As businesses seek to find the most efficient methods to move their freight, the debate of when to use drayage vs cartage continues. While each of these services fulfills similar goals throughout the supply chain, the manner in which they do so differs.
Key Takeaways
Read on to learn more about the differences between drayage and cartage, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.
The major difference between drayage and cartage is the manner in which the shipping containers are handled once they’re received. To get a better picture of each of these services, let’s define them.
Depending on the breakdown of the freight, 18-wheelers, box trucks or even vans can be used for cartage.
In summation, the largest difference between the two services is that drayage moves an entire container a short distance so that it can continue on its journey. Meanwhile, cartage breaks a container shipment down into multiple loads to be transported within a clearly defined area.
Drayage and cartage are important steps along the supply chain. While their methods may be different, they are both used to move goods over short distances to their next destination in the supply chain. To further illustrate their differences, we can examine the major advantages and disadvantages of each practice.
Let’s take a look at an example of how cartage is used.
Cook County in Illinois has over 5 million residents and is home to Chicago, America’s third-most populous city. Chicago and its many suburbs dominate Cook County, making it a logistical challenge to distribute all the goods that its residents purchase throughout the area.
A cartage service can haul a shipping container to a distribution center, warehouse or transload facility. The facility can then load those contents onto several trucks that will each deliver to different parts of the county. This highlights how effective cartage is for delivery in large, heavily-populated metropolitan areas.
On the flip side, cartage has two minor drawbacks:
You’ll probably find cartage to be somewhat unavoidable during final mile deliveries to certain areas. In cases where your goods aren’t ready for the last mile, drayage may be the way to go instead.
By definition, drayage serves as a link between short distances as part of a much larger freight movement. This helps move freight out of the port - reducing congestion - and to a nearby location for storage or distribution.
A benefit of drayage, at least relative to cartage, is that the freight is handled much less. In fact, the freight inside the container likely won’t be handled at all from the time it’s loaded onto its ocean vessel to the point that it arrives at its destination. The less freight is handled, the less likely damage is to occur.
One disadvantage of drayage is that because the full container is hauled - not the individual products - the internal contents of said containers aren’t broken down and redistributed in the way that transloading or cartage services can do. So, if you need your freight moving in different directions, drayage won’t ultimately suit your needs.
Whichever you’re looking for cartage or drayage, you need someone who can perform these services reliably. That’s why partnering with USA Truckload Shipping as a trusted 3PL provider is a prudent decision that can give a boost to your freight transportation and shipping.
At USA Truckload Shipping, we have access to the chassis capacity needed for both drayage and cartage, so you don’t have to sit around waiting for your freight while it racks up sky-high demurrage charges.
Besides drayage and cartage, we can carry out any kind of freight shipping you require. This includes, but is not limited to:
So whether you need a truck, a warehouse, or any other supply chain services while you’re making the choice between drayage vs cartage, make sure to call the industry experts at USA Truckload Shipping at (866) 353-7178 or fill out a request for proposal online for a no-hassle freight quote.
R+L Global Logistics
315 NE 14th St., Ocala, FL 34470
