Hauling trucks are large semi-trailers that are used to transport goods from one place to another. These trucks are usually powered by diesel and are used to move containers and bulk cargo between ports, intermodal railway facilities, distribution centers, and other locations. Hauling is the transportation of goods over short distances in the shipping and logistics industries, and is often part of a longer transfer, such as from a ship to a warehouse. Research defines drayage as the pickup or delivery of cargo by truck from a seaport, border point, inland port, or intermodal terminal with the origin and destination of the trip in the same urban area. It can also refer to the movement of goods inside large buildings, such as convention centers.
Transportation is a key aspect of the transfer of shipments to and from other modes of transport. The term 'drayage' is also used for the fare paid for such services. In short, drayage consists of sending cargo over a short distance, usually from a shipping method to an intermediary. For example, if goods arrive in Jacksonville through the port and need to be transported from the port to a warehouse, drayage is what makes that happen. The name comes from the old days when goods were transported in carts without sides drawn by horses. Drayage refers to the process of transporting goods over short distances.
It includes transportation by cargo trucks in containers from one port to another or from one port to a railway shipyard and is an essential part of intermodal transport.