If you import through South Florida, drayage is one of the few freight costs you can actually predict — once you understand how it’s built. This guide breaks down what a container move costs in Miami in 2026, what drives the number up or down, and how to keep the surprise fees off your invoice.
The base rate: what a standard move costs
A drayage rate is the price to move a loaded container a short distance — typically from the port terminal to a warehouse, yard, or transload facility. At Go Drayage, published base rates start at $500 for a move from PortMiami and $450 from Port Everglades to our Miami yard. Longer deliveries into Broward, Palm Beach, or Naples price out by mileage and appointment requirements.
Base rates in the Miami market generally reflect three things:
Distance and drive time
The port-to-door mileage matters less than the time a driver and chassis are committed. A 12-mile move that burns two hours at the terminal gate can cost a carrier more than a 40-mile highway run.
Container type and weight
Standard 20ft, 40ft, and 45ft dry containers price similarly. Refrigerated boxes, hazmat loads, overweight containers, and out-of-gauge cargo require special equipment or permits and carry premiums. For heavy or oversized pieces, see our heavy hauling service.
Terminal conditions
Congestion at PortMiami or Port Everglades adds waiting time, and most carriers bill detention after a free-time window at the dock or terminal.
The accessorials: where budgets go sideways
The base rate is rarely the whole bill. Watch these line items:
- Chassis rental — billed per day when a pool chassis is used.
- Pre-pull and yard storage — pulling the box out of the terminal before your warehouse can receive it, then staging it in a secure yard. Often cheaper than demurrage. Our yard storage holds up to 450 containers with 24/7 access.
- Detention/waiting time — driver time beyond free minutes at your dock.
- Per diem — daily charges from the ocean carrier if their container isn’t returned on time.
- Hazmat, reefer (genset), and overweight surcharges — specialized handling.
A $500 base move can become a $900+ invoice when two or three of these stack. The fix isn’t negotiating pennies off the base rate — it’s planning the move so accessorials never trigger.
How Miami shippers keep drayage costs down
Book before the last free day. Demurrage at the terminal is the single most expensive avoidable fee. If your receiving dock is backed up, a pre-pull into a yard costs far less than daily terminal charges.
Use an asset-based carrier. Brokers add a margin and depend on someone else’s trucks. An asset-based 3PL that owns its trucks, chassis access, and yard — like our container drayage operation — controls the schedule and the cost inputs.
Consolidate storage and transload in one place. Every extra handoff between vendors adds a fee and a delay. Doing drayage, storage, and transloading at one 5-acre facility minutes from PortMiami removes duplicate charges.
Get an instant quote instead of guessing. Our drayage calculator prices FTL, LTL, and drayage moves — standard, refrigerated, or hazmat — in seconds.
Sample cost scenarios
- Simple move: 40ft dry container, PortMiami to a Doral warehouse, returned same day — base rate plus fuel, typically the only charges.
- Pre-pull scenario: Vessel discharges Friday, warehouse can’t receive until Wednesday. Pre-pull to a yard Monday, deliver Wednesday — you pay a pre-pull and a few days of yard storage, but avoid four days of demurrage that would cost several times more.
- Overweight load: 42,000 lb of cargo in a 20ft box needs a tri-axle chassis and permit — plan for a surcharge, but far cheaper than fines or a failed move.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in a base drayage rate?
Typically the truck, driver, and a single container move between two points with a set amount of free waiting time. Chassis, storage, permits, and extra stops bill separately.
Is drayage cheaper from Port Everglades or PortMiami?
Port Everglades moves often price slightly lower — our published rates start at $450 from Port Everglades versus $500 from PortMiami — but your delivery location determines which gateway wins overall.
How can I get an exact drayage quote for my container?
Use the instant drayage quote calculator or call (786) 445-0150 with your container size, weight, commodity, and delivery ZIP code.