What to Look for in a Drayage Trucking Company
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There is little doubt after the last few years that truckers are the backbone of the modern shipping and transportation industry. However, without drayage trucking companies, the supply chain would halt. But what is drayage trucking exactly, and what should today’s businesses be looking for in a drayage trucking company? To answer those questions, let’s back up to the data around the trucking industry as a whole. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of April 2022, more than 1.564 million people worked in the Truck Transportation subsector. That is an estimated 7,000 more than just the previous month and an overall jump of 60,000 from the year before. That growth includes drayage carriers and countless drayage trucker independent businesses, and many of these drivers work within the container transport parts of the supply chain.  So, understanding how to answer the questions, what is drayage trucking and what is a drayage carrier, is vital to maintaining current levels of growth for drayage drivers.

What Is a Drayage Carrier or Drayage Trucking Company?

A drayage carrier is a sub-classification or branch of the overall trucking company specializing in moving containerized freight. Rather than transporting these containers and goods across large distances, most drayage truck drivers work moving loads in and out of ocean ports or intermodal facilities. 

These specialized carriers typically move freight over short distances between facilities and makeup either the first or final leg or larger transports.  Many companies today outsource drayage services and work with specialized carriers. Knowing what to look for when choosing a carrier for drayage services is vital for intermodal drayage shipping and distribution.

Always Start With Safety First

Locating the best drayage trucking service providers should start with safety as the number one priority. Companies want to ensure that their drayage truckers are not only experienced with regular shipping protocols and processes but that they are also safe while doing business.

The value of safety-driven drayage carriers is easy to see when one considers the impact poor driving practices can have on the shipping and logistics industry. Increased accidents, poorer vehicle maintenance and management, lost or damaged goods, and many other issues arise when drivers are not adequately trained in safe driving practices. 

Evaluate a Drayage Trucking Company’s Capacity

Capacity always matters within the global shipping industry, and drayage trucking plays a significant role in managing this balance. Having a reliable drayage trucker company working alongside shippers and third parties makes it easier to meet fulfillment and capacity needs.    

Carefully choosing drayage carriers also helps maintain clearance and adherence to the latest regulations impacting the shipping industry, such as AB5 and other driver-related regulations. The key pieces of drayage transport- quoting, dispatching, billing, logistics management, and customer service are all easier with the right drayage trucking provider.

Commitment to Collaboration and Communication

Like every other branch of shipping and transportation, drayage trucking relies on solid lines of communication and effective data-sharing. It is a team effort between the drayage trucker, carriers, third parties, and customers. This is particularly true when backlogs, delays, and significant disruptions occur.

Looking at the remaining queue lines and delays at ports and how that capacity is better utilized when everything functions as one collaborative unit, it is easy to see the impact drayage carriers can have on the industry. Choosing the wrong one can have far-reaching consequences.

Truck Driver Conditions and Benefits

One issue with the drayage trucking process today is far too many companies outsource all or nearly all of their services. This might seem like a proactive move, and there is nothing wrong with outsourcing when needed. However, strong companies have their own jobs for drayage carriers in-house.

Having drayage truckers that work for the company itself improves communication and response times and ensures drivers are treated fairly and that they have the working conditions they need. Happy drivers are productive drivers, meaning customers are more satisfied with their experience.

Reputation and Delivery History

Finding the right drayage carriers in the industry today is a big task. Looking at a drayage trucking company’s reputation and successful delivery rate can give a clear picture of how well they are performing. It is essential that drayage partners have a proven track record of successful, on-time, in-full deliveries.

While it might save a little money upfront from going with a lesser-known or less reputable carrier or drayage trucker,  it will likely cost more in the end in fees, surcharges, penalties, and lost customers. Working with quality carriers and 3PLs is essential to continued success with shipping goods.

Using Top-Quality Technology

How good a drayage trucking company is, comes down to how up-to-date they are with the latest technology and service offerings. The best companies have drayage truckers who use the latest technology to manage tasks and keep up with changing demands and trends.    

The best drayage carriers have tapped into the latest digitalization and automation processes and utilize services such as dray power, real-time tracking, and reliable online platforms to keep drayage loads moving. All of this gives shippers instant access to rates, the ability to be more responsive, and spend less time worrying about their freight. 

Put Your Drayage Services Concerns at Ease With Supra National Express. 

Whether it is locals good, international imports, short-haul drivers, or long-haul treks, drayage trucking companies ensure supplies and materials get to where they need to be. Of all the trucking companies today, drayage truckers are often the most overlooked, with most people thinking about semi-truck drivers on the road for weeks at a time when they think of truckers. 

Supra is ready to change that and bring the focus back to quality and excellence with drayage carriers and drayage-focused services.  

Get your quote now by trying Supra’s new Online Rate Tool and get your quote within a minute:

DrayMaster streamlines rating for drayage trucking companies

Or get in touch with Supra’s Sales Team at (424) 267-1155 or by email: rfp@snecorp.com.

What Is Drayage Service and Its Qualities?
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As globalization continues to change the traditional logistics industry of the past, supply chain professionals have discovered the importance of ocean port health, including drayage. While there are many United States ocean ports, most businesses transport goods to the mega twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Yet according to Bloomberg in September 2022, “There are about 28,000 containers awaiting collection by trains at the biggest US port, a sixfold increase since February.” Let’s take a closer look at how better service from drayage service providers can help solve this conundrum, including its characteristics, value and classifications.

Characteristics of a Drayage Load or Transportation

Drayage service is the process by which a container moves from an ocean port to a nearby location. Though the modes of transportation have developed from the dray horses in years past, this short haul can be accomplished via any intermodal shipping type. The types of dray moves are also dependent on the port’s capabilities. Ocean ports that are near a metropolitan area will struggle with congestion more than remote ports accessible primarily by rail hub.

Additionally, within an invoice context, sometimes dray refers to the fee associated with getting the container to its long haul starting point. At other points, a drayage may be referring to a short truck haul between any two points of longer transportation. 

Why Container Drayage Is Important

Freight forwarders and shippers maintain their positions and client relationships through the effective distribution of commodities from one location to another. Shippers must maintain industry connections every step of the way so disruptions can be handled quickly and easily. 

Container pickup and dropoff holds an important role within this because most global shipping occurs via ocean. Containers can get stuck for a variety of reasons regardless of how close an intermodal terminal is to the dock. Shippers who can find an available, reliable drayage service are less likely to get their containers stranded at port, like the 28,000 containers mentioned above.

Classifications

The Intermodal Association of North America divides the drayage meaning and purpose into six separate categories as follows:

  • Door-to-Door DrayageContainers transported via truck from the port to the end customer’s door.
  • Expedited Drayage The prioritized transport of items from port via truck or air.
  • Inter-Carrier DrayageThe intermodal transport of a container from one location to another within a smaller distance, such as from one rail hub to another via a separate company.
  • Intra-Carrier DrayageThe intermodal transport of moving freight from one location to another that is completed by the same carrier network.
  • Pier DrayageOften considered within reverse logistics, this involves the truck transport from an intermodal hub directly to the pier or dock.
  • Shuttle DrayageThe temporary relocation of containers from the primary dock to a parking lot when ports are overcrowded.

Not all ports are set up to handle each type. Even still, shippers benefit from gaining clearer understanding of what they should expect from their dray services.

Get a Handle on Your Drayage Service Needs With Supra National Express.

Many who ask, “what is drayage?” consider it simply as a small part of a container’s journey. However, the owners of thousands of containers sitting in Southern California ports beg to differ. Stay ahead of your competitors by keeping your customers happy with quick and effective drayage services from Supra National Express.

Get your quote now by trying Supra’s new Online Rate Tool and get your quote within a minute.

DrayMaster makes it easier to get rates for drayage service.

Or get in touch with Supra’s Sales Team at (424) 267-1155 or by email: rfp@snecorp.com 

How to Move a Container in 5 Easy Steps
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Shippers know that hauling containers can sometimes be more complicated than expected. Different container moving companies have various moving solutions for local and long-distance transportation. When is it best to use a full-service mover versus renting a moving truck? Is it possible that temporary storage options will be required?

Shippers and BCOs must consider these questions proactively unless they want to simply deal with the aftermath. In 2018, container and trailer damage costs were in the billions, according to Brian Straight of FreightWaves, but those costs have likely risen as demand grew since 2020. Proper container hauling can be done in five simple steps.

1. Know the Details of the Container’s Contents

While cargo shipping containers may appear uniform from afar, the size, material, and contents vary. Storage units come at 20 feet long on average, but 40 feet long containers are also common amongst oceanic shipping contracts. Shippers and BCOs must especially consider the length because the logistics of longer containers and high cubes can eliminate certain standardized shipping options.

Additionally, it’s critical to know what the cargo shipping containers hold. Are the contents living? Is it refrigerated? Cargo contents within these two categories would not qualify for transport solutions such as long-term storage. The content details are pertinent long past simply packing and loading, they are essential to ensure the end-to-end transport is stress-free.

2. Ensure You’re Properly Licensed to Use Shipping Container Equipment

Sometimes cargo shipping containers simply need a local move across the yard, street, or city. A moving quote might deter the cost-savvy shipper from wanting to pay for a short-distance full-service move.

A shipper must first decide if they need to rent a specialized forklift or crane to move the container to its final location or onto a truck bed. Then they must consider whether they have a team member with a commercial driving license (CDL). While a CDL is essential for most container hauling, there are certain situations where one might not be needed. With the container’s weight and dimensions in hand, shippers can consult state regulations and the Department of Transportation to determine if it’s within towing regulations.

3. Have a Shareable, Concise, and Well-Thought-Out Plan for Container Hauling

When hauling containers, it’s important to have a distribution plan that is clear every step of the way. Streamlined communication is imperative from the first time loading until unloading at the final destination. Long-distance moves often acquire additional team members to keep in the loop, such as a storage facility or rail hub manager.

A concise and communicable plan is not just about knowing who to communicate with, but what information to share. Staying on top of industry and partnership news will guide shippers to the right documents and data they need for every leg of the journey.

4. Outsource Shipping Container Transport to Experts

The need for a professional rise with the complexity of individual containers. Is it open side? Are the measurements outside of typical sizes? Does it require specific connections to engage refrigeration elements?

Ultimately, when it’s time to move containers, it’s time to call in the experts. Supply chain professionals are in their field for a reason – offering specialized expertise to make your daily job easier. An expert at hauling containers will offer the right insurance options and customer service to ensure that cargo shipping containers go exactly where they need to go every time.

5. Stay in Contact and Track the Status of the Container 24/7

Container transport is more than just getting commodities from one place to another. Timing is key! Constant contact and container visibility protects shippers and BCOs from losing valuable product. Miscommunicated timelines can leave a driver idling for extended times, or even cause a container drop off at an unmanned loading deck.

The right container-moving companies will go above and beyond to ensure their shippers and BCOs have access to their tracking data. With contact opportunities and real-time locations, shippers gain the right tools for the job to conquer disruptions.

Supra National Express enables full visibility of their shipments and cargo documents to speed up the traceability process and enable more dynamic and agile management. Users can:

  • Search the load history
  • Check load status: pending, completed or billed
  • Export load history to CSV or Excel sheet
  • Check the uploaded documents in the trips of each Load
  • Check the load details: Arrivals/Departures, Pending Check Points, and Charges

Choose Supra National Express for All Your Shipping Container Needs

Shippers will likely see a variety of techniques when shopping container moving companies and pods offers. Hauling containers across twenty feet or twenty miles requires data, the proper licenses, logistics, the right team members, and constant visibility. Supra National Express understands this which is why they stand out among its competitors as a container-hauling solution. Get your questions answered and your freight moving by Supra today!

Get your quote now by trying Don’t forget to give Supra’s new Online Rate Tool a try as well!

Reduce delays in container hauling with instant quotes through DrayMaster

Or get in touch with Supra’s Sales Team at (424) 267-1155 or by email: rfp@snecorp.com

What Is a Street Turn Container?
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Did you know that a street turn container can lessen your costs? With pressure rising within the transportation industry, the popularity of street turn empty containers is worth looking at more closely. This is especially true within import and export logistics in the business port areas along the coasts. With global movements across the sea so common, west coast ports stand to benefit the most from better use every movement, and that begins with more use of street turn container capabilities. But what is a street turn container, and why does the street turn container meaning always seem to change by audience? The answer rests in understanding the street turn container meaning, doing more with less in logisticthat a street turn empty container is more valuable than a traditional dual transaction where a container returns to port with each movement. 

As highlighted by The Port of Los Angeles, “When data for the Port of Los Angeles is combined with the Port of Long Beach, the two ports handled 31% of all containerized international waterborne trade in the U.S.—meaning 31% of everything the U.S. imported or exported in containers over the water came through the San Pedro Bay port complex, which includes the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.” 

A critical component that has allowed these ports to handle so much volume is the continual updating of logistics processes, and the fact that more shippers and carriers are embracing a street turn container approach.

What Is a Street Turn Container?

The innovative approach seen in the industry today with street turn containers makes it easier to manage live loads, port loading and unloading, transportation hauling, and more. But what is a street turn container exactly? Rather than traveling back to the port to pick up an empty container, drivers can simply pick up an empty container from another facility. That may be a warehouse, a rail yard or an importer’s or exporter’s business location.

With a street turn empty container, there is no need for a return trip with an empty container. Shippers can complete another load without returning and spending money hauling an empty container, as shown in the below comparison:

Carriers like street turns because they cut down on time spent on each trip and speed up downtime. Uncovering the specific street turn container meaning is vital in improving container transportation and distribution.

What Are the Benefits of More Street Turned Containers?

Unlike dual transactions, which mean drivers must return to the original location to pick up a loaded container and drop off the empty one, street turned containers are much more efficient and bring several benefits to the industry: 

  • Faster Loading and Unloading: with a street turn, container loads can be dropped off and new ones quickly picked up.
  • Improve Efficiency Overall: fewer dead haul miles and less idle dwell time mean a street turn container can be utilized more efficiently.
  • Better Profitability Per Load: more intelligent driving means a street turn empty container transport costs less while earning more.
  • Better Service and Higher Satisfaction: shippers, carriers, retailers, and end customers all benefit from the use of street turn containers.
  • Easier Logistics During Bottlenecks: in the face of ongoing recovery, understanding street turn container meaning has improved overall logistics.

How to Implement More Street Turns in Your Supply Chain 

Transportation managers interested in reaping the benefits of street turn containers can implement this innovative approach by following these simple steps:

  • Embrace advances in smart tech, automation, and digitalization within the supply chain.
  • Focus on improving transparency and insight with real-time data analysis when possible.
  • Ensure staff and 3PLs and all involved parties are properly trained and onboarded.
  • Streamlining communications with improved supply chain technology and platforms.
  • Find trucking service providers familiar with street turn container meaning and application.
  • Shift resources to allow for better predictive planning and collaboration within the industry.
  • Keep growth and recovery front and center with capacity procurement and management.

Implementing street turn empty container processes and improving end-to-end logistics with transportation jobs and duties is easier with the proper insight and service. Supra is ready to offer all this and more.

Choose Supra National Express for Your Import Transportation Needs

Street turned containers are a critical step to achieving more value from your supply chain. To learn more about freedom, flexibility, scalability, and dependability offered by street turn container logistics, it’s all about finding the right industry partnership. Supra has years of experience with transportation service providers and shipping companies of all sizes. Sign up to check out our empty container inventory today to see how street turned container logistics can make a difference in your operation, and you can do it all with our new rate tool: DrayMaster. 

DrayMaster and 121 Bermuda create rate prowess and street turn container optimization.

 

FSC UPDATE – NOV/22
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Dear Customer,

Beginning November 7th, 2022, our New Fuel Surcharge (FSC), at 44%, will apply to each load pulled by Supra.

Supra National Express, Inc. implemented a new fuel surcharge structure to all drayage shipments in July. The adjustment is made according to the table below.  The fuel surcharge is based on the California price per gallon of diesel fuel as stated by the U.S. Department of Energy in their monthly Monday reports.

You can also check the index at the Federal Energy Department’s website.

    BETWEEN    
APPLICABLE FSC%
****
    BETWEEN    
APPLICABLE FSC%
 $2.00 $2.95 20 $5.56 $5.70 41
$2.96 $3.10 21 $5.71 $5.85 42
$3.11 $3.25 22 $5.86 $6.05 43
$3.26 $3.35 23 * $6.06 $6.20  ⇒    44     
$3.36 $3.50 24 $6.21 $6.40  45 
$3.51 $3.65 25 $6.41 $6.55 46
$3.66 $3.80 26 $6.56 $6.75 47
$3.81 $3.95 27 $6.76 $6.90 48
$3.96 $4.10 28 $6.91 $7.00 49
$4.11 $4.20 29 $7.01 $7.10 50
$4.21 $4.35 30 $7.11 $7.25 51
$4.36 $4.45 31 $7.26 $7.35 52
$4.46 $4.55 32 $7.36 $7.50 53
$4.56 $4.70 33 $7.51 $7.60 54
$4.71 $4.80 34 $7.61 $7.75 55
$4.81 $4.95 35 $7.76 $7.85 56
$4.96 $5.05 36 $7.86 $8.00 57
$5.06 $5.20 37 $8.01 $8.10 58
$5.21 $5.30 38 $8.11 $8.25 59
$5.31 $5.40 39 $8.26 $8.40 60
$5.41 $5.55 40

Our FSC will be updated every first Monday of each month and posted on our website: https://www.snecorp.com/blog/

Best regards,

Humberto Linares
Director of Business Development
562.419.4668 | hl@snecorp.com

Posted: 11/7/2022