Also known as a “straight truck,” box trucks come in different sizes and often function as small dry van trailers within the trucking industry. They are ideal for smaller loads and typically can be driven by someone without a CDL, which is why the popularity of box trucks has soared in recent months. As an owner operator or someone working for a trucking company, you may be asking yourself, “Where can I find loads for box trucks?” Some load boards don’t include box truck freight and some freight brokers and shippers may not have freight suitable for box trucks. Luckily, there are tools and strategies that you can use to find freight for your box truck(s) (or other types of freight) to keep those wheels turnin’ and earnin’.
Use a Real-Time Load Board
One of the most effective ways to find box truck loads is to search a real-time load board like Trucker Tools’. While most load boards require you to pay a monthly fee just to use the technology, Trucker Tools’ load board is free for owner operators and carriers. You can access Trucker Tools’ load board using Trucker Tools’ free driver app or Book a Load carrier software platform. With the app and Book a Load platform, simply enter your pickup date, van equipment type and lane and hit search. From there, restrict your search results to loads that meet the maximum cargo weight for your box truck. You can further refine your search results by state(s), broker name and/or distance from your search location. Once you find a good looking load for your box truck, simply send a message to the freight broker through the app/platform to discuss the rate. You also have the option to call the broker if you prefer.
When choosing a load board to use, you want to make sure that you choose a smart load, i.e. a real-time load board. Load boards like Trucker Tools’ are real-time, driven by the exchange of data between the hundreds of freight brokers using our technology and carriers/drivers like you. When a load is taken by another carrier or owner op on a real-time load board, it’s automatically removed from the load board, which means you’re not spinning your wheels chasing freight that is no longer available. Some load boards don’t require posters to remove their posts once freight is no longer available. Unfortunately, that means that many of the loads you might see on a traditional load board aren’t truly available.
Book Box Truck Loads Instantly With Book It Now®
A convenient way to quickly book loads for your box truck(s) is to use load boards that include Book It Now® freight. Book It Now® loads include the freight broker’s preferred rate. With Book It Now® loads, you can instantly book the load at the freight broker/shipper’s listed rate or send a digital message to the broker/shipper proposing a higher dollar amount on the load. Book It Now® streamlines your process for finding and booking freight for your box truck(s). Instead of calling shippers and freight brokers to find freight, simply perform a quick load search in a matter of seconds and then book it with a few taps on your smart phone or clicks of your computer mouse.
Book It Now® is increasing in popularity because it takes a lot of the manual work out of booking freight for carriers and drivers like you. Book It Now® automates the entire process for you and for the freight broker. Once you book the Book It Now® load, it’s automatically scheduled in the broker’s software platform and you’ll automatically receive an email confirming the appointment. The confirmation email will even include reload suggestions for your box truck and suggestions for future loads that meet your search criteria.
Real-Time Rate Info
Finally, in answer to the question of “Where can I find loads for box trucks?,” when selecting a real-time load board you will want to make sure that it includes real-time, real-world rate data. Comprehensive real-world rate data streamlines your process for pricing loads and reduces any manual research you may be doing as your price loads.
On each load that you view in Trucker Tools’ free driver app, you can view the average, low and high SONAR TRAC rates for that type of freight in that particular lane. This data can be enormously helpful as you negotiate rates for freight for your box truck(s). SONAR TRAC rate data is based on rates in that lane from the day before. This info helps you calculate your net profit margins on loads before you contact the broker or shipper about potentially transporting the load. With the most current rate data literally at your fingertips, you’re empowered to maximize your margins on each and every load you move using one of the most trusted rate intelligence platforms in the transportation industry.
Don’t miss our “Best Practices for Long Haul Truckers.”
To download Trucker Tools’ free driver app, visit https://www.truckertools.com/carriers-toolkit/. To start using Trucker Tools’ free Book a Load carrier software platform, visit https://bookaload.truckertools.com/.
