10/22/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/23/2024 09:17
A vast majority of the goods transported across the United States are moved via freight trucks. But how do these products find their trucks and routes? Planning such a vast network seems like an almost impossible task, but that's where load boards come into play. In this article, we'll explain what they are and how they work so you can gain a better understanding of the industry.
Load boards are online platforms used by truck owner-operators, brokers, and shippers to advertise loads that need to be transported and match them with a means of transportation to keep freight moving across the country.1 You can typically search and filter by criteria like location, weight, and timeframe. Typically, these boards allow you to match, message, make notes, manage finances, and complete other steps required in the freight moving industry.2
These boards are hosted online, like any other service and community platform that connects service providers with customers. Users of the board will pay a subscription fee to have access to the platform , post loads they need moved, or owner-operator availability. The platform will then enable all relevant parties, like brokers and shippers, to communicate with each other. ACV Transportation makes the process easier by offering a free load board.
Typically, a freight broker or shipper will search for available trucks, or an owner-operator/carrier will look for loads they can take on. Each listing can have all of the relevant details included, like the equipment, destination, or weight of the load.1
Shipping plays an invaluable role in our nation's economy, and these load boards offer efficiency within the industry by allowing relevant parties to find each other, match up, and get connected-all in real time.1 Load boards are convenient and easily accessible from anywhere in the world. Since they're available 24/7 and constantly being updated, they eliminate time difference problems that could otherwise slow down deliveries.2 Plus, they're as easy to use as any other common online platform, such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Airbnb.
As we mentioned, many different players within the shipping industry will use load boards, so the use-case can vary depending on who is logging on. Let's break down how the platform works for the various roles involved:
There are many types of shipments out there - so there isn't a one-size-fits all approach with load boards. To accommodate the variation within the shipping and freight hauling industry, there are many types of load boards available, each with a specialty. For example, there are traditional load boards like we've discussed above.
There are also LTL boards ("Less than truckload") that allow partial loads to be matched to fill another trailer.
Finally, there are boards dedicated to miscellaneous types of loads that don't fit the previous two standard categories and may display more unique requests, like moving a boat or transporting vehicles. While these aren't perceived as routine jobs, many trucking companies can specialize in this area.2
If you are an auto transporter and are looking for more loads to transport, partner with ACV Transportation. We work with car dealerships all over the United States to move vehicle inventory from dealerships locally, regionally, and nationally. We also have a free load board, in addition to a dispatch team that's available weeknights and weekends, and we offer a dedicated account manager to help you grow your business. Plus, we offer fast payments so you'll get paid within five business days of submitting a BOL.Reach out to us to learn more and get started.