>>> Chicago freight insight · 7 min read
Running Chicago: Intermodal Clocks, Chassis Fees, and Winter Rate Cycles
The Chicago market pays on precision. Here's how dispatch keeps you inside the window.
Chicago runs on rail time
Everything in this market bends around the ramps. A container has free time; after that, per-diem starts. Miss the gate cutoff and the load rolls to the next day at your cost, not the broker's.
Our dispatchers verify gate hours and free-time terms before accepting drayage on your behalf. That single check saves more money in a month than a rate bump usually does.
Chassis and accessorials are where margin disappears
Chassis split fees, per-diem, storage, and pre-pull charges are the most common surprise costs in Chicagoland. New drayage carriers often discover them on the settlement, not the rate confirmation.
We review rate confirmations line by line and push accessorial responsibility back to the party that owns it.
Winter is an opportunity, not a penalty
When a storm system moves through the Great Lakes, capacity tightens fast. Carriers who keep running safely see the strongest spot rates of the year in January and February.
We also know when to park. No load is worth the truck. The call is always yours, and we'll defend the delay with the broker.
Illinois compliance essentials
Illinois Commerce Commission authority for intrastate for-hire work. IFTA and IRP through the Secretary of State. Watch posted spring thaw restrictions on secondary roads, and respect City of Chicago route and idling ordinances.
We keep the checklist current on your carrier profile.