When it comes to transportation, understanding how to calculate drayage is essential. Drayage is the cost of moving goods from one place to another, and it is typically calculated by weighing each piece of cargo and rounding up to the nearest 100 pounds. For example, 212 pounds would equal 3 CWT (hundredweight) and 489 pounds would equal 5 CWT. Unless an item is particularly oversized, freight dimensions are not usually taken into account when calculating transportation.
When it comes to full truckloads, you will usually be charged a per-mile rate, a fuel surcharge, toll charges, driver arrest fees, and possibly a few other additional charges. However, for most drayage moves, the cost is based less on miles and more on hours. Mileage is still a factor, but these types of moves are generally done near a port complex and within short distances. The time needed to enter and exit the port complex or specific terminals can vary, so the cost may vary as well.
The cost of handling is usually calculated with a formula known as CTW (total weight in carats). This formula indicates that X dollars will be charged for every 100 pounds (45 kg). It's no surprise that exhibitors often have questions about transportation costs since they can be difficult to calculate and budget from one fair to the next. The weight included in the show is used as a loaded weight for all transport calculations since it is always the heaviest weight.
