Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle/Tacoma) drayage rates
Seattle and Tacoma operate as one gateway under the Northwest Seaport Alliance, and their drayage market carries a constraint no other US port has to the same degree: the Puget Sound geography funnels almost everything onto I-5. A Kent or Auburn warehouse is close in miles and expensive in hours. Washington also runs the strictest clean-truck expectations on the West Coast outside California.
Base rate by container size and distance
| Container | 0-30 mi | 30-60 mi | 60-150 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20' standard | $361 | $489 | $744 |
| 40' / 40' HC | $425 | $575 | $875 |
| 45' HC | $468 | $633 | $963 |
How to read this. These are QuoteFleet's researched base drayage tariffs for Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle/Tacoma) — a flat rate per container by distance ring, for the truck move only. They are an estimate band to sanity-check a quote against, not a market index, a spot rate, or an offer. Fuel, chassis, terminal fees and the accessorials listed below sit on top. Beyond 150 miles a move prices per-mile as linehaul rather than as drayage. Rates are USD for a standard dry container and move with fuel and market conditions.
Carrier supply at Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle/Tacoma)
Live counts from our FMCSA carrier directory, for operators whose registered domicile puts this gateway nearest. Equipment flags are as reported to FMCSA.
Browse all carriers near Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle/Tacoma) →
What sits on top of the base rate
Drayage invoices are rarely just the linehaul. These are the charges that most often appear, at our default schedule.
| Accessorial | Typical | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Chassis Rental | $40 / day | Daily chassis rental while the chassis is out (1-day minimum; some lanes 2-day). |
| Chassis Split (per occurrence) | $100 | Trucker has to pull a chassis from a different yard than the container. Charged per occurrence. |
| Pre Pull | $145 | Pre-pull container from terminal to yard before delivery. Applies if the container is not delivered same trip. |
| Flip Fee | $200 | Flip / lift to transfer the container between chassis or reposition it. |
| PierPass / TMF | $36 | Off-hours port traffic mitigation fee (LA/LB). |
| Port Congestion Surcharge | $75 | Surcharge for unusually slow terminal conditions or congestion. |
| Triaxle (3-axle, heavy/overweight) | $85 / day | Triaxle chassis (3 axles) required for heavy or overweight container moves — typically loads over ~37,550 lbs. |
| Detention (over free time) | $99 / hr | Per-hour charge after 2 hr free at pickup or delivery. |
| Yard Storage (per night) | $45 / day | Per night after the first 24 hr in our yard; also applies to empties if unable to return. |
| Drop & Hook | $150 | Live load not possible — drop, hook, leave. |
| Hazmat surcharge | 18% of base | For hazardous materials shipments. |
| Reefer / Genset | $75 / day | Refrigerated container needs a running genset (per day). |
| In-Bond | $250 | Customs in-bond move — charged per container. |
Terminals
| Terminal | Operator | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle/Tacoma) | Northwest Seaport Alliance | Terminal 18, 2001 6th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98134 |
Common questions
Are Seattle and Tacoma priced separately?
No. They are jointly managed by the Northwest Seaport Alliance and share a carrier pool, so we publish one tariff for the gateway. Which terminal your box lands at changes the drive, not the band.
Why is the Kent Valley more expensive than the mileage suggests?
I-5 and SR-167 congestion. The warehouse belt between Kent, Auburn and Sumner is 20-35 miles out but routinely takes as long as a 60-mile run elsewhere, so it prices toward the upper end of its ring.
Does Portland fall inside these rings?
No. Portland is about 145 miles from Seattle but is its own container gateway with its own carrier pool, so it is quoted as a separate origin rather than a Seattle delivery.
Next steps
Price a specific move with the free drayage rate calculator, browse carriers serving Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle/Tacoma), or see every carrier in Washington. New to the terminology? The freight glossary covers drayage, detention and demurrage and chassis splits.