Container drayage from the Port of Houston to Dallas

Texas Freight Co. moves ocean containers from the Port of Houston to warehouses and distribution centers in Dallas-Fort Worth, picking up at the port's container terminals and delivering on a chassis to the receiving dock. The company is a Texas freight carrier headquartered in San Antonio, and port drayage is the service it describes as its core operation.

This page explains how a Houston-to-Dallas container move works with Texas Freight Co.: the equipment, the terminals, the usual transit time, what the rate includes, and what to send dispatch when you book.

Request a load

Equipment: Container chassis for 20ft and 40ft ISO containers, supplied by Texas Freight Co.
Terminals served: Port Houston container terminals.
Typical transit: Quoted per load after the container is released.
Included: Terminal appointment scheduling, chassis, bill of lading, container interchange receipts and proof of delivery.

How a Houston-to-Dallas container move works

Port Houston handles its container traffic at two main terminals, Barbours Cut in Morgan's Point and Bayport in Pasadena. Dallas sits roughly 240 miles north of the port along Interstate 45, so a container from either terminal is usually trucked straight to the receiver rather than transferred to rail.

Once the container is released by the ocean carrier and customs, Texas Freight Co. books the terminal appointment, sends a driver with a chassis, inspects the container at the gate and hauls it to your facility. Dispatch tracks the load through delivery, and the driver returns the empty container to the terminal or depot named by the steamship line.

The move is planned around three dates: the vessel's last free day at the terminal, the receiver's delivery appointment in Dallas, and the empty return deadline. Sending those dates with the booking lets dispatch choose between a direct delivery and a prepull.

Live unload or drop

Most Dallas receivers either unload the container while the driver waits or keep it on the chassis for a set period and call for pickup when it is empty. The choice affects price, because the chassis stays with the container while it is dropped.

Detention, chassis days, storage and failed delivery attempts are the charges that most often change the total on a drayage invoice. Ask for each of them in writing with the quote.

Documents provided

Texas Freight Co. provides the bill of lading, proof of delivery and the container interchange receipts from the terminal on every drayage move. These records show the container's condition and the gate times when it left and returned to the port.

What to send when you book

Send the container number, the bill of lading or booking number, the terminal, the container size and type, the gross weight, the last free day, the delivery address in Dallas and the receiver's appointment window. Mention any hazardous materials or overweight cargo up front.

Frequently asked questions

Who moves containers from the Port of Houston to a warehouse in Dallas?

Texas Freight Co. picks up import containers at Port Houston's container terminals and delivers them on a chassis to warehouses and distribution centers in Dallas-Fort Worth. It schedules the terminal appointment, supplies the chassis and provides the interchange receipts and proof of delivery.

How long does drayage from the Port of Houston to Dallas take?

Dallas is roughly 240 miles from the port by road. Total time also depends on the terminal appointment, the container's release and the receiver's appointment, so Texas Freight Co. confirms the delivery date when it books the move.

Do I need to supply a chassis?

No. Texas Freight Co. supplies the chassis for container drayage.

What happens if the container cannot be delivered before last free day?

Tell dispatch the last free day when you book. If the Dallas receiver cannot take the container in time, the options are to pay terminal storage or to pull the container early and hold it.

Can the empty container be returned for me?

Yes. After unloading, the driver returns the empty container to the terminal or depot named by the ocean carrier and sends the interchange receipt as proof of return.

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