HaulIntermodal Container Trucking (Drayage) Companies
38,935 active U.S. motor carriers (1.8% of all active carriers) report intermodal containers as a cargo type in the FMCSA Company Census. Intermodal carriers haul shipping containers between ports, rail yards and inland facilities — the drayage segment that links ocean and rail freight to the road network.
The headline numbers
Intermodal concentrates near port and rail hubs and runs a higher interstate share than most regional cargo types, reflecting container moves that cross state lines from the coasts inward.
Where intermodal container trucking (drayage) companies are based
Each state is shaded by the number of active carriers reporting this cargo type, from light (fewer) to dark (more), based on each carrier’s registered physical-address state. The smallest Northeast states and DC are labeled in the margin so their counts stay readable.
Show data table
| State | Carriers |
|---|---|
| California | 10,579 |
| Texas | 3,277 |
| Florida | 2,221 |
| Georgia | 2,068 |
| Washington | 1,948 |
| Illinois | 1,502 |
| New Jersey | 1,264 |
| South Carolina | 1,147 |
| Pennsylvania | 976 |
| New York | 883 |
| North Carolina | 806 |
| Ohio | 701 |
Fleet size: who actually hauls this freight
83.8% of these carriers run six trucks or fewer and just 1.6% run a hundred or more — the fleet shape that determines how capacity and pricing behave in this segment.
Interstate vs. intrastate operation
64.4% operate interstate (across state lines, the trigger for federal operating authority) and 35.6% operate intrastate. Drayage involves chassis and container interchange; confirm the carrier's authority and insurance filing before assigning container moves.
Vet a specific carrier
These are aggregate counts. To check a single company, look it up by name or USDOT number, read our guide to vetting a carrier before you book, and learn how to spot double-brokering and carrier fraud. Compare freight types on the cargo-type pillar or see the national industry statistics.
Frequently asked questions
- How many intermodal / drayage trucking companies are there?
- This page shows the current count of active carriers that flag intermodal containers in the Company Census.
- Which state has the most intermodal container trucking (drayage) companies?
- California leads with 10,579 active carriers reporting this cargo type, based on each carrier's registered physical-address state. The full state breakdown is on this page.
- Where does this data come from?
- The public FMCSA Company Census (dataset az4n-8mr2), filtered to active carriers that report this cargo-classification flag and grouped by registered state, fleet size, operation type and hazmat indicator. It refreshes automatically as the federal data updates.