Major carriers are increasingly opting to manage their drayage operations internally rather than outsourcing, a move driven by the ongoing scarcity of drayage drivers. This strategy is viewed as a significant competitive advantage in the current labor market, according to industry executives. By retaining control over drayage, carriers can potentially improve efficiency and reliability in the critical first and last-mile segments of intermodal transport.
For freight forwarders and operations managers, this trend could lead to changes in drayage service availability and pricing. Carriers with internalized drayage might offer more consistent service, but capacity from third-party drayage providers could become tighter, potentially driving up costs or requiring forwarders to adjust their procurement strategies to secure reliable inland transportation.
