Ah, drayage. Everyone hates you! If you’re not familiar with what drayage is, it is the cost that the exhibitor is charged by the show GC to do the following:
- Remove your freight from the truck that delivered your booth to the show
- Bring your freight from the loading dock to your exhibit space (Or from the Advance
Warehouse to your exhibit space) - Remove your empty freight from the exhibit space once your booth is set up
- Store your empty freight during the show
- Bring your empty freight back to your booth so that it can be loaded up at dismantle
- Load your packed freight onto the truck that is removing your exhibit from the show once dismantle is complete.
As you can imagine, drayage rates vary greatly show-to-show.
Some shows, such as the NAB show, have even done away with drayage costs, charging exhibitors flat fees as part of their show attendance fee to cover this service.
You can find your show’s prevailing drayage rates in your show manual. These rates are
typically charged by “cwt” (pronounced “cee-weight”) which means “per one-hundred pounds”. For example, if your booth weighed 1,000lbs and the drayage rate was $75/cwt, you would do the following math to determine the charge:
- 1,000/100 = 10cwt x $75 = $750.00
Note – Many Producers offer services to pay your GC fees directly to the show for you, which can be very convenient. However, note that you will be charged a mark-up on these rates. Be sure to check with your Producer to see what their policies and rates are when it comes to these prices, should you elect to make use of this service.
Below we have a list showing rough weight estimates for different sized exhibits:
- Very small, simple exhibits – Portables, 10’ x 10’s, etc. – 1,000lbs and under
- Small exhibits – 10’ x 20’s, 10’ x 30’s, etc. – 3,000lbs and under
- Medium exhibits – 20’ x 20’s – 30’ x 30’s – 3,000lbs – 15,000lbs
- Large exhibits – 30’ x 30’s – 30’ x 50’s – 15,000lbs – 30,000lbs
- Very large exhibits – 30,000lbs+
Obviously, weights also correspond to how complex an exhibit it. If your exhibit space is 30’ x 30’, but all you have in it are some tables and a back wall, it’s unlikely to weigh 15,000lbs. Use your best judgement, or consult with a Producer if you are having trouble determining which range is best for your exhibit.
Once you’ve settled on a weight range, locate your drayage rate in your show manual and perform the math equation above to see what the cost may be. You’ll then have to add your Producer’s fee for paying these fees to the show for you, if applicable.
