DRAYAGE
Outsourced back-office operations for drayage carriers and brokers
Port moves generate some of the heaviest paperwork per load of any freight mode. Chassis fees, per diem, demurrage, terminal charges and container-level documentation all have to land on the right invoice. We run that desk for drayage carriers, brokers and port logistics operations. Billing, proof of delivery, carrier invoice checks and accounts receivable (AR) follow-up, so container moves turn into collected cash.
THE DRAYAGE BACK OFFICE
Built for port and intermodal complexity
Drayage billing is not dry van billing with a container number added. Every port move carries its own accessorial structure: chassis fees and chassis splits, per diem from the steamship line, demurrage at the terminal, port congestion surcharges, and gate fees. Each one has a different source, a different deadline, and a different place where it gets lost between dispatch and billing.
We handle the full post-dispatch workflow for drayage operations: POD and document retrieval from terminals and receivers, carrier invoice audit against rate confirmations and approved accessorials, shipper billing with all container-level references, AR follow-up, and compliance monitoring. Built for owners and ops managers running drayage desks who carry the paperwork burden behind every container move.
- PODs and interchange documents from terminals and consignees
- Carrier invoice audit with chassis, per diem, and terminal fee verification
- Shipper billing with container numbers, booking references, and steamship line details
- Per diem and demurrage tracking and passthrough billing
- AR follow-up and collections
- Carrier compliance monitoring
99%
Invoice Accuracy
<24h
POD Chase
Weekly
Reporting
Where does drayage margin leak?
Per diem never passed through
The steamship line charges per diem on the container. The drayage carrier or broker pays it. But if nobody matches the per diem invoice to the customer billing file, the passthrough never happens. Per diem charges accumulate daily, so even a short delay in filing means real dollars that sit uncaptured.
Chassis fees billed wrong or missed
Chassis fees and chassis splits vary by port, by chassis provider, and by whether the container and chassis are in the same location. When dispatch is moving fast, the chassis charge gets noted but never makes it to the invoice. Or the wrong rate is applied because the fee schedule changed.
Demurrage absorbed instead of billed
Demurrage at the terminal is the shipper’s or consignee’s responsibility when they exceed free time. But if the drayage provider does not document the timeline and pass the charge through promptly, it becomes their cost. The window to bill demurrage is short, and the documentation requirements are specific.
Terminal and port fees not captured
Port congestion surcharges, gate fees, PierPASS charges, and clean truck fees all vary by port and change frequently. They are easy to miss when they are not part of the base rate confirmation. A pre-billing audit catches them before the invoice goes out.
Drayage bills carry more accessorial exposure than most modes. Per diem, chassis split, and demurrage all sit in the accessorial charge reference, and drayage invoice audit is where they get caught before payment.
How we run your drayage back office
- 1
Discovery
We map your port operations, terminal relationships, chassis providers, and billing rules. We learn which steamship lines you work with and how per diem and demurrage flow through your system.
- 2
Onboarding
A dedicated team trains inside your TMS on container-level billing, port-specific accessorials, and your customer requirements. About 2 to 3 weeks.
- 3
Ongoing operations
POD retrieval from terminals and receivers, carrier invoice audit with chassis and per diem verification, shipper billing with all container references, and AR follow-up run on every load.
- 4
You scale
Add ports, lanes, and volume without adding back-office headcount. The team scales with your container count.
Back-office services for drayage operations
Free time runs out faster than paperwork moves. A dedicated team keeps per diem, chassis, and port charges billed, audited, and collected to your SOP.
Carrier invoice audit and accounts payable (AP)
Learn more →Per diem, demurrage, chassis splits, and congestion fees don’t get taken at face value. Each invoice gets lined up against the contract and the free-time clock before payment, double-billed gate fees and duplicates come out, and clean invoices get coded for the run.
Billing support and invoice preparation
Learn more →The box moves, the invoice follows. Port and rail fees pass through with receipts attached, accessorials carry timestamps, and every submission goes out to the customer’s spec the day the move closes.
Document processing and POD retrieval
Learn more →TIRs, interchange records, gate receipts, and PODs live in five different places. We pull them together, index them to the container, and keep billing fed without the hunt.
Accounts receivable (AR) management and collections
Learn more →Drayage disputes die without gate documentation. Follow-up runs on a cadence, short pays get answered with the interchange record, and aging gets flagged to you while it can still be fixed.
Pre-billing revenue recovery
Learn more →For clients whose billing desk we run, each move gets a pre-invoice check: per diem days against free time, chassis against the split, accessorials against the rate. What was earned gets billed. Compensation is performance-based.
Carrier compliance and onboarding
Learn more →Dray carriers come on to your standard: authority, certificate of insurance (COI), FMCSA safety data, and W-9 on file before the first move, monitoring after. A lapse gets caught before it holds up a container.
What drayage operations get back
The result is a back office that handles the complexity your freight demands.
Much of the drayage on our desks moves under house bills: for the ocean side of those containers, from MBL settlement to per diem disputes with the steamship line, see the NVOCC back office.
- Per diem and demurrage captured and billed before the window closes
- Chassis fees verified against current fee schedules
- POD from terminals and consignees retrieved the day of delivery
- Container-level billing accuracy with booking and BL references
- Carrier invoices audited for port-specific accessorials
- Consistent AR follow-up that keeps days sales outstanding (DSO) down
- Weekly reporting that shows where cash stands by port and customer
Works inside the systems you already run
We work inside the platforms you already use for drayage dispatch, billing, and tracking, with no migration and no new software to learn.
Frequently asked questions
Can ClearLane handle per diem and demurrage billing for drayage?
Yes. We track per diem from steamship lines and demurrage from terminals, match them to the correct shipment file, and bill the passthrough to your customer before the window closes. The charges are documented with container number, free time dates, and daily rates so there is no dispute on the customer side.
Do you work with chassis fees from multiple providers?
Yes. Chassis fees vary by provider, by port, and by whether the chassis and container are co-located. During onboarding we document each provider’s fee schedule and update it when rates change. The team verifies every chassis charge on every carrier invoice before it is paid.
How does POD retrieval work for drayage loads?
Drayage POD retrieval involves getting signed delivery confirmation from the consignee or terminal, plus any gate tickets, weight tickets, or inspection records required by the customer. We chase these the day the container delivers and upload them to your TMS with the container and booking references attached.
Will this work with our existing drayage TMS?
We work inside all major TMS platforms used for drayage and intermodal operations. The team logs in with dedicated credentials and works directly in your system. No data export or migration required.
What does drayage back-office support include?
Drayage back-office support covers the administrative work that happens after a container is dispatched: retrieving the POD and terminal documents, auditing the carrier invoice for chassis fees and port charges, billing the shipper with all container-level references and accessorial passthroughs, following up on unpaid invoices, and monitoring carrier compliance. The goal is that every container move turns into collected cash with the right charges captured.
How much does outsourced drayage back-office support cost?
Pricing is scoped to the functions you hand off and the team that work needs, and resized as container volume changes rather than metered per container. Most drayage operations start with POD retrieval and carrier invoice audit, then add shipper billing and AR management as they see results. Book a 20-minute call and we can map your operation to the right scope and price.
Related services
Carrier Invoice Audit and AP
Learn more →Catch chassis, per diem, and terminal fee errors before they are paid.
Pre-Billing Revenue Audit
Learn more →Capture demurrage, per diem, and port surcharges before the invoice goes out.
POD Chase
Learn more →Terminal and consignee document retrieval the day of delivery.
AR Management
Learn more →Consistent follow-up on container-level invoices.
Get Started
See how we can help your drayage operation
Most drayage clients start with carrier invoice audit and per diem billing, then grow into full back-office management.