How To Get Loads For Your Trucking Business

American logistics represents a highly integrated supply chain between manufacturers, intermediaries, and consumers using air, sea, rail, and road transport. The U.S. logistics industry transports about 18 billion tons of goods worth around $19.2 trillion annually. Of this, 11.3% is accounted for by small (LTL) freight shipments with up to 10 tons.

The development of retail trade due to the sharp rise in e-commerce since 2020 has significantly boosted the LTL industry. The annual market size growth rate is 3.5%, despite freight costs increasing on average by 4.1%. That’s why owning a truck or trucking business opens up such vast prospects. However, it also requires constantly answering the question of how to get freight contracts for owner-operators due to high market competition.

Six Ways on How to Get Loads for Trucks in 2024

Online Load Boards or Logistics Exchanges

 

Among the clients needing trucking services are retail, manufacturers, construction companies, forestry, agriculture, fisheries, chemical, and petroleum industries. While manufacturing and the chemical industry have steady volumes, other industries require transportation on a case-by-case basis. This forces them to find transport for specific tasks when the route is closed.

For such cases, specialized platforms and marketplaces are used. These platforms have brought together transportation and logistics companies, large and small shippers, fleet owners, and several vehicles into a single information system.

Requests are posted on exchanges with details such as:

• Route
• Type of loads to haul
• Weight
• Dimensions
• Timeframes for completing the request
• Insurance conditions
• Document workflow methods
• Payment format
• Possibility of additional loading

The advantage of such platforms is a constant flow of orders for semi-truck loads from real clients, with the need to close the route here and now, as well as payment guarantees through the platform’s intermediary services.

The disadvantage of logistics exchanges is high competition and constant price dumping from other small carriers who want to find loads for trucks.

Please note that on such platforms, funds may be frozen until the order is fulfilled, requiring personal investment in hiring staff or refueling transport in the case of long-distance routes.

Moreover, to fully load the transport without downtime, you need to monitor the network practically 24/7, as regular clients very rarely come from this channel.

Freight Brokers for Owner Operators

A broker is an intermediary who assists businesses in transportation, finds local loads for owner-operators, and handles documentation. Such brokers often work with specific types of businesses: retail, manufacturing, or industrial. They have a permanent client base, ensuring a regular flow of orders for truck driver loads.

This method of obtaining orders has the advantage of regular dispatches, relieving operators and truck owners of bureaucratic hassles, ensuring agreements with carriers, and potentially providing technical support.

The downside of brokers for operators is transportation fees and specialization in specific types of cargo (dry, perishable, liquids).

Such conditions may be suitable for established transportation operators who constantly have the opportunity to allocate trucks for hauling loads to avoid downtime. For example, HH Express provides flexible and favorable conditions for truck operators, providing 24/7 support and competitive rates in North America. You will always have orders at the best prices; learn more about the terms here.

Your Network

About 90% of transportation operators work within one region or state. Moreover, local businesses operate similarly, mostly catering to consumers in one area. Therefore, it is reasonable and profitable for LTL providers to build direct relationships with companies.

Agricultural companies supplying their products to local stores or retail networks delivering products from a central warehouse to state stores may offer not regular but profitable container loads for owner operators. Therefore, it is important to build your network and partnerships.

• Create a single-page website specifying the region and type of transportation your company uses.
• Set freight rates considering both constant and variable orders.
• Prepare a commercial proposal that you can send to local business owners.
• Place banner ads at the entrances to your truck parking lot.
• Call companies during the season when demand for orders increases.

The advantages of this approach are favorable rates for transportation, a familiar close region and transportation routes, and direct relationships with customers

The downside of your network is the need to work with documentation, payments, and self-management of the loading and unloading process on-site.

Favorable prices do indeed offset this method, but during market downtime or off-season, your transportation may still be idle.

Dispatch Services

Dispatch service is your personal logistics provider that allows you to find loads for box trucks directly according to the operator’s requirements. Such companies or private experts already have established relationships with major brokers, manufacturers, or 3PL providers. Dispatchers are primarily interested in advocating for the operator’s interests:

• Finding cargo in the required region
• Choosing conditions for loading or full loading
• Selecting the necessary freight rate
• Approving compensation terms
• Handling paperwork on the customer’s side.

The advantages of this method, if you need to find a load to haul, are that the dispatcher is independently interested in negotiating a higher price contract, as they receive a fixed percentage (usually around 5%) of the route’s cost.

The downside is that such orders are usually one-time, and it is unlikely to obtain regular clients through this method.

Become a Government Contractor

Government contracts are a lucrative way to get loads for trucks for a long term with consistent and stable conditions. Here, you can utilize all of the operator’s assets, plan and outline routes in advance, receive compensation or discounts on fuel or maintenance.

The advantages of a government contract are comprehensive support, a pre-reserved flow of orders, and clear predetermined conditions.

This method’s drawbacks include payment delays, bureaucratic delays, the need to obtain licenses, insurance, document exchange, and control of loading and unloading operations.

Please note that part of government contracting goes through tender platforms, so you may need legal assistance to submit bids.

Lease-On with a Company

Leasing commercial transportation involves temporarily providing logistics companies with transport, subsequently branding them, and using them to fulfill their own needs. In this model, transport can be provided with drivers and support staff, such as mechanics and fitters, as well as purely as equipment.

Leasing can be structured as freight costs with subsequent transfer of the equipment to the owner for depreciation or as a fixed cost with self-maintenance at the leasing operator.

The advantages of this method include full truck utilization with orders, regular payments, and access to a closed client base.

The downside is lower freight rates, high wear and tear on the transport, and lack of control over operation.

This model allows for stable earnings, but it is more suited as passive income.

Tips on Finding Loads for Truck Drivers

How do truckers get loads with better conditions? It’s simple: they follow three basic rules.

1. Self-searching. Even if an operator is currently using dispatcher or broker services, they can still monitor the availability of new orders within their own network. According to statistics, 7 out of 10 orders go to logistics companies or brokers, but only after being offered through acquaintances or verified operators. Collect contacts of your customers’ logistics personnel and leave your business cards. This way, you’ll get an additional 10% to your current workload for sure.
2. Proactivity. During periods of stagnation or offseason, call major retailers, network companies, or agricultural enterprises. At this time, you can receive an urgent order, which 90% of large companies will refuse due to route fixation, but for you, it could be a profitable contract.
3. Flexibility in conditions. If you are idle for more than half of the season, expand your working perimeter, for example, by 10-20 miles around the state, and lower prices by 5-10% from freight. It will also be a plus if you take courses in logistics operations to understand route sheet preparation, acts, and documentation signing.

So, where to find truck loads?

If you are a local company with a large fleet, it’s better to turn to a broker or delegate some tasks to a dispatch service, which will ensure full utilization and high turnover of funds for you. If you only have a couple of trucks, it’s better to search for orders through your network or specialized platforms independently. Remember, over 75% of your customers are small and medium-sized businesses without permanent logistics operations. Perhaps you will become their personal transportation operator on the best terms in your region.