The term “drayage” is derived from the name of a vehicle pulled by a horse known as a “cart”. This form of transportation was limited to short distances, usually near seaports, railway and canal terminals. The word-forming element in nouns of act, process, function, condition, comes from Old French and French -age, from late Latin -aticum belonging to, related to, adjective suffix originally neutral, from PIE *-at- (source of Latin -atus, suffix of the past participle of the verbs of the first conjugation) + *- (i), ko-, secondary suffix that forms adjectives (see -ic). By definition, freight transport is the movement of cargo from a seaport to its destination.
It is also referred to as “The First Mile” due to the physical limitations of the horses used in this process. This type of transportation requires a specialized logistics service that can move goods over short distances. In some cases, the shuttle service offers an all-inclusive package for a single price. The term drayage is also used to describe the transportation of large containers for a truck, ship or railway.
The transport service is responsible for moving the cargo from the loading dock to the exhibitor space on the fair floor. While drayage specifically refers to short-distance movements as part of the supply chain process, it is primarily used by the container transportation industry. Shippers must determine what type of transportation service best serves their cargo for delivery in order to complete the next leg of the trip. The study of drayage is a relatively new area as recent events have raised its prominence in the freight transport industry.
The distance and time it takes for a transport service to move a container represent a very short period in the total route of the shipment. Drayage also means transporting cargo to a warehouse, another port or delivering it to its final destination within a specified radius. For example, the transportation service may include transporting a container from a receiving pier at a seaport to a truck terminal for transportation to its final destination. The busy world of trade shows also depends on drayage services to move exhibitors on and off site efficiently.
Transportation services are often overlooked but they are essential in making sure that everything runs smoothly. When hiring a drayage service, it is important to consider factors such as departure and arrival points in the same metropolitan area and whether or not it covers domestic or long-distance movements.
