Know about free load search boards from truckers point of view!
If you are a truck driver, you can easily associate with the point that the most important factor of a freight company is receiving profitable loads. Establishing connections, booking for loads which can give you a higher profit margin really becomes difficult when you do not have a trusted platform. With the ever changing scenario in this transportation industry, there has been a change in the networking of this domain too. For more than 20 years, the transportation industry has been using the amazing service of free load search boards making the entire process easier.
But there are few things that you should definitely keep in mind while securing quality loads. Check out some basics first.
What are load boards?
These boards are an online matching platform where both freight brokers, as well as shippers can post their respective loads. With the internet as your demand fulfilment ground, these load search boards are the intermediary platforms to provide you with the required freight.
How does this online board help freight carriers?
Load boards are like bulletin boards where you can post about your truck, its load carrying capacity, the distance, deadhead and even the type of load it will pick up and deliver.
It provides you with thousands of results regarding partial or full truck loads.
When you put your freight truck on this platform and provide service, you collect some credit points. These points are highlighted on these boards which help load owners to select freight carriers who would sit fit on their requirements.
The information which you get from here is latest and up to the minute.
You can directly contact the shippers to avail premium load, that too at exceptionally good rates. If you can acquire high paying loads, you can expect at least 53% of head haul rates.
4 factors to look before securing a load from the board
1. Check trusted load board
There are certain free load boards with rates of service provision to be of few dollars. You should be very careful with those boards. Some platforms are free, while others charge a fixed amount which is usually below $30. It is better to go for noteworthy free boards which have maximum loads and great rates on your route .
2. Estimate lowest carry rate
It is better to have an estimate of your per mile rate before you call on a load. This will help you to analyse the flow of your haul, saving your time being wasted on rate negotiation and selecting loads.
3. Fix miles according to your benefit
Before calling for a load, look for the route as well as the total cost calculation of your complete journey. Make your decisions depending on deadhead miles or on the availability of a profitable load on the return trip.
4.Service provision in times of driver shortage
Transportation market is getting squeezed as the economy is increasing. With it, availability of more free commercial truck drivers is getting reduced. According to a survey in 2014, it was found out that due to freight truck shortage, 77% of shippers expected a very tight shipment. This is the time when you need to keep an extra vigilance towards this free load search boards to provide service at favourable rates.
These are some of the factors and information of good load board online that can help you acquire quality service and profitable rates on freight selection.
About the Author
Jim May is the author of this article on free load search boards.Find more information, about load boards here
Submitted on: 2016-12-25 22:31:55