How container drayage works in San Bernardino and the Inland Empire
San Bernardino is BNSF's main Southern California hub for domestic rail freight, linked to hundreds of millions of square feet of Inland Empire warehouses. Local carriers mix rail ramp moves with import containers trucked in from the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports about 60 miles west.
- Rail ramp
- BNSF San Bernardino Intermodal Facility on West 4th Street
- Freight
- Mostly domestic 53-foot containers to Chicago, Texas and the Midwest
- Warehouses
- Ontario, Fontana, Rialto, Redlands, Perris, Moreno Valley
- Port link
- LA / Long Beach, about 60 miles west
More about drayage in San Bernardino
The Inland Empire, covering western San Bernardino and Riverside counties, holds hundreds of millions of square feet of warehouses, and BNSF says its San Bernardino Intermodal Facility connects roughly 600 million square feet of industrial space with the rest of the country.
The yard, on West 4th Street near downtown San Bernardino, is BNSF's main Southern California hub for domestic intermodal freight, with containers and trailers heading to Chicago, Texas and the Midwest.
Most drayage in the region is warehouse-centered rather than port-centered. Domestic 53-foot containers come off the train at San Bernardino and go to distribution centers in Ontario, Fontana, Rialto, Redlands, Perris and Moreno Valley. Outbound, retailers and e-commerce firms load domestic boxes for stores and customers in the rest of the country.
The Inland Empire is also the destination for a large share of import containers from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, about 60 miles west. Many local carriers run both kinds of work: rail ramp moves at San Bernardino, and port drayage or transload shuttles between San Pedro Bay and the Inland Empire.
1
Rail ramp
Railroads
BNSF · Union Pacific
Main highways
I-10 · I-15 · I-215 · SR-60 · SR-210 · SR-91 · SR-66
Container terminals and rail ramps in San Bernardino
Where containers are picked up and returned in the San Bernardino area.
Rail ramp
BNSF San Bernardino Intermodal Facility
Rail ramp · BNSF
BNSF's main Inland Empire ramp on West 4th Street, San Bernardino, for domestic and international containers to and from Chicago, Texas and the Midwest.
Warehouses, e-commerce and regional rules
Large distribution parks line Interstate 10, Interstate 15, State Route 60 and State Route 210, and new space keeps opening in the eastern and southern parts of the region. Amazon, big-box retailers, home goods brands and third-party logistics firms all operate major sites here, which makes daily appointment volumes high and dock schedules tight.
Southern California's air quality district applies a warehouse indirect source rule to large warehouses, known as Rule 2305 or the WAIRE program, which encourages operators to reduce truck emissions linked to their buildings. Some warehouses therefore prefer or require newer, cleaner trucks, so ask carriers about their equipment if your facility is under the rule.
Inland Empire traffic is heavy at peak hours, especially on Interstate 10 and State Route 60. Carriers that can start before dawn or deliver at night often make an extra turn a day, which lowers cost per move.
Rail versus truck for inland freight
San Bernardino's ramp makes it practical to send domestic freight east by rail rather than over the road. A shipper in Ontario can load a 53-foot container, have a drayage carrier take it to BNSF in San Bernardino, and have it arrive in Chicago or Dallas without a long-haul truck. Transit takes longer than a team truck but usually costs less for heavy or non-urgent freight.
Import freight often reaches the Inland Empire through transloading. Goods from ocean containers are unloaded near the ports or in the Inland Empire itself and reloaded into domestic containers that leave on the train from San Bernardino. That creates steady short-haul drayage between transload buildings and the ramp.
BNSF is also developing the Barstow International Gateway in the Mojave Desert to handle more international containers by rail. As it comes online, routing of some port freight through the Inland Empire may change, so carriers and shippers in the region are watching it closely.
Common lanes out of San Bernardino
Approximate one-way highway miles for the runs local carriers quote most often.
Ontario / Fontana
Warehouse deliveries from the San Bernardino ramp.
15 mi
Riverside / Perris / Moreno Valley
Large e-commerce and retail distribution centers via I-215.
30 mi
Los Angeles / Long Beach ports
Port drayage and transload shuttles via SR-60 and I-710.
65 mi
Barstow
Over Cajon Pass on I-15; BNSF's Barstow rail hub.
70 mi
Las Vegas
One-way loads up I-15 through the Mojave Desert.
220 mi
Phoenix
East on I-10 to Arizona distribution centers.
320 mi
Booking drayage in San Bernardino: what to know
Local habits that change the price and timing of a move in San Bernardino. Mention them when you ask for a quote.
Domestic boxes need railroad chassis
53-foot domestic containers at San Bernardino usually ride on railroad-provided chassis with their own rules. Make sure the carrier is approved for them.
Ask about clean trucks for WAIRE sites
If your warehouse falls under the air district's Rule 2305, check the carrier's truck types; newer or zero-emission trucks may help your compliance.
Schedule off-peak
Early-morning and night appointments avoid the worst of I-10 and SR-60 traffic and can add a turn per day.
Compare transload and direct delivery
For imports heading east, moving cargo into domestic containers near the ramp can cut costs and free the ocean container sooner.
Drayage markets near San Bernardino
Many carriers that serve San Bernardino also run these nearby ports and rail ramps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about container drayage in San Bernardino, CA.