5 Ways Owner Operators Can Maximize Profits with a Load Board

Owner-operators keep our country moving. Even when faced with uncertain weather, truck shortages, and record inflation numbers, truckers work long days nights, logging hundreds of thousands of miles per year to keep business moving.  

It’s hard, important work and with a  good load board in your owner-operator toolkit, you can maximize profits on each load, putting more money in your pocket. 

“Our business uses Truckstop load board the most out of all our subscriptions. Truckstop has the most loads to choose from and a full breakdown of the trucking industry like ratios of trucks to loads and rate per mile. Truckstop has the most brokers that put an actual description of loads. I also like the feature of rate estimates, it helps me negotiate better rates for my drivers. Truckstop is the best load board thus far.” Gary A. 

We know time is money and using a reliable load board that matches you to quality loads with less hassle in less time, makes your business run smoother. 

Here are five ways to use a load board to increase your profitability. 

Filter by rate

With a quality load board, you should be able to filter the loads by rate.  

Remember to consider these elements of rate before choosing one. 

• Rate per mile 
• Expected delivery time 
• Number of loads in each lane 
• Weight and classification 
• Fuel surcharges 
• Payment terms  

You will likely find several loads for each lane and load boards make it easy to filter by the best rate. Keep in mind you can also negotiate rates with the broker to get the rate you deserve, based on market averages. 

Run similar lanes

When you run similar lanes, you become familiar with the market expectation for those lanes. Knowing average rates helps you negotiate from an informed position with specifics to back you up.  

Running similar lanes also allows you to lock in regular loads, giving you more consistent work—and income. This helps you find the best opportunity for your time and your business to keep you on the road. 

Build relationships with trusted brokers

Strong relationships with brokers you trust can have a positive, long-term effect on your annual pay.  

Having a reliable network of brokers helps you:  

• Book loads faster 
• Run the lanes you prefer 
• Have more transparent rate negotiations 

Building broker relationships helps make you the first call when a broker needs a load moved with the work you want.

Fill your truck

If you have less-than-truckload (LTL), you can search loads that will fill that empty space. One extra drop or pickup is often a negligible cost when you fill your truck with product that increases the pay of the load. Maximizing your capacity in today’s economy could be the thing that keeps you profitable. Every little bit adds up. 

“If I can fill my truck, I always will. Making the most money possible is always the goal.” Brian Morrill 

Avoid bad backhauls

Low rates on backhauls can break your business. It’s important to maximize every load, even the ones coming home.  

The trick to getting great backhauls is planning your loads in advance so you have more control of where you go and what rate you accept.  

Truckstop Load Board can help. 

With a quality load board, maximizing your profits is easy if you know the correct tools to use. Ready to sign up for the load board? Get started today!