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What Is the Best Dry Van Load Board?

If you’re a dry van owner-operator, you know how rewarding the career is. However, it can be challenging to secure loads, especially when starting out. Too much dead time can seriously impact your business, so you’ll want to keep your truck full and on the road. That’s where dry van load boards come into the picture! 

Check out the best dry van load boards to grow and optimize your business today!

Quicklook: Best Dry Van Load Board

5 Best Dry Van Load Boards

These great load boards are a valuable resource for securing dry van freight. 

Truckstop.com Load Board

The Truckstop.com carrier load board offers good quality dry van loads daily. It’s an easy-to-use carrier solution that delivers detailed information on brokers, rates, routes, and industry trends so you can earn more. This load board is over 25 years old and connects you to the best industry professionals through modern technology. 

Best For: Industry Reputation

Services: Connecting truck drivers, shippers, and brokers

Network Size: 250,000+ active loads posted per day

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Searches: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes, 

Carrier Reviews: Yes

Special Features

  • Load comparison
  • Real-time updates 
  • Heat map and multi-trip insights

Benefits: 

  • Highly rated with trusted professionals
  • Search by load or truck type  
  • Real-time industry updates in higher-tier plans 

Disadvantages:

  • Less functionality in the basic version
  • Higher cost than similarly sized competitors

Pricing

  • Basic: $39 per month
  • Advanced: $125 per month
  • Pro: $149 per month

Trucker Path 

Trucker Path is one of the fastest-growing load boards available, with the most popular mobile app. Quickly sort by trailer types to filter down to dry van only loads and get driving. Trucker Path is a one-stop shop for dry van trucking with extra features and industry insights.

Best For: Mobile App

Services: Connecting truck drivers, shippers, and brokers 

Network Size: 150,000+ active loads posted per day

Sort By State: Yes 

Unlimited Searches: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Carrier Reviews: Yes

Special Features

  • Intuitive mobile app and desktop site
  • Round trip and capacity ratio data
  • Live load updates

Benefits: 

  • Comprehensive industry info 
  • Large carrier network
  • Easy to use

Disadvantages: 

  • Many features locked with the essential plan
  • Not all truck stop reviews are reliable

Pricing

  • Essential: $199.99 per year
  • Preferred: $399.99 per year
  • Ultimate: $899.99 per year

Haul Hound

Haul Hound

As a dynamic free load board solution, Haul Hound offers real-time load information so you can find available dry loads without paying a membership fee. Haul Hound even allows you to specify exactly the type and size of the dry van load you can carry. Then as an owner-operator, you can post your available capacity and get loaded with dry van freight instantly. 

Best For: Freight Matching

Services:

  • Digital freight matching for truck drivers and shippers
  • Invoice factoring

Network Size: Fast-growing startup

Sort By State: Yes 

Unlimited Searches: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Carrier Reviews: No

Special Features

  • Innovative instant freight matching

Benefits: 

  • No need to search for loads
  • Deadtime reduction
  • Advanced search options

Disadvantages: 

  • Smaller network 
  • Fewer industry insights

Pricing

  • Basic: Free
  • Pro: $75 

123 Load Board

Find loads quickly and easily to increase your loaded miles with 123 Load Board. This trucker resource is trusted for freight matching, mileage, and routing and is a great load board for finding dry van loads. 123 Load Board is independent and aims to provide the best freight matching for the lowest rate.

Best For: Value 

Services: Connecting truck drivers, shippers, and brokers 

Network Size: 100,000+ active loads posted per day

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Searches: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Carrier Reviews: Yes

Special Features

  • Rates check estimation tool
  • Free mobile app
  • Free fuel card

Benefits: 

  • Calculates truck mileage, routing, and tolls
  • Down-to-the-minute updates
  • Large network

Disadvantages: 

  • Some issues with the PC app 

Pricing

  • Limited usage: Free
  • Standard: $35 per month
  • Premium: $45 per month
  • Premium Plus: $55 per month

NextLoad

Next Load is a free load board with several features that help truck drivers secure loads. Detailed filtering and personalized notifications ensure you will never miss a dry van posting, and the site is set up for you to contact the broker or shipper directly. Plus, expired loads are removed every night, so you never have to worry about irrelevant loads cluttering the list. 

Best For: Free load board

Services: Connecting truck drivers, shippers, and brokers 

Network Size: 65,000+ active loads posted per day

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Searches: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Carrier Reviews: Yes

Special Features:

  • Integrates with TMS systems 
  • “Book Now” from Circle Logistics
  • Credit scores of brokers and shippers

Benefits:

  • Real-time notifications based on your detailed filter settings
  • Fuel finder and fuel discounts
  • Completely free

Disadvantages: 

  • High competition for loads

Pricing: Free

What Is a Dry Van Load Board?

For dry van owner-operators, dry van load boards are invaluable for finding loads and advancing in the industry. Additionally, they connect shippers and brokers to keep both operating at full capacity.

How Does a Dry Van Load Board Work?

On dry van load boards, brokers post leads for loads they need to be transported, and truckers bid on the jobs. This is great for building a positive reputation in the industry and filling up time slots. 

What to Consider With Dry Van Load Boards

Not all dry van load boards offer all the features drivers want. Consider the functionalities you need as an owner-operator to find the best one for your business.

Real-Time Notifications

The trucking industry is fast-moving, and the load boards are no different. Access to real-time notifications can make the difference between getting the loads you want and missing out. 

Market Insight and Demand

Some load boards offer market insight and demand information to make choices that save you time and resources on every load. 

Route Suggestions

Using a load board that provides route suggestions can optimize your business and know where to go. 

Rate Negotiations 

Negotiating load rates is a valuable tool for increasing your income. However, you shouldn’t accept unfavorable load rates, especially those below your cost per mile.

Large Network of Carriers  

The more active a load board is, the more likely you score worthwhile loads. Therefore, look for a load board with a high number of dry van postings and carriers.

Unlimited Searching and Posting 

The more you can search, the more likely you will land fruitful loads. However, some loads limit your searches or posts, especially in the free or lower-tier plans, so look for one with unlimited options. 

Reviews 

Carrier and broker reviews help both companies and drivers build positive reputations so they can know who they should work with. 

Load Boards for Dry Van Truckers

If you’re a dry van owner operator, load boards are an excellent resource for securing loads and minimizing dead time on the road. By bringing the ability to bid on loads to the palm of your hand, you can operate with more freedom and efficiency in your business. So, try any of these load boards, or a combination of them, to secure dry van loads today!

FAQ

Which Load Board Pays the Most?

Load boards are best for building your reputation and filling time slots. While you can land a high-paying load from a load board, you earn the most after building your client base.

Are There Any Free Load Boards?

There are many excellent free load boards you can check out.

Are Load Boards Worth It?

Load boards are absolutely worth it. They simplify the process of finding loads and connect you with brokers.

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