What is drayage? Container drayage in the Greater Toronto Area
Drayage is the short road leg that moves an ocean container between a rail ramp or port and a nearby warehouse. Here is how it works in the Greater Toronto Area, where most containers arrive by rail at CN Brampton and CPKC Vaughan.
Drayage in one line
Drayage is the short truck move that gets an ocean container between a port or rail ramp and a nearby yard, warehouse, or transload dock. In the Greater Toronto Area, most of that work is rail drayage out of CN Brampton and CPKC Vaughan, the two intermodal terminals where West Coast boxes land.
Drayage is the first or last mile of a container move
A container crossing the ocean travels most of its distance by ship and rail. Drayage is the short road leg at either end: the move from the terminal gate to a warehouse, or the return of the empty box once you have unloaded it. The distances are short, often under 100 kilometres, but the leg carries a lot of moving parts, including the chassis, the appointment, the free time clock, and the empty return.
The word comes from an old term for a cart used to haul heavy loads a short distance. The job is the same today: get a heavy box a short way, on time, without racking up terminal charges.
Port drayage vs. rail and intermodal drayage
Port drayage moves a container between an ocean terminal and a facility close to the water. Rail or intermodal drayage moves it between an inland rail ramp and a nearby yard or warehouse. The mechanics are similar. What changes is where the container sits when you go to collect it and who controls the free time.
The GTA is an inland market, so almost all local drayage is rail drayage. Very little arrives here directly by water.
How containers reach the GTA
Most boxes bound for southern Ontario arrive at a West Coast port, usually Vancouver or Prince Rupert, and move inland by rail. They are unloaded at one of two GTA terminals and sit there until a truck collects them. Freight routed through the Port of Montreal is another common path into central Canada. Setara does not run trucks in Montreal, but we can coordinate a Montreal container move through partner carriers when that is the better routing for your freight. See also rail and intermodal.
| Terminal | Railway | Location | Common inbound lanes | Drayage page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN Brampton Intermodal Terminal | CN | Brampton, ON | Vancouver, Prince Rupert | CN Brampton drayage |
| CPKC Vaughan Intermodal Terminal | CPKC (formerly CP) | Vaughan, ON | Vancouver | CPKC Vaughan drayage |
Chassis: the wheels under the box
A container is just a steel box. To move it by road it has to ride on a chassis, the wheeled frame a truck pulls. In Canadian intermodal, the carrier usually supplies the chassis rather than pulling from a shared pool, so chassis availability sits with your trucker. A shortage of the right chassis, for example a tri-axle needed for a heavy load, can hold up a pickup even when the box is ready.
Free time, demurrage, and detention
Every container comes with a free time window, the number of days you can hold it before charges start. Two different charges apply once the clock runs out, and it helps to keep them straight.
- Demurrage charged by the terminal or line when the container sits at the ramp past its free time, waiting to be picked up.
- Detention charged when the container and chassis stay out on the road, at your dock, past the allowed time after leaving the ramp.
- Per diem a daily equipment charge you may also see from the line for holding its container beyond the agreed days.
Free time varies by railway, terminal, and steamship line, so we check it per booking rather than assume a fixed number. The way to avoid these charges is simple in principle: book the pickup early, have the chassis and labour ready, and turn the empty back promptly.
Live unload or drop and pick
- Live unload the driver brings the loaded container, waits while your crew unloads, and takes the empty and chassis away in one visit. It works when you can unload quickly and have a dock and crew on standby.
- Drop and pick the driver drops the loaded container at your yard and leaves. You unload on your own schedule, and the truck returns later for the empty. It frees the driver but ties up a chassis, so watch the detention clock.
Reefer drayage
A refrigerated container, or reefer, adds a temperature setpoint, a power source, and tighter timelines to the same move. The box has to stay plugged in or run on a genset, the setpoint has to be verified at pickup, and free time tends to be shorter because the line wants its refrigerated equipment back. We cover this in more detail on the reefer drayage page.
How Setara handles it
Setara Transport and our vetted carrier network run drayage out of CN Brampton and CPKC Vaughan from our base in Vaughan, Ontario. We do not own a large fleet or sit at a rail terminal. We book the right carrier and chassis for each container and watch the free time clock so you are not surprised by demurrage. When customs release is part of the move, entries are filed through a licensed customs broker partner, not by us. For freight that routes through the Port of Montreal, we can coordinate the container move through partner carriers. Start with the GTA drayage hub or ask us for a quote.
Frequently asked
What does drayage mean?
Drayage is the short-haul truck move of an ocean container between a port or rail ramp and a nearby facility such as a warehouse or transload dock. It is the first or last road leg of a longer ship-and-rail journey.
Where does drayage happen in the GTA?
Mostly at the two inland rail terminals: CN Brampton Intermodal Terminal and CPKC Vaughan Intermodal Terminal. West Coast containers rail in and are drayed from there to warehouses across the region.
What is the difference between demurrage and detention?
Demurrage is charged when the container sits at the terminal past its free time. Detention is charged when the container and chassis stay out at your dock past the allowed time after leaving the terminal.
What is the difference between a live unload and a drop?
In a live unload the driver waits while you unload and takes the empty away in one visit. In a drop the driver leaves the loaded container so you can unload on your own schedule, then returns for the empty later.
Can Setara handle a container coming through the Port of Montreal?
Setara does not run its own trucks in Montreal, but we can coordinate a Port of Montreal container move through partner carriers when that routing suits your freight. Our own drayage service is focused on the GTA ramps at CN Brampton and CPKC Vaughan.
Do you handle refrigerated container drayage?
Yes. Reefer drayage keeps the container powered and at its setpoint through the move and works to tighter free time. See our reefer drayage page for details.
Last reviewed: July 2026. General information, not customs or legal advice. Sources: CBSA, CN, and CPKC public terminal information.
Have a container to move?
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