Preferred Transportation Services has run trucks out of Honolulu since 2016. We started with a single truck and a small share of warehouse space, and today we haul containers, pallets, building materials, cold freight and heavy items for businesses and households across Oahu from our yard at 2846 Awaawaloa St. If it needs to move by truck on the island, call one dispatcher and we'll match the truck to the load.
Our Trucks and What They Carry
Container drayage trucks
Carrier's chassis from Honolulu Harbor
Imports going from the port to a warehouse, store or job site
Standard flatbed trailers
Up to about 48,000 lbs of freight
Steel, lumber, pipe and equipment loaded from the side or top
Drop deck trailers
Lower deck for taller freight
Machinery and tall loads that must stay under Hawaii's 14 ft height limit
Dry box trucks
14 to 26 ft; a 26 ft box holds 12 pallets (48 x 40 in)
Palletized and boxed freight, store deliveries, multi-stop routes
Refrigerated and frozen box trucks
Down to -10°F
Food, beverage, floral and medical freight
Lift gates
1,500 to 2,500 lbs, depending on the truck
Sites with no loading dock
Truck capacities come from our box truck and flatbed service pages; tell us the weight and dimensions of your freight and we'll confirm the right equipment.
Trucking Services in Honolulu
Freight Hauling Services on Oahu
Our freight hauling services cover everything from one pallet to a full truckload. Common runs:
- Port to warehouse: a container pulled from Honolulu Harbor, delivered to your dock and the empty returned.
- Warehouse to stores: multi-stop box truck routes to retail locations in Honolulu, Kapolei and Windward Oahu.
- Yard to job site: building materials on a flatbed, unloaded by forklift where the crew needs them.
- Recurring routes: scheduled weekly or daily deliveries for distributors and suppliers.
- One-off heavy moves: equipment, safes, appliances and furniture that need a lift gate or forklift.
- Forklift unloading: heavy pallets and equipment taken off at job sites and businesses without a dock.
Which truck do you need?
| If your freight is... | Book |
|---|---|
| A full container at Honolulu Harbor | Daily container drayage |
| Steel, lumber, pipe or equipment | Flatbed trucking |
| Machinery taller than about 9 ft | Drop deck trailers |
| Pallets or cartons that must stay dry | Dry box truck delivery |
| Food or other cold freight | Refrigerated and frozen delivery |
| Going to a site with no dock | Lift gate delivery or forklift delivery |
| Going inside a building, past the curb | Inside pickup and delivery |
| Not ready for delivery yet | Short-term storage or long-term storage |
Truck Delivery Service for Businesses and Homes
A truck delivery service (a lorry delivery service, in British English) is only as good as the last 50 feet. Before we dispatch, we ask about the delivery site:
- Is there a dock?
- A forklift on site?
- Stairs or narrow streets?
- Low wires?
- Gate with set hours?
That decides whether we send a lift gate truck, add forklift delivery, or book inside delivery so the freight goes past the curb and into the room where you need it. For businesses we can work to receiving windows; for households we deliver heavy items like appliances, furniture and equipment to the address you give us. Deciding between a courier and a truck? Read our courier vs delivery guide.
What Makes Hawaiian Trucking Services Different
Trucking on Oahu starts at the harbor. According to the Hawaii Department of Transportation, about 80% of all goods consumed in Hawaii are imported, and nearly 99% of those goods come through the state's commercial harbors (Hawaii DOT). That means most local freight is a port pickup or a delivery of something that arrived by ship.
Port timing
Containers have to be picked up and returned within the carrier's free time, so drayage is scheduled around vessel arrivals and yard hours.
State size limits
Hawaii caps a loaded vehicle at 9 ft wide and 14 ft tall without a permit, and a semitrailer at 48 ft long (HRS §291-34).
Licensing
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission requires a certificate for any motor carrier that moves property for hire over public highways in the state (Hawaii PUC). Ours is certificate 2398-C.
Island roads
Tight streets in town, limited loading zones and job sites without docks, which is why we carry lift gates and offer forklift delivery.
Areas We Serve
We deliver island-wide on Oahu:
- Honolulu
- Downtown and Kakaako
- Kalihi
- Mapunapuna
- Sand Island
- Airport
- Salt Lake
- Aiea
- Pearl City
- Waipahu
- Kapolei
- Campbell Industrial Park
- Ewa Beach
- Mililani
- Wahiawa
- Schofield Barracks
- Kaneohe
- Kailua
- Waimanalo
- Hawaii Kai
- North Shore
For freight going between the mainland and Hawaii, see our ocean freight services and guide to container shipping to Hawaii.
Industries We Truck For
How to Book a Truck
- Send the pickup and delivery addresses and the date the freight is ready.
- Tell us what you're shipping: piece count, weight and dimensions, or the container number for a port pickup.
- Describe both sites: dock or no dock, forklift on site, access limits and receiving hours.
- We confirm the truck, the schedule and a free, no-obligation quote.
Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Request a quote online, call (808) 509-8160 or email freight@preferredhawaii.com.
Why Oahu Businesses Choose Preferred Transportation Services
Local since 2016
Owned and run in Honolulu at 2846 Awaawaloa St., Honolulu, HI 96819.
Licensed
USDOT 2926199 and Hawaii PUC certificate 2398-C.
One dispatcher, every truck
Drayage, flatbed, box truck, refrigerated, lift gate, forklift and storage.
Looking at the bigger picture? Our Hawaii logistics company page covers warehousing, distribution and supply chain support. Want to drive with us? See our CDL-A driver jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a trucking company in Honolulu do?
It moves freight by truck on Oahu: containers from Honolulu Harbor, pallets from warehouses to stores, building materials to job sites, and heavy items to homes and offices. Preferred Transportation Services handles all of these from one dispatch office in Honolulu.
What areas of Oahu do you serve?
All of Oahu, including Honolulu, Kalihi, Mapunapuna, Sand Island, Kapolei, Campbell Industrial Park, Ewa Beach, Waipahu, Pearl City, Aiea, Mililani, Wahiawa, Kaneohe, Kailua and the North Shore.
Is a lorry delivery service the same as truck delivery?
Yes. Lorry is the British word for truck. On Oahu, a lorry delivery service means truck delivery: we pick up your freight and deliver it in a box truck, flatbed or refrigerated truck, with a lift gate or forklift if the site has no dock.
Do you offer freight hauling for full truckloads and single pallets?
Yes. We run single-pallet drops, multi-stop store routes and full truckloads. A 26 ft box truck holds 12 standard 48 x 40 inch pallets on the floor, and a standard flatbed carries up to about 48,000 lbs.
Can you deliver to a site without a loading dock?
Yes. Our lift gates lower 1,500 to 2,500 lbs depending on the truck, and forklift delivery can unload heavier pallets and equipment at job sites and businesses without a dock.
Do you handle refrigerated and frozen trucking?
Yes. Our refrigerated and frozen box trucks hold temperatures down to -10°F for food, floral, medical and other temperature-sensitive freight.
Do trucking companies in Hawaii need a license?
Yes. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission requires a certificate for any motor carrier that moves property for hire over public highways in the state. Preferred Transportation Services holds Hawaii PUC certificate 2398-C and USDOT 2926199.
How do I get a trucking quote?
Send the pickup and delivery addresses, what you're shipping, piece count, weight and dimensions, and whether the sites have a dock. Call (808) 509-8160 or email freight@preferredhawaii.com for a free, no-obligation quote.
Get a Free Trucking Quote in Honolulu
Need freight hauled across Honolulu, Kapolei or anywhere on Oahu? Free, no-obligation quotes Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.