PortMiami Drayage Rates Explained (2026)
There is no single "PortMiami drayage rate." Your cost is built from a handful of factors — distance, equipment, wait time, weight and accessorials. Understand them and the quote stops being a mystery.
If you have ever asked three carriers for a PortMiami drayage rate and gotten three different numbers, this guide is for you. Drayage pricing isn't arbitrary — it is assembled from clear, quotable components. Once you know what those components are, you can read a quote, compare carriers fairly, and spot the accessorials before they land on your invoice.
Because published flat rates change with fuel, chassis costs and terminal conditions, we won't quote dollar figures here. Instead, here are the factors that move the number up or down — and how to get an accurate price for your specific container.
1. Distance and delivery zone
The base drayage rate is usually tied to how far the container travels from the terminal to its delivery point. Most carriers price PortMiami moves by zone — a delivery in Doral, Medley or Hialeah sits in a closer zone than one out in Homestead or up into Broward and Palm Beach counties. The farther the zone, the higher the base line-haul.
2. Chassis
Every container needs a chassis to roll on, and a chassis is rarely free. Depending on the pool and the equipment, you may see a daily chassis rental, a "chassis split" fee when the chassis and container are in different locations, or a surcharge for specialized chassis. Our dedicated guide on chassis fees and the chassis split breaks this down in detail — it is one of the most misunderstood line items on any Miami drayage invoice.
3. Wait time and detention
Drivers plan for a reasonable amount of free time to load or unload at your facility — often around two hours. Beyond that window, wait time (also called detention) is billed by the hour. Slow docks, missing paperwork and long unloading lines are the usual culprits. The fix is on your side: have the container ready to work the moment the driver arrives.
4. Weight and overweight moves
Heavier containers cost more to move. Standard road limits cap gross weight, and once a loaded container pushes past those limits it needs a tri-axle or specialized chassis and sometimes an overweight permit. If your cargo is dense — tile, stone, liquids, machinery — expect overweight handling to factor into the rate. This is a core part of specialized container drayage at PortMiami.
5. Accessorials
Accessorials are the add-ons for anything beyond a clean, standard move. Common PortMiami accessorials include:
- Pre-pull — pulling the container off the terminal early to beat the free-time clock, then delivering later.
- Drop and hook — leaving the container at your dock and returning for it, versus a live unload.
- Yard storage — holding a container at a yard between pickup and delivery.
- Hazmat handling — placarding and certified drivers for hazardous-material containers.
- Reefer / genset — powering a refrigerated container in transit.
- Congestion or terminal surcharges — passed through when the terminal itself imposes them.
6. Fuel
Most drayage rates carry a fuel surcharge that rises and falls with diesel prices. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the line-haul or a flat add-on, and it is one reason a rate quoted last quarter may not hold today.
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest move. A carrier that returns your empty on time saves you more in avoided per diem than a few dollars off the base rate.
Don't forget demurrage and per diem
These aren't carrier charges — they come from the terminal and the steamship line — but they hit the same budget. Demurrage accrues when a container sits inside the terminal past its free time; per diem accrues when you hold the equipment too long outside. Fast, well-coordinated drayage is your best defense against both. See demurrage vs per diem for the full breakdown.
How to get an accurate PortMiami quote
Because so many variables feed the number, the only truly accurate rate is one built around your shipment. To quote you quickly, have this ready:
- Container size and type (20ft / 40ft / 45ft, standard, high-cube, reefer, hazmat)
- Terminal at PortMiami and the delivery address or zip
- Approximate weight, and whether it may be overweight
- Live unload or drop-and-pick, and your available free time at the dock
- Vessel arrival and last free day, if known
OnTrak is a licensed, insured, hazmat-certified carrier based in Doral, minutes from the terminals. Send us the details and we'll build a clear, itemized PortMiami drayage quote — no surprise line items. You can also read how the whole move flows in how drayage works at PortMiami, or learn more about our PortMiami service.
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