How to Start a Drayage Company in Texas: Equipment Checklist

2026-07-16

Starting a drayage company in Texas requires four building blocks: federal operating authority (USDOT and MC numbers plus the $750,000 minimum liability insurance for general freight), intermodal credentials (a UIIA agreement to interchange equipment and TWIC cards for port access), port-specific registrations, and equipment — a tractor plus a chassis strategy, which is where most new operators underestimate the decision. Get those four right and you can legally pull your first container; get the chassis strategy wrong and your margins leak from day one.

Key Takeaways

Federal basics first: USDOT number, MC operating authority, BOC-3 process agent, UCR registration, and liability insurance at the federal minimum of $750,000 (many ports and customers require $1M).
The UIIA agreement is the key that unlocks equipment interchange with ocean carriers and IEPs — most intermodal work is inaccessible without it.
Every driver entering a secured port terminal needs a TSA-issued TWIC card.
Ports require their own registrations and drayage credentials — Port Houston has its own truck registration process.
Your chassis strategy (pool vs. owned vs. lease-to-own) is a bigger margin decision than most founders realize.

Step 1 — Authority and insurance

The federal layer comes first: register for a USDOT number and MC operating authority with FMCSA, designate a BOC-3 process agent, and complete UCR registration. Liability insurance at the federal minimum of $750,000 for general freight is mandatory to activate authority — but note that many ports, IEPs, and customers contractually require $1,000,000, so most drayage operators insure at that level from the start.

In Texas, intrastate operations also involve TxDMV motor carrier registration. Plan the paperwork as a sequence, not a pile: authority activation has waiting periods, so start it before you buy equipment.

Step 2 — Intermodal credentials: UIIA and TWIC

Drayage runs on interchanged equipment, and the Uniform Intermodal Interchange Agreement (UIIA) — administered by IANA — is the standard contract that lets your trucks pick up and return containers and chassis belonging to ocean carriers and equipment providers. Signing the UIIA and being approved by each equipment provider you will work with is what turns your authority into actual intermodal capability.

Separately, every driver entering a secured maritime terminal needs a TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) from TSA. Application involves a background check and an in-person enrollment; build the lead time into your launch plan.

Step 3 — Port registrations

Each port adds its own layer. Port Houston requires trucking companies to register and complete its credentialing process before drivers can service its terminals. Requirements typically include proof of insurance, UIIA standing, TWIC-carrying drivers, and truck registration in the port system.

If you plan to work multiple Texas gateways — Houston, and the border crossings at Laredo for transloaded freight — map each facility’s requirements before committing service dates to customers.

Step 4 — The equipment checklist

The tractor gets the attention, but the chassis strategy sets the margin. You have three paths: rely on pool chassis (pay per day, zero maintenance duty, but availability and condition are outside your control), own your chassis (highest control and lowest long-run cost at steady utilization), or lease / lease-to-own (low capital entry that can build toward ownership).

Tractor: day cab spec suited to port queues; verify fifth-wheel height compatibility with gooseneck chassis.
Chassis: start with 40ft gooseneck capability — the majority of moves; add 20ft or triaxle as lanes specialize.
ELD and IFTA setup for the tractor; registration and periodic inspection records for every chassis you own.
General liability + auto liability at customer-required levels; cargo insurance as contracts demand.
A maintenance relationship: mobile repair for roadside, a shop for periodic inspections.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much insurance does a Texas drayage company need?

The federal minimum for general freight is $750,000 in liability, but many ports, IEPs, and customers require $1,000,000 — most drayage operators insure at $1M from day one.

What is the UIIA and do I need it?

The Uniform Intermodal Interchange Agreement, administered by IANA. It governs equipment interchange with ocean carriers and IEPs — without it, most intermodal work is closed to you.

Do all my drivers need TWIC cards?

Every driver who enters a secured port terminal needs a TSA-issued TWIC. Drivers staying outside secured areas do not, but that rarely describes drayage.

Should a new drayage company buy chassis or use pools?

Many start on pool chassis for zero capital, then move steady lanes onto owned or lease-to-own units as utilization becomes predictable — ownership wins on cost once units stay busy.

How long does it take to become operational?

Plan weeks, not days: authority activation, insurance filings, UIIA approval, TWIC enrollment, and port registration each have their own processing times and must overlap efficiently.