Our Container Drayage Services
Here’s what we handle on the container drayage side:
Standard Container Drayage
20-foot and 40-foot container pickups from Bayport and Barbours Cut to warehouses across the Houston metro. This is our bread and butter. Our drivers run these lanes every single day.
High-Cube Container Transport
40-foot and 45-foot high-cube boxes sit taller than standard containers and need compatible chassis. We carry the right equipment so there’s no scramble when a high cube drops.
Overweight Container Drayage
Containers that blow past standard weight limits need tri-axle chassis and sometimes TxDOT overweight permits depending on the route and total gross weight. We run the equipment and handle the permits. Other carriers turn these loads away. We don’t.
Empty Container Return
Half of every drayage move is getting the empty back to the right terminal and chassis pool before per diem charges kick in, and most carriers treat it like an afterthought. We handle returns on the same dispatch cycle as pickups so nothing sits longer than it has to.
Pre-Pull and Staging
When the warehouse isn’t ready but the container’s eating up free time at the terminal, we pull it to our yard and hold it. You stop paying terminal storage. The box moves to your dock when the receiver’s actually ready.
Dual Terminal Coverage
Barbours Cut and Bayport. We’re registered, credentialed, and running loads at both every day. Not once a week. Every day.
What Is Container Drayage?
Container drayage is the truck move between a port terminal and a warehouse. A ship drops your box at Bayport or Barbours Cut, and a drayage carrier puts it on a chassis and hauls it to your dock.
Sounds simple until the details hit. Appointment systems, chassis availability, weight limits, dock schedules, last free day tracking — miss any piece and you’re paying demurrage, detention, or both.
The driver needs a TWIC card. The carrier needs the right chassis. The dispatcher needs to know how Houston’s terminals actually run. Carriers who treat this like general freight are the ones who cost you money.
Why Shippers Choose Us
Bravo Motor Carriers is the container drayage company shippers turn to when freight has to move clean from port to border without handoffs.
We own the trucks
The chassis too. No broker layer, no load board, no subcontractor showing up with someone else’s equipment. The driver who picks up your container works for us. Period.
TWIC cards on every driver.
Not some of them. All of them. When a load needs to move, we don’t scramble for a credentialed guy who might be available.
Bonded carrier
Containers under CBP control move under our bond, on our authority. T&E, IT — we carry the credentials.
Connected network
Port terminals, rail ramps, and the border corridor through Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville all run through one carrier. Your freight doesn’t get handed off between companies to get where it’s going.
Daily operations.
We don’t show up when a load pops up. Our trucks are running Houston’s terminals and ramps every day. The drivers know the gates, the appointment systems, and the timing because they live in it.
Why Shippers Choose Us
You don’t have to take our word for it. Here’s what people who actually use us say:
Frequently Asked Questions About Container Drayage
Container Drayage Basics
What is container drayage?
Short-haul trucking of a shipping container from a port terminal to a warehouse or distribution center. The container stays sealed from gate-out to delivery.
How is container drayage different from regular trucking?
Drayage requires TWIC-credentialed drivers, terminal appointment systems, and chassis-specific equipment. A long-haul carrier can’t just pull into Bayport and figure it out.
What container sizes does Bravo handle?
20-foot standards, 40-foot standards, 40-foot and 45-foot high cubes, and overweight containers on tri-axle chassis. If it’s a dry container moving through Houston, we handle it.
What's the difference between container drayage and port drayage?
Container drayage covers the port-to-warehouse haul specifically. Port drayage is broader and includes any truck movement in and out of a marine terminal.
Why can't any trucking company do container drayage?
Without a TWIC card, the driver can’t enter the port gate. Without the right chassis, the container doesn’t move.
Working with Bravo
Does Bravo own its trucks or use brokers?
We own them. Every container moves on a Bravo truck with a Bravo driver.
Which terminals does Bravo pick up from?
Barbours Cut Terminal and Bayport Container Terminal. We’re at both daily.
Can Bravo handle overweight containers?
Yes. We operate tri-axle chassis and handle TxDOT overweight permits when the route requires them.
Does Bravo handle in-bond containers?
We move in-bond freight under CBP control. If you’re a broker with bonded cargo, call operations directly.
How do I get a rate for container drayage?
Give us the container size, pickup terminal, delivery address, and any special requirements. We’ll come back with pricing same business day.
Terminal Operations and Timing
What's a TWIC card?
A federal credential from TSA that grants unescorted access to secure port areas. All Bravo drivers carry active TWIC credentials.
How do terminal appointments work in Houston?
Each terminal runs an online system. We book slots based on vessel discharge timing and your warehouse receiving schedule.
What are demurrage and detention charges?
Demurrage hits when a container sits at the terminal past free time. Detention hits when you hold a chassis or container past the allowed return window.
What if my warehouse isn't ready when the container arrives?
We pre-pull the container to our yard and hold it until your dock opens. Keeps the box off terminal storage.
Can Bravo track my container?
Call dispatch for a live update. Pickup time, transit status, delivery confirmation.
Coverage and Pricing
Where does Bravo deliver containers?
Across the Houston metro. Pasadena, Deer Park, Channelview, La Porte, Baytown, Katy, Sugar Land, Spring, and surrounding areas.
How does pricing work?
It depends on pickup terminal, delivery distance, container size, and special requirements like overweight or in-bond. We quote per-move or contract for steady volume.
Does Bravo offer volume pricing?
Yes. Importers and forwarders with recurring volume get contract rates with dedicated scheduling and priority dispatch.
Can Bravo connect container drayage to border moves?
Containers headed for Laredo, McAllen, or Brownsville connect directly to our cross-border network. One carrier from the port to the border.
Does Bravo have yard space for staging?
We do. Our Houston yard holds containers for pre-pull staging and overflow when timing between the vessel and your warehouse doesn’t line up.
Contact Bravo Motor Carriers
Ready to contact drayage carrier Bravo? Here’s what we need from you: container size, pickup terminal or ramp, delivery address, and any special handling. That’s it. We’ll come back with a rate.
(281) 768-8843
rates@bravomotors.com
9009 North Loop East, Suite #200 Houston, TX 77029
Got bonded freight or a border move? Call operations directly so we can sort out compliance details before booking.