US Drayage Capacity Crisis Pushes Rates Higher, Limits Growth

The US drayage market is experiencing mounting pressure from a convergence of capacity-limiting factors, with major carriers like Schneider explicitly citing drayage constraints as barriers to growth. During recent earnings calls, trucking and intermodal service providers have highlighted the acute challenge of securing sufficient drayage capacity to support business expansion, particularly for over-the-road conversion opportunities. The inability to access adequate third-party dray services at economically viable rates has forced some carriers to forgo growth opportunities entirely.

This capacity crunch reflects structural challenges in the drayage segment, including driver shortages, equipment availability, and persistent pricing pressures, that are constraining the entire intermodal supply chain. When major carriers like Schneider actively deprioritize revenue opportunities due to drayage scarcity, the ripple effects extend across shippers, freight forwarders, and port operations. The situation signals that drayage has become a critical bottleneck rather than a routine logistics function.

For supply chain professionals, this development carries strategic implications: shippers may face longer lead times, higher total landed costs, and reduced flexibility in mode selection. Carriers are likely to continue raising drayage rates and may become more selective about accepting non-core freight. Organizations should reassess their drayage partnerships, consider in-house capacity investments, and evaluate alternative last-mile strategies to mitigate exposure to this tightening market.