Charleston, SC drayage
Drayage for 3PLs that actually fits warehouse operations.
Most drayage carriers were built around the truck. Cate Freight came out of the warehouse and 3PL world. We know what an inbound SOP looks like, why dock managers care about appointment punctuality, and how a 3PL's customer judges them on receiving accuracy.
What 3PL receivers should expect from a Charleston drayage carrier
- Container number on every comm. Email subject lines lead with the container number. Every PDF is named with the container number. Your receiving system can match without manual rework.
- ASN-friendly arrival windows. If you give us a window, we hit it. If we can't, we tell you the day before, not the morning of.
- Drop-and-hook discipline. Drops are scheduled. Empty pickups are scheduled. Nothing sits on your yard guessing.
- Same-day POD imaging. Signed BOL imaged, named with the container number, emailed back the day of delivery.
- One dispatcher per file. Your warehouse manager isn't bouncing between people. The person who quoted runs the whole move.
How we plug into your inbound SOP
Tell us how your receiving runs. We'll match it. That includes:
- Container number on email subjects, PDFs, and ETA notifications
- BOL formatted to your customer's spec (line-itemed, palletized count, etc.)
- Photos at delivery if your customer requires them
- Door assignment honored when you provide it on the appointment
- Visibility data into your TMS — we can output container status to email, EDI, or a feed your TMS reads
The drop-and-hook playbook
Drop-and-hook is the cleanest delivery model for a 3PL with steady inbound volume. The driver drops the loaded container on a chassis at your dock, bobtails away, and we come back for the empty per your schedule. Zero driver detention. You unload on your timeline. Chassis per-diem accrues; we'll quote daily.
Common questions
Charleston drayage FAQ
Can you match our 3PL's customer SOP at delivery?
Yes. Container number on the BOL, photos at delivery, dock-door assignments, signature requirements — tell us the SOP and we'll run it. If your 3PL customer audits, we'll fit the audit.
Do you support drop-and-hook for steady-volume 3PLs?
Yes. We carry chassis pool relationships across TRAC, DCLI, and Flexi-Van. For dedicated drop-and-hook customers we'll hold equipment to keep your operation flowing.
Will you communicate ETAs ahead of arrival?
Daily morning ETA update for in-flight containers. Inbound text or email when the driver is en route. Same-day POD.
Can you handle peak-season volume?
We're sized to flex. We'll be honest with you about capacity — if a peak push is too much for us alone, we'll tell you up front rather than miss a window.