Dry Run (Drayage)
A dry run is a drayage trip the driver makes to the terminal, ramp or warehouse without being able to complete the move: the container is not released, it is buried under other boxes, the appointment was cancelled, or the receiver’s dock was closed. The trucker bills a dry run fee because the truck, driver and fuel were spent with nothing moved. It is also called a futile trip or a trouble trip.
Why it matters
Dry runs are the drayage cost that comes from paperwork, not distance. A customs hold, an unpaid freight bill or a missing terminal release turns a priced move into a billable trip that moved nothing, and the container keeps burning free time while the next appointment is found. On import programs, the dry run count is a direct read of how clean the release process is.
When to use it
Before dispatching a drayage pull, confirm the three releases: customs release, the ocean carrier’s freight release, and the terminal’s availability showing the box is on the ground and not on hold. Confirm the receiving dock’s hours and the appointment for the delivery. Most dry runs are a missing release that a two minute check would have caught.
How Warp thinks about it
Warp’s drayage booking asks for the facts a dispatcher checks before rolling a truck, and the dry run is named with its rate before you book, billed only if the trip happens. Pulls go to a Warp cross dock or your door with a confirmed window, so the driver is not sent to a closed dock.
Container drayage
Quote a container from the port to your door
Live prices for port and rail drayage, booked in the Warp dashboard.
Frequently asked questions about dry run (drayage)
What is dry run (drayage)?
A dry run is a drayage trip the driver makes to the terminal, ramp or warehouse without being able to complete the move: the container is not released, it is buried under other boxes, the appointment was cancelled, or the receiver’s dock was closed. The trucker bills a dry run fee because the truck, driver and fuel were spent with nothing moved. It is also called a futile trip or a trouble trip.
Why does dry run (drayage) matter in freight?
Dry runs are the drayage cost that comes from paperwork, not distance. A customs hold, an unpaid freight bill or a missing terminal release turns a priced move into a billable trip that moved nothing, and the container keeps burning free time while the next appointment is found. On import programs, the dry run count is a direct read of how clean the release process is.
When should you use dry run (drayage)?
Before dispatching a drayage pull, confirm the three releases: customs release, the ocean carrier’s freight release, and the terminal’s availability showing the box is on the ground and not on hold. Confirm the receiving dock’s hours and the appointment for the delivery. Most dry runs are a missing release that a two minute check would have caught.
How does Warp handle dry run (drayage)?
Warp’s drayage booking asks for the facts a dispatcher checks before rolling a truck, and the dry run is named with its rate before you book, billed only if the trip happens. Pulls go to a Warp cross dock or your door with a confirmed window, so the driver is not sent to a closed dock.