If you've ever sent a drayage carrier "can you quote a 40' import?" and gotten a four-question reply asking for everything else, this checklist is for you. Send all of this in your first email and most carriers can quote inside an hour. Send three of these and you'll be waiting on a back-and-forth thread.
The minimum-viable quote request
The faster path to a real number, with the absolute minimum data:
- Booking number or MBL. So we can check release status and validate the booking.
- Container size. 20', 40', 40HC, 45HC.
- Pickup terminal. Wando Welch, North Charleston, or Hugh Leatherman (or "not sure yet" — we can look it up).
- Delivery ZIP. Final destination ZIP code.
Those four data points give us 80% of what we need to quote. We can do it. But the quote is faster, more accurate, and less likely to need adjusting if you also include:
The full checklist
About the move
- Move type (import, export, empty return, pre-pull only)
- Container size and type (20'/40'/40HC, dry/reefer/flat-rack/open-top/ISO tank)
- Number of containers
- Pickup terminal (Wando Welch USCHA, North Charleston USNCH, Hugh Leatherman USCHL)
- Pickup ZIP (only if origin isn't a terminal — for export container drayage)
- Delivery ZIP and address
- Delivery type (live unload, drop & hook, transload, pier return)
- Estimated container availability or pickup date
About the cargo
- Steamship line
- Booking number / MBL
- Commodity (general description is fine)
- Approximate weight in pounds
- Overweight? (yes/no/not sure — we can advise if not sure; anything grossing over 80,000 lbs on the road runs as overweight container drayage with a permit)
- Hazmat? With UN# and PG (packing group) if yes
- Set point and supply temperature, if the box moves as reefer drayage
About the timing
- For imports: when does the container arrive at SCPA, what's free time look like, what's the dock readiness at the consignee
- For exports: ERD (earliest receiving date), cargo cut, VGM cut
About the parties
- Customs broker contact (for imports)
- Consignee contact (for delivery scheduling)
- Your file reference, PO number, or whatever ID you want us to use on the BOL and POD
Why this matters
Drayage quoting isn't just plugging mileage into a calculator. Every one of the items above changes either the rate, the equipment we need, or the timing of how we run the move. Missing fields produce one of three outcomes:
- The carrier asks five follow-up questions, slowing you down by 24-48 hours.
- The carrier guesses, quotes a number that's wrong, and has to revise once you book.
- The carrier quotes wide to cover their risk — i.e., higher than they would have on a tight quote.
None of those serves you. Send the full set and the carrier can give you a sharp, accurate number on the first pass.
Cate Freight's quote form
Our quote form is structured around exactly this checklist. Fill it out completely and you'll have an itemized number on your screen, usually inside an hour during business hours. If you'd rather email it, send to greg@catefreight.com — same fields, same speed.