Drayage in 2026: What Brokers Need to Know Right Now

Content for this blog came from the TIA Livestream Intermodal Drayage in 2026L What Brokers Need to Know

The drayage market is sending clear signals, and brokers who aren’t paying attention will get caught off guard. Capacity is tightening, liability exposure is shifting, and the economics of intermodal are too compelling to ignore. Here’s what’s actually happening on the ground.

Capacity Is the Story

Demand is strong, that part isn’t in dispute. The real pressure is on driver supply. And it’s getting worse.

New federal enforcement of non-domicile CDL regulations is expected to remove up to 200,000 commercial drivers from the road in 2026 alone. Texas declined roughly 6,500 licenses in a single week. The ripple effects are already being felt. Carriers are getting creative, slip-seating trucks with day and night drivers to double asset utilization, recruiting directly from CDL schools, and targeting over-the-road drivers who want to be home every night. But it’s not enough to fully close the gap.

The takeaway for brokers: next-day and same-day capacity is nearly impossible in most major markets right now. Book early or book something else.

The Liability Landscape Changed

The post-Montgomery ruling world is no longer theoretical. The Supreme Court decision has reduced a layer of protection for beneficial cargo owners and shippers of record — and the pressure has moved squarely onto brokers and carriers.

Leading drayage operators are responding. Some have increased their auto liability insurance from the required $1 million to $6 million through a combination of doubled base coverage and an umbrella policy. For brokers, this matters. A carrier with $6 million in coverage is standing between your shipper and a nuclear verdict. That’s not a small differentiator. Carrier vetting isn’t optional anymore, it’s a liability management strategy.

Intermodal Conversion Is Accelerating

Here’s the opportunity hiding inside all this disruption: truck-to-rail conversions are surging. Elevated diesel prices, tighter truckload capacity, and higher rejection rates are pushing shippers to look seriously at intermodal for the first time. Class one railroads have improved service quality. Digital integration tools are helping supply chain teams plan the slightly longer transit windows that intermodal requires.

The cost case is compelling. On lanes over 500–600 miles, intermodal consistently beats truckload. Switching from a 53-foot domestic container to a 40-foot international container on West Coast lanes can save shippers $250–$600 depending on the destination. That’s real money to put in front of a customer.

What Brokers Should Do Now

• Encourage lane conversion conversations with shippers before peak demand peaks further
• Vet carriers rigorously; safety ratings, insurance levels, and compliance status are non-negotiable
• Build real partnerships with drayage providers; transactional rate-shopping yields nothing in a tight market
• Plan ahead; give carriers 48 hours minimum on intermodal bookings

The second half of 2026 will reward brokers who act like strategic partners, not spot-rate hunters.