Cartage Services
Definition

SPECIALIZING IN HEAVY EQUIPMENT TRANSPORT & MACHINERY SHIPPING

Cartage Services Defined

Cartage refers to the shipment of products over a short distance, such as within a town or a commercial area. Cartage freight companies are used for light hauls as well as local carting services. This type of service is subject to a cartage service fee. This is because a small van or truck is used to deliver the materials.

Most people usually confuse Cartage with drayage services. Cartage shares similarities with drayage in cases when cargo is being transported from one location to another in several ways.

What is the Difference between Cartage and Drayage Services?

One unique trait for container drayage is that drayage usually entails shipping the entire container, while Cartage typically involves disintegrating the container's contents into smaller units. These units are then shipped via road to locations within a metropolitan area.

An additional way to distinguish between the two would be that while drayage carries certain classifications under the IANA guidelines, Cartage does not.

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Cartage Differences

When a shipment is in drayage, there is usually a bill of lading that has critical information that enables the receiver and shipper to account for the shipment and track the cargo from the point of source to the point of delivery.

In the case of Cartage, the usual document is cartage advice. This is a legal document containing information about the destination, quantity, and type of transported materials. There are times when you can use the cartage advice as a receipt.

You must ensure the cartage advice goes with the freight being moved. The receiver must also sign it as evidence that the shipment was well received.

Cartage Agents

Unlike in drayage, there is a cartage agent involved when dealing with Cartage. The agent usually uses their forms and paperwork to highlight and transport the material.

For instance, a truck or van that is a component of the drayage system and has delivered a container from the pier to a storage site will have forms created by a freight forwarder. The freight forwarder could be any party handling the shipment.

The materials are immediately broken out of the container; the cartage agent will create their own set of documents to ensure the cargo is delivered to the right receiver.

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