container drayage Canada
Container Drayage Services in Canada
Container drayage at Canada's major ports and rail ramps — Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Toronto (Brampton/Vaughan intermodal), Montreal, Halifax, and Calgary. Eztrans coordinates 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft HC container moves from port to warehouse, port to transload, or rail ramp to final delivery.
Container drayage is the truck move between a Canadian port or rail terminal and your warehouse — the last physical link in an ocean shipment. Eztrans monitors vessel arrival, dispatches drayage to clear containers within free time, and delivers to your facility or our Vancouver transload warehouse. We operate at Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax — and we watch free time so you don't pay demurrage.
The service
Container drayage is the short-haul trucking of ocean containers between marine terminals, intermodal rail ramps, transload facilities, and final delivery addresses. It requires terminal access registration, chassis management, and real-time monitoring of vessel arrivals and CBSA release status — none of which a standard trucking company handles automatically.
How Eztrans handles it
Eztrans integrates drayage into the ocean shipment from day one — there's no handoff from forwarder to trucker to warehouse. We watch the vessel ATA, confirm CBSA release, dispatch drayage within free time, and route to warehouse or transload as planned. Our port-side dispatchers in Vancouver and Toronto know terminal gate hours, chassis pool availability, and who to call when a container gets stuck.
Common challenges
Where drayage delays turn into demurrage bills
- Missing a pickup appointment by even one day triggers demurrage charges that can reach $300–500 per container per day
- Port congestion and chassis shortages at Vancouver can strand containers for days if the drayage isn't pre-planned
- When drayage is booked separately from the ocean shipment, vessel ETAs don't automatically flow to the trucker
- Empty return delays generate per-diem charges from the carrier that compound quickly and are rarely reimbursed
Process
How Eztrans handles container pickup and delivery
- 1
Pre-arrival monitoring
We track vessel ETA updates from the carrier and terminal operator. When the ETA shifts, we adjust drayage dispatch timing automatically — no one has to call us to tell us the ship is early or late.
- 2
CBSA release confirmation
We confirm customs release status through Ezcustoms before dispatching drayage, so the truck doesn't arrive at the terminal only to find the container is on hold.
- 3
Chassis and driver dispatch
We schedule the drayage truck, secure appropriate chassis (standard, triaxle, or tridem for overweight loads), and confirm the pickup appointment window with the terminal.
- 4
Port or rail ramp pickup
Driver picks up the container within free time. We track the load en route and communicate ETA to your receiving team.
- 5
Delivery or transload
Container is delivered live-unload or drop-and-hook to your facility, or routed to our Vancouver Transpac transload for cross-Canada distribution.
- 6
Empty return
We return the empty container to the terminal promptly — within carrier free time — to avoid per-diem charges that can reach $150–250 per day.
Benefits
What Eztrans drayage delivers
- Port coverage at Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax — all major Canadian import gateways
- Drayage monitored against vessel arrival and CBSA release — not dispatched blind on a scheduled date
- Triaxle and tridem chassis for overweight containers — with overweight permit coordination in BC, ON, QC, and AB
- Bonded drayage for in-bond moves between ports and inland customs examination stations
- Integrated with Eztrans ocean forwarding — one team, one timeline, no cross-company communication gaps
Who this is for
Who uses Eztrans for container drayage
Why Eztrans
Why importers choose Eztrans for this service
A freight-forwarding approach built on China–Canada expertise, integrated execution, and operations-grade communication.
- Port-side dispatch teams in Vancouver and Toronto who know terminal procedures, gate hours, and chassis availability
- Drayage dispatched against actual vessel ATA and CBSA release — free time is managed, not hoped for
- Fully integrated with ocean forwarding, transloading, and customs — no three-way coordination chain
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers for Canadian importers evaluating freight forwarding, China–Canada shipping, and integrated logistics options.
What is the difference between drayage and trucking?
Drayage is the short-haul movement of ocean containers between ports/rail terminals and nearby destinations (typically within 50–100 miles). Trucking refers more broadly to road freight, including LTL, FTL, and long-haul. Drayage requires specialized chassis equipment and terminal access privileges.
How long do I have to pick up a container before charges start?
Most Canadian ports allow 3–4 free days for import containers. After that, demurrage (port storage) charges apply daily. Carriers typically allow 5–7 days for empty container return before detention (per-diem) charges start. Eztrans monitors free time and dispatches drayage to avoid these charges.
Do you handle overweight container drayage?
Yes. We have triaxle and tridem chassis available for overweight containers exceeding standard road weight limits, and we coordinate any required overweight permits in BC, Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta.
Can you transload containers at the port?
Yes. Through our partner Transpac Supply Chain in Vancouver, we offer transloading from ocean containers into 53ft domestic trailers — converting one ocean container into more efficient inland equipment for cross-Canada distribution.
Ready to move freight with Eztrans?
Send us your shipment details — origin, destination, commodity, and timing — and our team will quote and outline the next steps within one business day.