Best Load Boards for Truckers

Trucking is a competitive industry, and it’s usually difficult for start-ups to find loads to transport. Many shippers have developed close relationships with their carriers, and as such, they don’t want to entrust their livelihoods to anyone else, especially strangers. 

Fortunately, newcomers can turn to trucker load boards when it’s time to locate shipments and build rapport with shippers. This guide will provide useful information regarding the best load boards so that you can decide which ones might benefit your business the most.

Quicklook: Best Load Boards for Truckers

• Best For Specialized Vehicles or Loads: Truckstop
• Best For Last-Minute Loads: Uber Freight – Find Loads
• Best For Expanding Companies: Convoy – Find Loads
• Best For Free Load Boards: Trucker Path – Find Loads
• Best For Cost Value: 123Loadboard – Find Loads
• Best For Customized Features: Direct Freight – Find Loads
• Best For All Size Fleets: DAT Solutions – Find Loads

7 Best Load Boards for Truckers

Load boards help keep the economy moving by getting the products we need from point A to point B. Here are the boards that are frequently used by truckers looking for their next load. 

Truckstop.com

If you want access to a large quantity of quality loads, this board is the one. It will make it possible for you to see new loads in real time. Truckstop will also let you compare up to ten loads at once so that you can choose the one that works for you. You can even use the app to negotiate directly with brokers. Select from one of the three pricing plans offered by Truckstop and watch your business grow.

Best For: Specialized Vehicles or Loads

Network Size: More than 600,000 load listings

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Search and Posting: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes, included in the Pro Plan

Company Reviews: Yes

View Pay Cycles: Yes

Company Credit Score Visibility: No, but in-app credit features are available

Special Features:

• Reputation of excellence 
• Will help you break into the industry
• Large network

Benefits:

• Search by load type or truck type
• Highly rated
• Fast payment
• Market insights with Pro plan

Disadvantages:

• Pricing is high for most advanced features
• Less loads available than some competitors 

Pricing:

• Basic Plan:
  • $39 per month 
• Advanced Plan:
  • $125 per month
  • Broker credit 
  • Days-to-pay feature
• Pro Plan:
  • $149 per month
  • Real-time load boards
  • Route planning
  • Broker credit 

Uber Freight

A great load board for truckers is Uber Freight. The company offers the advantage of being under the umbrella of the well-known Uber brand. Uber’s simplicity and ease of use translates well to the company’s freight service. Uber Freight eliminates the need to go through a broker as a way of locating loads by connecting you directly to shippers. The company recently developed a program to consolidate LTL traffic and build the freight into an FTL shipment. As Uber Freight continues to grow, so will the services and features that are made available to its customers.

Best For: Last Minute Loads

Network Size: 

• 50,000 carriers 
• Companies of all sizes
• Small businesses to Fortune 500 companies 

Sort By State: 

• No
• Sort by short, regional or long distance 

Unlimited Search and Posting: Unlimited search

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Company Reviews: Yes, and facility reviews

View Pay Cycles: Paid within 7 days of load delivery

Company Credit Score Visibility: No

Special Features:

• No negotiations
• Select and pick up load right away

Benefits:

• Facility reviews
• Fair market pricing
• Instant booking
• Ease of use
• Greater earning potential

Disadvantages:

• Higher fees
• Little information provided by app 
• Reduces potential clients

Pricing: 

• Free
• Uber fees built into app pricing

Convoy

As a leader in digital freight networks, Convoy offers an efficient trucker load board. The company uses a fully connected freight marketplace that incorporates machine learning, automation and software services to connect shippers with carriers. The benefits are lower shipping costs, increased carrier earnings, improved efficiency, real-time planning capability and transparent supply chain insights.  

Best For: Expanding Companies

Network Size: 

• Three million truck drivers
• Clients include Unilever, P&G, Wayfair and more 

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Search and Posting: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Company Reviews: Yes

View Pay Cycles: Yes

Company Credit Score Visibility: No

Special Features:

• Transparent data and insights to choose the best loads
• High quality and compliance standards
• Search by state, zip code, geographic region or load type

Benefits:

• Real-time data
• Large network of shippers
• Biggest companies in North America
• Set up load bidding in minutes

Disadvantages:

• More expensive option
• More competition if you are not an official Convoy carrier
• Load volume control issues with the app

Pricing: Free to use

Trucker Path Truckloads

As a free trucker load board, there are various features you’ll have access to at no cost. They include searches by weight, load, route and credit score checks for brokers. With over 150,000 listings posted daily, carriers can easily find loads for their vehicle type. The mobile app makes managing your account simple and effective as well.

Best For: Free Load Board App

Network Size:

• 300,000 monthly users
• Over 800,000 registered users

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Search and Posting: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Company Reviews: Yes

View Pay Cycles: Yes

Company Credit Score Visibility: Yes

Special Features:

• Advanced address search
• Updates parking availability
• Large network

Benefits:

• Apply via huge network
• All-in-one solution
• Buy trucks and select jobs

Disadvantages:

• Misleading reviews of some truck stops.

Pricing:

• App with limited free usage
• Essentials Plan: $16.67 per month or $199.99 annually
• Preferred Plan: $33.33 per month or $399.99 annually
• Ultimate Plan: $74.99 per month or $899.99 annually

123Loadboard

This is the solution you want for an affordable trucker load board that allows you to negotiate and create hauling contracts. The prices are reasonable for most owner-operators, and they have a knowledgeable and friendly support team to assist you throughout the process. As a customer, you’ll be treated fairly and respectfully as they believe customer loyalty is key to their success.

Best For: Low-Cost Features

Network Size: Over 68 million truckloads posted annually.

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Search and Posting: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Company Reviews: Yes

View Pay Cycles: 

• Individual with carrier
• Payments within three to four weeks

Company Credit Score Visibility: Yes

Special Features:

• TransCredit scores for brokers
• Rate checks
• Quick payments
• 10-day free trial with each plan

Benefits:

• Cost insights
• Free to post loads 
• Large network

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t have a hotshot filter
• Complaints about the PC version of the app

Pricing:

• Free app with limited usage
• Standard: $35 per month
• Premium: $45 per month
• Premium Plus: $55 per month

Direct Freight

Founded in 1997, Direct Freight allows load posts free of charge. With a premium subscription, features include route planning, load filtering, saved searches, weather reports, and a lot more. Direct Freight partners with a software company to make a user interface that is both intuitive and simple, including a recently updated app. 

Best For: Customized Features

Network Size: More than 300,000 daily loads

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Search and Posting: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Company Reviews: Yes

View Pay Cycles: No

Company Credit Score Visibility:  Yes

Special Features:

• Credit reports
• Free option

Benefits:

• Low-cost option
• Improved load filtering
• Text alerts

Disadvantages:

• No guaranteed quotes
• Insurance issues in some cases

Pricing: $34.95 per month

DAT Solutions

With over 485,000 loads per day and a database of 1.3 million trucks, DAT solutions is an industry leader as well as one of the most trusted load boards according to professional truckers. Finding freight is faster and easier thanks to their load board for truckers. DAT is one of the most recommended load boards by truckers, as well as the pioneer of online load boards in the U.S. Most truckers, love the load rates and how simple it is to find new customers, which is why DAT is growing at such a fast rate.   

Best For: All Fleet Sizes

Network Size: Over 1.3 million trucks in their network

Sort By State: Yes

Unlimited Search and Posting: Yes

Real-Time Notifications: Yes

Company Reviews: Yes, as well as trucker insurance information

View Pay Cycles: Yes

Company Credit Score Visibility: Yes

Special Features:

• Solutions for everyone in the freight business
• Vast network of brokers
• Shows average route rates

Benefits:

• Easily see average price for routes and loads when making quotes
• Bid on loads
• See how much other carriers bid to stay up with competitors
• Detailed broker information including credit score, reviews, and more

Disadvantages:

• Some billing issues reported
• Customer service responses could use improvement in some cases

Pricing:

• TruckersEdge Standard: $39.95 per month
• TruckersEdge Enhanced: $139 per month
• TruckersEdge Professional: $149 per month
• Power Select Carrier: $170 per month
• Power Office Carrier: $280 per month

What Is a Load board for Truckers?

A trucker load board connects shippers to carriers in an online marketplace. Shippers and brokers post their available loads in these marketplaces so that carriers can find the loads and then offer to transport them. The majority of these load boards allows postings and searches based on specific criteria that match loads with the right carriers.

How Does a Load Board Work?

Shippers post available freight as well as the equipment needed to safely move the shipment and any other relevant delivery information. The carrier will then search the trucker load board to find the best option. 

After communicating, the shipper and the carrier will make arrangements to have the shipment picked up and then delivered. That said, there may be negotiations available if the feature is offered on the site or via an app.

Advantages of Load Boards for Truckers

If you own a small fleet or you are a new owner-operator, a load board can make getting those first few loads a breeze. From there, you’ll continue to build contacts and gain more experience as you go. Some other advantages are reduced deadheading, 24-hour online access and straightforward payment options.

Disadvantages of Load Boards for Truckers

The major disadvantage of load boards for truckers is that they are not a profitable long-term strategy. It’s better to get direct contracts so that you can be in control and keep all of the revenue that you make. 

Using a load board also means dealing with strangers and a decent amount of competition. If the board doesn’t have credit scores or reviews for the companies that you’re dealing with, then you’re going to be taking a real risk as the carrier.

Research Load Boards To Find The Perfect Match

A load board can help you find shipments and partnerships that align with your business needs. However, it’s important that you not just choose the first one you find because not all load boards are created equally. 

Start by conducting research, at which point you can compare rates, features and services. Check the reviews and talk to experienced truckers who were once in the same place.

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