How to get hotshot loads Free Load Finder
Hotshot freight is mostly time-sensitive flatbed work: equipment, machinery parts, building materials and oilfield loads. It comes from load boards, brokers and direct shippers. Type your USDOT number to see what your FMCSA record allows and who to call near you.
What the Load Finder shows
Your load calendar
The dates your authority passes 90 and 180 days, when more brokers and Amazon Relay open up.
Amazon Relay fit
Your FMCSA record against Amazon's published minimums, and the exact day you reach its 180-day minimum.
Brokers to call
Brokers near your address with active authority and a bond on file, with phone numbers.
Shippers to call
Companies near you registered with FMCSA as shippers, for direct freight.
Questions
Do I need a CDL for hotshot trucking?
A Class A CDL is needed when the truck and trailer together are rated 26,001 lbs or more and the trailer alone is rated over 10,000 lbs. Many hotshot setups cross that line; check the ratings on both door stickers.
Does a hotshot need its own authority?
Yes, to haul other people's freight across state lines for pay under your own name. Otherwise you can lease onto a carrier that has authority.
Can a hotshot haul for Amazon Relay?
Hotshot rigs aren't on Amazon's Relay equipment list, which names box trucks, tractors with 53' dry vans, 53' reefers and 48' trailers, and drayage containers.
How do I get loads with a new authority?
First make sure FMCSA shows your authority as active with your insurance filing on record (the check above does this). Then use several sources at once: load boards, brokers that book new carriers, shippers near you that you contact directly, and a dispatcher who already has broker relationships. Amazon Relay opens once your authority is 180 days old.
How old does my MC have to be before brokers book me?
There is no FMCSA rule. Each broker sets its own minimum in its carrier setup, so answers differ from broker to broker. Amazon Relay publishes its minimum: interstate authority active at least 180 days.
Where does the list of brokers near me come from?
From FMCSA's public records: companies near your registered address with active broker authority and a surety bond or trust fund on file. Being on the list is not a recommendation. Check any broker with our Broker Check before you haul for them.
Why call local brokers and shippers?
Load boards show the same loads to everyone. A broker or shipper in your own town sees you as a local truck they can count on, which is often how a new carrier gets its first steady freight.
Do you save my USDOT number?
No. The check reads FMCSA's public records for the number you type and shows the result.
Load Finder by truck
- How to get loads for a box truck
- How to get loads for a cargo van
- How to get loads as a new owner-operator