Houston dray rates up 34% year on year as US gateways lack trucks

Market Context & Direct Impact

Trucks, not berths, are now the tightest link at U.S. container gateways. U.S. trucking and logistics firms have blamed tight drayage capacity since mid-August, and The Loadstar reports that elevated import volumes have strained drayage across U.S. container gateways. Houston is the sharpest case. Drayrates data show Houston dray rates 34% above a year earlier, against an 18% national average. ITS Logistics' Paul Brashier says Houston dray rates rose 40% over four months, though from a low base. He reports no significant dwell at the port and points to too few trucks as the constraint.

Relief is expected, but gateways have not eased yet. The Port of Los Angeles handled 1,042,652 TEUs in its best month on record, according to port executive director Gene Seroka. The National Retail Federation's Global Port Tracker expects October U.S. container imports to ease to 2.25 million TEUs and fall to 2 million TEUs in November, a forecast rather than an outcome. The Loadstar nonetheless finds no post-peak easing at U.S. gateways. Rail is absorbing part of the overflow: AAR's U.S. intermodal count rose 10.4% in the week ending 10 October, led by BNSF and Union Pacific on West Coast port volumes, and FreightWaves links the growth to tight trucking capacity and high diesel prices.

Core Executive Takeaways

• Houston premium wideningHouston dray rates are rising well ahead of the national average, so price Texas drayage lanes separately in your next budget round.
• Rail absorbs overflowIntermodal volume up 10.4% in the week ending 10 October suggests rail is picking up freight that trucks cannot move.
• Peak easing is partialThe NRF forecast of 2.25 million TEUs for October still implies elevated gateway flow, so drayage tightness may not clear quickly.

Strategic Playbook

1. 1
   Lock drayage capacity

   Secure committed drayage and chassis capacity at Houston and Southern California gateways before November volumes arrive, following the early-booking advice ITS Logistics gives cargo owners.

2. 2
   Test rail on inland lanes

   Quote intermodal against dry van on lanes where trucks are scarce, and confirm rail ramp access, since BNSF and Union Pacific lead current intermodal growth.

Filed 09:26 GMT, 16 October 2026, for the first edition of 16 Oct.
As agents only.

Sources

1. No post-peak easing at US container gateways, despite drayage woesThe Loadstar, published 15 October 2026
2. Why Rail Is Booming: Intermodal & Carload Growth ExplainedFreightWaves, published 14 October 2026
3. AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending October 10, 2026Association of American Railroads (via AJOT Newsroom), published 14 October 2026
4. Container Surge Continues at Port of Los AngelesgCaptain, published 9 October 2026

Claims ledger: 12 facts and where each comes from

• Elevated import volumes have strained drayage capacity at US container gateways.¹
• US trucking and logistics firms have blamed tight drayage capacity since mid-August.¹
• According to data provider Drayrates, Houston dray rates were up 34% on a year earlier, whereas the national average was +18%.¹
• ITS Logistics' Paul Brashier reported that dray rates in Houston had shot up 40% over the past four months, albeit from a low base.¹
• Brashier said the port has not shown significant dwell and that Houston lacks enough trucking capacity; he advised cargo owners to make early arrangements for capacity and chassis.¹
• Port Houston is handling record volumes of cargo, and traffic is expected to keep growing.¹
• The Loadstar reports no post-peak easing at US container gateways despite drayage woes.¹
• The Port of Los Angeles processed 1,042,652 TEUs, its best single month in history, per port executive director Gene Seroka.⁴
• The NRF's latest Global Port Tracker expects October U.S. container imports to ease to 2.25 million TEUs before volumes fall to 2 million TEUs in November.⁴
• U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 302,252 containers and trailers in the week ending 10 October 2026, up 10.4% compared with 2025, per the Association of American Railroads.³
• U.S. intermodal rail traffic rose 10.4% in week 40, led by BNSF (+12.5%) and Union Pacific (+19.4%) on record West Coast port volumes.²
• FreightWaves says rail growth is driven by tight trucking capacity and high diesel prices.²

Every figure above is tied to a cited source that was checked on the day of filing. Found an error? Tell the desk.