How container drayage works in New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey has six main container terminals around Newark Bay and New York Harbor, and each runs its own gates, hours and appointments. Most volume moves through Port Newark and Elizabeth in New Jersey, with on-dock ExpressRail to the Midwest.
- New Jersey
- Port Newark, Maher, APM Elizabeth and GCT Bayonne
- New York
- GCT New York (Staten Island) and Red Hook (Brooklyn)
- Rail
- ExpressRail on-dock; NS Croxton and CSX North Bergen
- Bigger ships
- Raised Bayonne Bridge lets the largest vessels in
More about drayage in New York / New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey oversees a cluster of container terminals around Newark Bay and New York Harbor. The largest are in New Jersey: Port Newark Container Terminal, Maher Terminals and APM Terminals Elizabeth on the Port Newark–Elizabeth complex, and GCT Bayonne.
On the New York side, GCT New York operates at Howland Hook on Staten Island and Red Hook Container Terminal serves Brooklyn. Each terminal runs its own gates, hours and appointment rules.
The raising of the Bayonne Bridge's roadway, completed in the late 2010s, allows the largest container ships to reach the terminals in Newark and Elizabeth. That has brought bigger vessel calls and bigger surges of containers, which local trucking must absorb.
Rail is handled through the Port Authority's ExpressRail system, with on-dock yards at Elizabeth, Port Newark and Staten Island that connect to Norfolk Southern and CSX through Conrail Shared Assets. Nearby rail yards such as Norfolk Southern's Croxton and E-Rail and CSX's North Bergen handle more containers and domestic freight. Containers bound for the Midwest, upstate New York or New England can move by rail instead of long truck hauls.
6
Marine terminals
3
Rail ramps
Railroads
Norfolk Southern · CSX · Conrail Shared Assets · Port Jersey Railroad
Main highways
New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) · I-78 · I-287 · I-280 · Garden State Parkway (no trucks north of exit 105) · Staten Island Expressway (I-278)
Container terminals and rail ramps in New York / New Jersey
Where containers are picked up and returned in the New York / New Jersey area.
Marine terminal
Rail ramp
Port Newark Container Terminal
Marine terminal · PNCT
Large terminal on the Port Newark side of the Newark Bay complex.
Maher Terminals (Elizabeth)
Marine terminal · Maher Terminals
One of the largest terminals on the Port Elizabeth side of the complex.
APM Terminals Elizabeth
Marine terminal · APM Terminals
Container terminal at Port Elizabeth next to the ExpressRail Elizabeth yard.
GCT Bayonne
Marine terminal · GCT USA
Terminal on the Bayonne peninsula facing Upper New York Bay.
GCT New York (Howland Hook)
Marine terminal · GCT USA
Staten Island terminal with on-dock ExpressRail.
Red Hook Container Terminal
Marine terminal · Red Hook Container Terminal
Brooklyn terminal serving New York City's waterfront.
ExpressRail Elizabeth
Rail ramp · Port Authority of NY & NJ
On-dock rail yard at the Port Newark–Elizabeth complex, linked to Norfolk Southern and CSX.
Croxton Intermodal Terminal
Rail ramp · Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern terminal in Jersey City/Secaucus area.
North Bergen Intermodal Terminal
Rail ramp · CSX
CSX terminal in North Bergen serving the New York metro.
North Jersey warehouses and the I-95 corridor
Most import containers are delivered to warehouses in North and Central New Jersey, along the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95), I-78, I-287 and Route 1. Major clusters include Newark, Elizabeth, Carteret, Edison, Secaucus, the Meadowlands and Exit 8A near Cranbury. Many are within 30 miles of the port, but traffic can make even short trips slow.
Deliveries into New York City, Long Island and Westchester require crossing bridges or tunnels, with tolls and truck restrictions. Some parkways ban trucks, and height limits on older roads constrain container routes. Carriers serving the city know these rules and plan accordingly.
Northeastern Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, about 80 miles west, has become a major warehouse market for goods that enter through New York and New Jersey, making the I-78 corridor a heavily used drayage lane.
Truck rules, fees and chassis
Trucks entering Port Authority terminals must be registered in the port's truck registry and meet its Clean Truck Program standards, which limit older engines. Carriers also need terminal-specific credentials for drivers.
Terminals charge fees for storage, and ocean carriers charge per diem if containers or chassis stay out too long. The region's chassis pool and terminal congestion can make chassis availability a challenge during peak periods, so carriers with access to chassis can move containers faster. Many terminals offer extended gates, and some carriers work nights and weekends to avoid daytime traffic and long gate lines.
Traffic, tolls and timing
Traffic in the New York metro is among the worst in the country. The New Jersey Turnpike, I-78, the Pulaski Skyway area and the bridges to Staten Island and Brooklyn are frequent bottlenecks. Carriers schedule early or late appointments to avoid peak hours. Tolls on bridges, tunnels and turnpikes add significant costs, and they are usually passed through on invoices.
Winter storms can disrupt port operations and trucking, while summer brings heavy traffic to the Jersey Shore and Long Island routes.
Common lanes out of New York / New Jersey
Approximate one-way highway miles for the runs local carriers quote most often.
Secaucus / Meadowlands
Warehouses near the Turnpike.
15 mi
Edison / Carteret
Central Jersey distribution along Route 1 and the Turnpike.
20 mi
Exit 8A (Cranbury)
Large distribution centers on the Turnpike.
40 mi
Long Island
Via Verrazzano Bridge and the Belt or Long Island Expressway; tolls apply.
50 mi
Lehigh Valley, PA
Major warehouse market via I-78.
80 mi
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania and South Jersey via the Turnpike.
90 mi
Booking drayage in New York / New Jersey: what to know
Local habits that change the price and timing of a move in New York / New Jersey. Mention them when you ask for a quote.
Name the terminal
Each terminal has different gates and rules. Include the terminal and container number in your request.
Plan for tolls and restrictions
Bridges, tunnels and parkway restrictions affect routes and costs. Choose carriers that know the region.
Use extended gates
Night and weekend gates can avoid traffic and get containers out faster.
Consider rail for long distances
ExpressRail and nearby yards can move containers to the Midwest, upstate New York and New England.
Watch per diem
Chassis and container fees add up quickly. Return empties promptly.
Drayage markets near New York / New Jersey
Many carriers that serve New York / New Jersey also run these nearby ports and rail ramps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about container drayage in New York / New Jersey, NY.