Port of Long Beach logistics, Southern California markets and nationwide trucking.
Get a quotePort of Long Beach Drayage
Container pickup and delivery from Long Beach terminals to your warehouse, CFS or transload facility, run from our own Long Beach operation with the next leg already arranged.
Drayage at the Port of Long Beach
Long Beach drayage is the truck move that takes a loaded import container out of a Port of Long Beach marine terminal to its first stop inland, or brings an export or empty container back. We run it from our own operation in Long Beach, close enough to the terminals that a container can be pulled, held, unloaded or transloaded without a long empty drive in between.
The Port of Long Beach handled roughly 9.9 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2025, the busiest year in its history. At that volume the hard part of port trucking in Long Beach is rarely the road. It is getting a container released, booked and out the gate before free time runs out, and having somewhere ready for it to go.
This page covers how we run drayage at Long Beach specifically. For how drayage is priced and how to compare carriers anywhere in the country, see our national drayage services page.
How a Long Beach drayage move runs with us
Every import we pull from a Long Beach terminal follows the same sequence, and each step is confirmed before the next one starts.
- 01Pre-alert and setup
Send the bill of lading or container numbers when the vessel sails. We set the move up early, note the delivery address and receiving hours, and flag anything that changes equipment, such as a heavy load.
- 02Availability and holds
Once the vessel discharges, we check that the container is available and free of customs, freight and terminal holds. A truck is not dispatched to a container that is still on hold.
- 03Terminal appointment
Long Beach container terminals run truck appointment systems for import pickups. We book a slot against your last free day (LFD) and, where we can, pair it with an empty return so one terminal visit does two jobs.
- 04Pickup on our chassis
Our driver pulls the container on one of our own 20' or 40' chassis, or a triaxle chassis for heavier boxes. Because the chassis is ours, the move does not wait on pool equipment during busy weeks.
- 05Deliver, hold or work it
The container goes to your dock as a live unload or a drop, or into our Long Beach yard or warehouse if your facility is not ready. You get a pickup and delivery confirmation either way.
- 06Empty return
When you tell us the container is empty, we return it to the terminal or depot the steamship line designates and confirm the return, which closes out the per diem clock.
Long Beach timing realities to plan around
Most Long Beach drayage problems come from a handful of local timing issues. Knowing them in advance is how we keep containers moving:
- Appointment supply is tight when vessels bunch up. Several large vessels discharging in the same week can leave few open import slots. Booking the moment a container is available matters more here than at smaller ports.
- Free time starts at discharge, not when you are ready. Terminal free days usually start when the container is discharged and available, so a weekend or holiday arrival can lose part of its free time before your warehouse opens.
- Empty returns have their own rules. The steamship line decides where an empty can go, and on some days a terminal may not accept returns for a given line. We check before sending the truck so an empty is not dragged around the harbor.
- Shift timing affects the queue. Terminals run day and night gates, and congestion varies widely by shift. Planning pickups on less crowded gates shortens turn times.
- Port fees apply on top of the rate. The PierPass Traffic Mitigation Fee ($38.78 per TEU from August 2025) and the Clean Truck Fund rate ($10 per TEU at launch in April 2022) are charged per loaded container at both San Pedro Bay ports.
Long Beach drayage scenarios and how we handle them
These are common situations for importers using Long Beach. The numbers are illustrative examples, not quotes.
| Situation | Risk | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Vessel discharges Friday, LFD is Tuesday, your DC opens Monday | Only one working day of free time left by the time you can receive | Pull Friday or Saturday into our Long Beach yard, deliver on your Monday appointment |
| Ten containers land in one week for a DC that takes three a day | Containers four through ten sit past the LFD | Deliver three a day, pre-pull the rest to container storage |
| Entry not filed in time, cargo still on customs hold | Demurrage accrues while the paperwork catches up | Move under bond to our bonded warehouse via bonded drayage |
| Mixed SKUs bound for several retail DCs | Separate drayage moves and long per diem on each container | Shuttle to our transload dock, sort and reload into domestic trailers, return the empty |
| Heavy 20' container of machinery parts | Overweight on a standard chassis | Assign a triaxle chassis based on the declared gross weight |
Example: what a two-day slip costs at Long Beach
Example with round hypothetical numbers: a 40' container has an LFD of Tuesday, and the importer's Inland Empire warehouse cannot receive until Thursday. Leaving it on terminal means two days of demurrage, which at a hypothetical $150 a day is $300, plus the risk that a Thursday appointment is not available.
Pre-pulling it Monday to our Long Beach yard stops demurrage. The importer pays a hypothetical extra move and yard storage instead, and the container is ready to dispatch to the Inland Empire the moment the dock opens. The per diem clock keeps running in both cases, so for longer delays we would suggest unloading it at our Long Beach warehouse and returning the empty.
Before your container reaches Long Beach: a checklist
The fastest Long Beach drayage moves are set up before the vessel arrives. Have these ready:
- Bill of lading and container numbers sent to us when the vessel sails
- Your customs broker's plan for entry, so the customs release is in place at discharge, or instructions for an in-bond move
- Freight charges paid to the ocean carrier or forwarder so no freight hold blocks the pickup
- Delivery address, dock hours and appointment rules at the receiving facility
- Live unload or drop decided, with labor scheduled for live unloads
- Gross weight and commodity confirmed, so the right chassis is assigned
- A fallback plan if your dock fills up: storage, unloading or transloading in Long Beach
Containers and equipment
- 20' and 40' standard dry containers on company-owned 20' and 40' chassis, plus 40' high cube and 45' containers
- Heavier containers on triaxle chassis, which spread the load across an extra axle to keep axle weights within federal limits; overweight containers move with permits when the load requires them
- Refrigerated (reefer) containers, delivered direct to the receiver; our Long Beach yard has no reefer plug-ins, so reefers are not pre-pulled or stored
- Hazmat containers, with the hazard class confirmed for each shipment when we quote
- Open-top and flat-rack containers for tall or out-of-gauge cargo
- Drivers who carry TWIC cards and trucks registered for Long Beach terminal access
- Share the container type, gross weight and commodity with your quote request so we assign the right chassis before the truck leaves
What happens after Long Beach drayage
Many drayage carriers stop once the container is delivered. Most imports need more than that, and keeping the next step with the same team removes a handoff and a second set of appointments:
- In-bond freight that has not cleared customs can move under our bonded carrier authority instead of waiting at the terminal. See bonded drayage at the Port of Long Beach.
- Bonded storage: cargo that is not ready to enter U.S. commerce can be stored in our customs-bonded warehouse. Under 19 U.S.C. 1557, goods can remain in a bonded warehouse for up to five years from the date of importation, with duties paid when goods are withdrawn for consumption. See Long Beach bonded warehousing.
- CFS: containers that need to be unloaded, consolidated or deconsolidated can go to our Long Beach container freight station.
- Unloading and cross-docking: we can unload the container and cross-dock freight to outbound trucks the same day.
- Onward trucking: freight heading inland continues by full truckload or LTL on freight lanes such as LA/Long Beach to Phoenix and LA/Long Beach to Dallas, including cross-border moves to Canada and Mexico. For long inland moves where rail fits better, we can arrange rail or intermodal service through partners.
Charges to plan for on a Long Beach drayage move
A Long Beach drayage quote is more than a line-haul rate. These are the charges that most often change the final cost:
| Charge | Who bills it | What triggers it |
|---|---|---|
| Demurrage | Marine terminal or ocean carrier | An import container stays on terminal past its free time |
| Per diem (detention) | Steamship line | The line's container is kept outside the terminal past the allowed days |
| Chassis usage | Drayage carrier or chassis provider | Each day the container sits on a chassis |
| Pre-pull and storage | Drayage carrier | A container is pulled early and held in a yard before delivery |
| Waiting time | Drayage carrier | A live unload or terminal visit runs past the included free time |
| Traffic Mitigation Fee | PierPass, on behalf of terminals | Each non-exempt loaded container moving through the terminal |
| Clean Truck Fund rate | Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles | Loaded containers moved by trucks that are not exempt |
Why a Long Beach-based drayage provider matters
Distance from the terminals changes what a carrier can do for you. A carrier based in Long Beach can turn a pre-pull, an empty return or a shuttle to a CFS in a fraction of the time it takes a carrier dispatching from farther inland, which means more moves fit inside the same free time and the same driver hours.
It also means your options are close by. Because our yard, bonded warehouse, CFS and transload docks are in Long Beach, a container that cannot go straight to its destination does not sit on terminal accruing demurrage. It comes to us and waits, gets worked, or moves under bond. The same proximity applies across the harbor, so we also run drayage at the Port of Los Angeles.
For more background, read our guides on demurrage and detention, the last free day and importing through Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Who uses our Long Beach drayage
- Importers who need containers delivered to their own warehouse or DC
- Freight forwarders and NVOCCs who need a dependable trucker on the U.S. side
- Customs brokers coordinating in-bond and cleared freight for their clients
- Retailers and e-commerce sellers moving inventory into Southern California
- Manufacturers receiving components and raw materials on production schedules
Quote a Long Beach drayage move
Send container numbers, terminal, delivery address and LFD, and we will confirm availability, equipment and an all-in estimate. Call 888-718-9559 or request a quote online.
Get a Long Beach drayage quoteFrequently asked questions
What do you need to quote a Long Beach drayage move?
The container number or bill of lading, the terminal if known, container size, gross weight and commodity, delivery address and receiving hours, whether it is a live unload or a drop, and the vessel's arrival date or last free day.
How soon should I book drayage for a Long Beach arrival?
Send the booking when the vessel departs the origin port. That gives us time to set up the move, check holds as soon as the container discharges, and grab an early appointment instead of competing for slots near the LFD.
What is a dual transaction at a Long Beach terminal?
A dual transaction is one terminal visit where the driver drops an empty or export container and picks up an import on the same trip. It saves a truck move and can stop a per diem clock on the empty while starting the import delivery.
What is the difference between demurrage and per diem?
Demurrage is charged for a container sitting on the terminal past its free time. Per diem, often called detention, is charged by the steamship line for keeping its container outside the terminal past the allowed days. A pre-pull stops demurrage, but per diem keeps running until the empty is returned.
Can you move a container that has not cleared customs?
Yes, when it moves under a customs bond to a bonded facility. We hold bonded carrier authority and operate a customs-bonded warehouse in Long Beach, so in-bond cargo can be moved and stored without changing hands. Your licensed customs broker handles the entry.
What is the PierPass fee on a Long Beach container?
PierPass collects a Traffic Mitigation Fee on non-exempt loaded containers moving through the Long Beach and Los Angeles terminals. It was $38.78 per TEU from August 1, 2025, which works out to $77.56 for a 40' container. Empty containers and domestic cargo are exempt. It is billed to the cargo owner, separate from the drayage rate.
What happens if my container is still on hold at the LFD?
Terminals commonly bill demurrage after the LFD even when a hold delayed pickup, though FMC guidance at 46 CFR 545.5 treats cargo availability as a factor in whether such charges are reasonable. If the hold is a customs hold pending entry, an in-bond move to our bonded warehouse may be an option. If it is a freight hold, the fastest fix is paying the ocean freight so the release posts.
Can you move heavy containers out of Long Beach?
Yes. We run triaxle chassis for heavier containers and arrange permits for overweight moves when required. Include the gross weight and commodity in your quote request so we can assign the right equipment and keep the move within legal axle weights.
Do you pull reefer and hazmat containers from Long Beach terminals?
Yes. We pull reefers for direct delivery to your facility; we do not have reefer plug-ins in our yard, so reefers cannot be pre-pulled or stored with us. We also pull hazmat containers, confirming the hazard class for each shipment at quote time, as well as open-top and flat-rack containers.
Where do you deliver from the Port of Long Beach?
Anywhere in Southern California, including nearby cities such as Carson and Compton and warehouses in the Inland Empire. Freight going farther can be transloaded and continue by FTL or LTL nationwide.
Do you also serve the Port of Los Angeles?
Yes. The two ports sit side by side in San Pedro Bay, and we pull containers from Port of Los Angeles terminals in San Pedro, Wilmington and on Terminal Island from the same Long Beach operation.