Industry executives convened on FreightWaves Today to discuss a wave of port infrastructure spending reshaping the drayage sector. Coastal ports are embarking on major expansions, including the Port of Virginia's $450M deepening, BNSF's $4B Barstow inland hub, and DP World's £60M Southampton crane upgrade. Discussions centered on how drayage carriers and short-haul trucking operators are adapting through AI-driven dispatch platforms, electric drayage truck pilots, and integrated appointment systems linking terminals, rail, and trucking. Midwestern logistics hubs are seeing innovation around cross-dock automation and intermodal connectivity. The conversation highlighted that capacity remains tight as shippers race to move peak-season cargo ahead of July 1 bunker and tariff changes. Executives noted the 'drayage squeeze' between terminal congestion and chassis availability is the most acute risk vector for the second half of 2026.
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