A load board is a website that allows truckers to find trucking companies that are looking for drivers. The site keeps track of the number of available jobs and helps truckers find the best loads to haul.
Truck driving is one of the most popular jobs in America, with over 3 million people employed as truck drivers. This job pays well, but it can be dangerous, so it is important to find a company that will provide you with good benefits and pays you fairly.
The load board provides a platform for people to connect with each other and share information about their respective companies.
How do load boards work?
In short, a freight company with loads for truckers will either advertise truck loads on a load board, or they will pass the details to a broker to manage the job.
Carriers, or truckers, can search relevant truck loads to find a load that matches with their existing routes/jobs. If a carrier finds a job that interests them, they can quote for the work. If they win the job, then the trucker will carry out the work.
What do load boards do?
They provide a valuable service that allows freight companies to advertise work for truckers. The benefits include:
- Reduced deadheading
- Background checks completed on freight customers
- No unnecessary legal fees
- No unnecessary insurance costs
- No complicated and time-consuming contracts
- No need to store loads in a warehouse when there is no one to deliver them
- Simplified load allocation based on driver experience and truck type
- Reduced costs for freight carriers
- Less time wasted transporting empty trucks from point A to point B.
Load boards are a key component of the trucking industry that brings together all parties of the supply chain. They help carriers find work quickly, saving valuable time and money, as well as providing freight companies with access to qualified truckers who do background checks and handle all necessary paperwork.
They also help companies find truckers and connect with them, avoiding confusion and improving the whole process of finding truckers. This makes it easier for carriers, who get the truckers they want.
What should you know about load boards?
There are loads from all over the country on load boards, giving you flexibility if you want to drive long distances. However, load boards aren’t all equal. There are some free load boards, but the best ones will charge for access.
Free load boards
A free load board sounds attractive, however, there is little incentive for anyone to keep the information updated or to check the reputation of any parties in the supply chain.
Paid load boards
Paid load boards are worth the money. The work listed is going to be up to date, and all parties can find out information about a potential supplier. Often this includes the number of days taken to pay bills.
In addition, without a load board, you won’t always see loads that you are qualified to haul. This can cost you money in the long run. You must research the trucking companies that are available before judging a load board.
