Shipping Container Transport

Distance is the dominant factor. In our own booking records, container moves staying inside one state have run from roughly $550 to $2,175, while moves crossing several states have run around $3,700 to $8,200. Within those bands the price moves on container size, whether it is a high cube, the trailer required, and whether loading equipment is needed at either end. The specialized transport calculator will price your specific move.

Three ways. A tilt bed truck tilts its deck and winches the container aboard, then reverses the process to set it down, which needs no other equipment. A flatbed or step deck needs a forklift with enough capacity or a crane at each end. Some depots and container yards have their own handling equipment, which is worth confirming before you book because it changes both the truck and the price.

Often yes, with a tilt bed, provided there is a straight approach and firm level ground of roughly 60 to 80 feet to set it down. Soft ground, tight turns, low branches, and overhead wires are the usual obstacles. Tell us about the site at quote time, ideally with a photograph, because a truck that cannot get in cannot deliver and the trip is still chargeable.

Drayage moves a container that is still in the ocean freight system, under a steamship line release, between a port or rail ramp and a nearby location, usually on a chassis. That is our intermodal container shipping service. This page covers containers already out of that system: bought, owned, or stored, needing a truck to move them anywhere in the country.

Sometimes, and it must be disclosed. Loaded containers weigh far more, which changes the trailer, the axle configuration, and possibly the permits. Contents also have to be secured so nothing shifts. Many carriers will only take an empty unit. Tell your coordinator what is inside and roughly what it weighs before booking, not on the day.

Yes. Modified containers are common: site offices, storage units, workshops, and converted structures. The modifications matter because they change height, weight, and how the unit can be lifted. Units with added roofing, decks, or plumbing often exceed standard dimensions and need permitted transport. See our guides on container offices for how those moves are planned.

Allow more lead time than an ordinary freight load. Container moves need specific equipment, and the pool of carriers running a tilt bed or a suitable step deck on your lane is smaller than the general flatbed pool. A week or more of flexibility usually buys both a better rate and a carrier who has the right truck.