By the end of this lesson you can
- Read every field of a load post
- Run a load board search that fits the truck
- Build a broker list and plan the reload before booking
Start here
The simple version
Think of it like this: A load board is like a job board for trucks. Brokers post the trips they need done, and dispatchers look for ones that fit their truck.
- Start with where the truck will be empty, and when.
- Look on load boards for loads near that place.
- Call the broker, ask questions and check that the broker is real.
- Think about the next trip too. Where can the truck go after this one?
Words to know
- Load board
- A website where brokers post loads that need a truck.
- Lane
- A trip a truck runs often, like from Dallas to Atlanta.
- Deadhead
- Driving with an empty trailer. It costs money and earns nothing.
- Reload
- The next load the truck picks up after it drops off.
Got the idea? The full lesson below goes step by step, with real examples, practice and checklists.
Where loads come from
Independent dispatchers find most freight in two places: load boards, where brokers post available loads, and direct broker relationships, where brokers call or email the loads they need covered. Widely used load boards include DAT, Truckstop and 123Loadboard; most carriers subscribe to at least one. Compare current plans yourself: features and prices change.
Over time, aim to move more of your carriers' freight to brokers you know. Repeat brokers mean faster setup, fewer surprises and better odds of being offered loads before they're posted.
Reading a load post
| Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Origin / destination | City and state; zip codes help estimate deadhead and miles |
| Pickup date and time | A window or appointment; check it against the driver's hours |
| Equipment | Required trailer type and length |
| Weight and length | Total weight and linear feet; check against the truck's legal cargo weight |
| Full or partial | Whether the load fills the trailer |
| Rate | Often blank; a posted rate is a starting point, not a final offer |
| Trip miles | Loaded miles; check them yourself with a truck route |
| Broker and credit info | Broker name, MC number and the board's payment indicators |
| Age | How long the post has been up; older posts may be harder to cover or already gone |
A search routine that works
- Start from where the truck will be empty and when, not from where you'd like it to go.
- Set a deadhead radius the carrier can afford. Every empty mile costs money (lesson 6).
- Filter by equipment, weight and length the truck can take.
- Sort by pickup date and look at destinations: where will the truck reload next?
- Shortlist loads, check each broker (lesson 9), then call. Have the truck's numbers ready.
- Before you book, look at reload options near the destination for the delivery day.
Lanes and markets
A lane is a regular origin-destination pair. Some regions ship far more freight than they receive, and rates out of them are usually stronger; regions that mostly receive freight tend to have weaker outbound rates. Load boards publish market data (load-to-truck ratios, lane rates) that shows which way the market is leaning today. Use it to plan two or three loads ahead, not just the next one.
Ask each carrier for their preferred lanes, home time and places they won't go. A plan that respects home time keeps drivers, and a dispatcher who keeps drivers keeps clients.
Building broker relationships
- After a load delivers on time, tell the broker you have the same truck in the same lane next week.
- Keep a broker list with contact, lanes they run, payment speed and any problems.
- Post the truck on load boards when it will be empty so brokers can find you.
- Be the dispatcher who answers the phone and sends updates without being asked.
Practice scenario
Planning out of a weak market
A dry van will be empty in a city with few outbound loads on Thursday at noon. Two loads are offered from there: one to a busy distribution region paying slightly less, and one to a small town paying more.
Your turn:
- How do you compare the two?
- What do you check before booking either?
- What do you do if neither works?
Think it through, then show the model answer
- Compare true RPM including deadhead, then look at what the truck can reload from each destination on the delivery day. The busy region often wins even at a lower rate.
- The broker (authority, bond, contact on FMCSA record), weight and length against the truck, pickup times against the driver's hours, and reload options at the destination.
- Widen the deadhead radius to a stronger nearby market, check partials, post the truck on the board, and call brokers you know who run that area.
Common mistakes
- Searching from where you want the truck to go instead of where it will be empty.
- Ignoring the reload market at the destination.
- Calling on a load before checking the broker.
- Relying only on load boards instead of building repeat brokers.
Broker contact list
One row per broker you work with.
Broker | MC | Contact name | Phone (from FMCSA record?) | Email | Lanes they run | Equipment | Payment speed | Quick pay? | Notes / issues
Key takeaways
- Search from where the truck will be empty, with a deadhead limit and the truck's real weight and length.
- Judge a load together with the reload out of its destination.
- Grow repeat broker relationships; they bring better freight than cold load board searches.
Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then tap to compare.
1. Two loads pay the same. One delivers to a busy shipping region, the other to an area with few outbound loads. Which do you prefer?
Usually the one into the busy region, because the reload will be easier and closer. Check the market data and reload options for both.
2. What should you do before calling a broker about a load?
Check the broker (authority, bond, payment record) and have the truck's equipment, weight limit, location and available time ready.
3. What is a lane?
A regular origin-destination pair the truck runs.
Free THC tools for this lesson
Official sources
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm your situation with the agency or a professional.