Electrical transport properties of CdSe thin-film transistors have been examined as a function of lateral distance from Cr contacts. The results show that the channel conductivity is enhanced in the vicinity of the contacts and drops sharply at a critical distance. The magnitude of this distance is sensitive to the surface treatment prior to CdSe deposition. Hall-effect measurements show an increasing electron mobility with increasing gate voltage, consistent with gate-voltage-induced lowering of grain-boundary potential barriers.