. They make it possible to move goods efficiently and effectively, and they can accommodate large operations. Cross-docking is another useful option that can benefit a supply chain. The two services work hand in hand to ensure smooth operations. With the increasing importance of eCommerce, the importance of drayage cannot be ignored.