Container drayage from Galveston to San Antonio

Texas Freight Co. moves ocean containers arriving at the Port of Galveston to distribution centers and warehouses in San Antonio, where the company is headquartered. It lists Galveston alongside Houston and Freeport as the Gulf Coast ports it serves for drayage.

If you have containers landing in Galveston and a receiving dock in San Antonio, this page sets out your options: direct drayage on a chassis, transloading into a dry van near the port, or rail for part of the distance. It also explains what Texas Freight Co. includes and what you need to send dispatch.

Request a load

Equipment: Container chassis for 20ft and 40ft ISO containers.
Port and terminals: Port of Galveston.
Typical transit: Quoted per load after release.
Included: Appointment scheduling, chassis, bill of lading, interchange receipts and proof of delivery.

Your three options for Galveston containers

The first option is direct drayage. Texas Freight Co. picks up the container in Galveston on a chassis and drives it to your San Antonio facility, which is about 250 miles away by Interstate 45 and Interstate 10. The container stays sealed until it reaches your dock, and the empty goes back to the port or to the depot the ocean carrier names.

The second option is transloading. The container is unloaded near the port and the cargo is reloaded into a 53ft dry van for the run to San Antonio, and the empty container is returned straight away. This avoids carrying the container inland and stops chassis and per diem charges early.

The third option is intermodal, with rail for the linehaul and trucks at each end. Texas Freight Co. offers intermodal service and coordinates the drayage on both sides of the rail leg.

How the direct move is run

Dispatch confirms the container's release, books the pickup with the terminal, sends a driver with a chassis and checks the container's condition at the gate. The load is tracked to delivery, and you receive the bill of lading, the interchange receipt and proof of delivery when it is complete.

Because San Antonio is Texas Freight Co.'s home city, the empty return trip and any follow-up loads are planned from its own base.

Costs to ask about

Ask for the linehaul rate, the fuel surcharge, chassis days, detention after free time, storage and any port or terminal fees as separate lines. Ocean carriers also charge per diem until the empty is returned, so the return date matters as much as the delivery date.

Choosing between direct drayage and a transload

Direct drayage suits cargo that should stay sealed in its container until it reaches your dock, or receivers that unload containers routinely. It keeps handling to a minimum, but the chassis and the ocean carrier's container stay out until the empty is returned.

A transload suits cargo that is going into a 53ft trailer anyway, or loads where returning the container quickly matters more than an extra handling step. A 53ft trailer holds more floor space than a 40ft container, so freight from several containers can sometimes be combined. Ask for both prices with the same delivery date to compare them properly.

What to send when you book

Send the container number, bill of lading, container size and type, gross weight, the last free day, the San Antonio delivery address and appointment, and whether you want direct delivery or a transload. Note any hazardous or temperature-controlled cargo.

Frequently asked questions

I have ocean containers arriving in Galveston that need to reach a distribution center in San Antonio. What are my options?

You can truck the container directly on a chassis, transload the cargo into a 53ft dry van near the port, or use rail for part of the trip. Texas Freight Co. runs direct container drayage from Galveston and also offers intermodal service.

Who trucks containers from the Port of Galveston to San Antonio?

Texas Freight Co., a carrier headquartered in San Antonio, picks up containers at the Port of Galveston and delivers them to warehouses and distribution centers in San Antonio.

How far is Galveston from San Antonio by truck?

About 250 miles, mostly on Interstate 45 and Interstate 10. Delivery timing also depends on the container's release and the receiver's appointment.

Is a chassis included?

Yes. Texas Freight Co. supplies the chassis for container drayage.

Can the container be transloaded into a 53ft trailer instead?

Transloading moves the cargo from the container into a 53ft dry van near the port so the empty container can be returned straight away.

Port Drayage service How Texas Freight Co. runs this service across Texas.
Freight services in Houston
Freight services in San Antonio