Drayage carriers live on thin margins, and pricing inconsistency kills profitability faster than fuel spikes. A structured rate card eliminates guesswork, protects you from underquoting, and gives customers a clear reference point for negotiations.
Why You Need a Drayage Rate Card
A rate card is your operational backbone. Without one, dispatchers quote off-the-cuff, sales teams undercut each other, and you hemorrhage money on jobs that looked profitable until fuel costs hit. A formal rate card aligns your team, speeds up quoting, and creates a defensible floor for negotiations with freight brokers and shippers.
Most drayage carriers operate on 8–15% net margins. A single misquoted load—especially port-to-warehouse runs where distance varies—can erase a day's profit. Your rate card prevents this by documenting all cost variables upfront.
Core Components of a Drayage Rate Card
Your rate card should include:
- Base linehaul rate – per-mile or flat rate for origin-to-destination movements
- Port terminal charges – gate fees, chassis drop/pull fees, detention per hour/day
- Loading/unloading surcharges – labor-intensive moves (hazmat, oversized cargo, heavy lift)
- Fuel surcharge mechanism – automatic adjustment at specific price tiers (e.g., $0.05 per load for every $0.10 increase above $3.00/gallon)
- Minimum charges – shortest distances or smallest shipments you'll service
- Volume discounts – tiered pricing for committed shipper relationships
- After-hours/weekend premiums – typically 15–25% adder for rush or off-peak service
Pricing Structure Models
Per-Mile Rates Standard for longer drayage hauls (50+ miles). Price ranges $1.80–$3.50 per mile depending on region, truck type, and congestion. Coastal California typically runs 20–30% higher than inland markets. This model works well for shippers who understand mileage-based logistics.
Flat-Rate Per Move Best for fixed port-to-warehouse runs. A Los Angeles port-to-Ontario facility move typically runs $350–$600 depending on truck size and time of booking. This removes negotiation friction and appeals to frequent shippers who want budget predictability.
Hourly Detention Rates Port terminals charge demurrage; you pass it through. Standard detention: $65–$100 per hour for the first two hours, then $50–$75 per hour after. Some carriers offer a "free hour" to competitive shippers.
Chassis and Equipment Fees If you own chassis, charge $25–$45 per drop/pull. If you're leasing, build in the cost plus 15–20% margin. Document whether the shipper or your company pays for repositioning empties.
Building Your Rate Card Template
Start with a spreadsheet organized by lane (origin-destination pair). Include columns for:
- Lane identifier (e.g., "Port of LA–Downtown LA")
- Distance
- Base rate (per mile or flat)
- Typical surcharges (detention, fuel, labor)
- Minimum charge
- Effective date
- Notes (e.g., "peak season Nov–Dec add 10%")
Version your rate card quarterly—never mid-quarter unless fuel spikes dramatically. Communicate changes 30 days in advance to committed customers; one-off quotes can adjust immediately.
Competitive Positioning
Research what competitors charge. Use industry resources like the American Trucking Associations data and check broker rate cards. You're not matching them exactly—you're understanding your market. Premium carriers handling specialized cargo (temperature-controlled, hazmat) or operating in congested ports justify 10–15% higher rates.
Your rate card should reflect your actual costs: fuel, driver wages, truck payments, insurance, terminal fees, and compliance overhead. A load that looks profitable at your quote rate might not be after you account for equipment repositioning or unexpected dwell time.
Integration with Customer Systems
Modern shippers use transportation management systems (TMS). Provide your rate card in formats TMS platforms accept—typically CSV or API integration. This reduces manual quoting and wins more spot-market loads during peak seasons.
Listing your services on Mercoly helps shippers and brokers find you directly, compare your rates transparently, and request quotes without hunting down contact info—all of which accelerates deal closure and lead generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I charge detention separately or bundle it into my linehaul rate? Separate charges are cleaner and more transparent; they also create accountability if delays aren't your fault (e.g., port congestion). Bundling obscures true costs and makes it harder to defend rate increases later.
Q: How often should I adjust fuel surcharges? Most carriers implement monthly surcharge adjustments based on the Department of Energy's weekly gasoline price index, triggered when prices move $0.20+ per gallon from your baseline.
Q: What's a realistic margin I should target on drayage rates? Net margins of 10–12% after all costs are healthy for drayage; 8–10% is tight but sustainable if volume is consistent. Below 8%, you're betting entirely on utilization and cost discipline.
Start mapping your actual costs to build your rate card, then list your services on Mercoly to reach customers actively searching for drayage capacity.