Import fee benchmark
Chassis rental: how often it hits and what it costs
Daily rental of the chassis a container rides on while it is on the road.
The short answer. In our data, 79.2% of ocean container shipments whose final trucking the forwarder arranged were charged chassis rental. When it was charged, the median bill was $165 per shipment. The middle half of bills ran from $135 to $165, and 1 in 10 was over $225.
Shipments from July 2024 to June 2026. Updated October 22, 2026.
What is a chassis fee?
In the US, ocean containers ride on chassis that mostly come from pools and leasing companies, not from the carrier. The trucker rents one for every day the container is on wheels, from terminal pickup until the empty goes back, and bills that as a chassis fee. It is one of the most common lines on a drayage invoice.Chassis rental by port
How often shipments at each published port were charged chassis rental. Ports with too few importers are left out, and a dash means too few bills to publish a cost.
| Port or rail hub | How often | Median bill | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 91.6% | $180 | 354 |
| Miami | 91.2% | $90 | 597 |
| Omaha | 91.0% | $135 | 550 |
| Minneapolis / St. Paul | 91.0% | $135 | 526 |
| Tampa | 90.9% | $180 | 78 |
| Chicago | 90.0% | $150 | 620 |
| Long Beach | 89.5% | $165 | 122 |
| Houston | 85.8% | $165 | 156 |
| New York / New Jersey | 82.5% | $165 | 291 |
| Port Everglades | 80.8% | $75 | 55 |
| Savannah | 42.2% | $150 | 115 |
| All ports in the data | 79.2% | $165 | 5,536 |
How to avoid chassis rental
- Ask how many chassis days your drayage rate includes.
- Live unloads use fewer chassis days than drop deliveries.
- Return empties fast. Chassis days and per diem run on the same clock.
Questions
What is a chassis fee?
Daily rental of the chassis a container rides on while it is on the road. In the US, ocean containers ride on chassis that mostly come from pools and leasing companies, not from the carrier. The trucker rents one for every day the container is on wheels, from terminal pickup until the empty goes back, and bills that as a chassis fee. It is one of the most common lines on a drayage invoice.
How often do importers pay chassis rental?
In our data, 79.2% of ocean container shipments whose final trucking the forwarder arranged were charged chassis rental at least once (95% range 78.1% to 80.3%).
How much does chassis rental cost?
When it was charged, the median chassis rental bill was $165 per shipment. Half of all bills fell between $135 and $165, and 1 in 10 was over $225.
Free quote
Want chassis rental spelled out before you ship?
Get a quote from a licensed US forwarder and customs broker that lists free time, demurrage terms and every trucking fee up front.
- A clear quote with drayage, chassis and port fees listed
- Free time and demurrage terms in writing before you book
- A reply within one business day, no obligation