How Dry Van Carriers Can Find the Right Loads Faster

The Challenges of Finding Consistent Dry Van Freight

With so many dry van carriers on the road, it’s harder than ever for owner-operators to find steady, good-paying loads. To stay profitable, you need to be smart and strategic about finding the right loads—especially with rising costs and tough competition. Not only does it require standing out among your competitors, but it also requires navigating high operating costs, controlling your fuel costs, and being flexible enough to take on loads that require specialized handling.

Market and economic factors

• High competition: The dry van market is saturated, making it a challenge to find profitable loads. During market downturns, shippers consolidate their freight with larger carriers, leaving independent owner-operators and small fleets to compete for fewer and lower-paying loads.
• Volatile market: Seasonal factors can cause shifts in demand and rates.
• Inconsistency: Some load boards cater to different equipment types and require specific search strategies to secure dry van freight.
• Economic slowdowns: Lower consumer confidence can lead to less freight volume. Consumer goods are key commodities for dry vans, and in a weak economy, less freight is shipped.

Operational challenges

• Cost pressures: Fuel and other operating costs can erode margins. Lower-paying loads might not even cover the costs of staying on the road, so competition for high-paying freight is fierce.
• Unprofitable routes: Too many empty miles and too much wait time can make any load unprofitable, even if the rate seems reasonable at first glance. Additionally, finding a profitable backhaul in low-demand areas can jeopardize profits.
• Specific freight needs: If a load requires special handling or specific delivery requirements, your costs might increase. Specialized freight you’re not equipped to handle means you have even fewer load options.
• Outdated dispatching: When it comes to finding the right load at the right time, timing is everything. If you’re manually searching for decent rates and loads, going back and forth from load board to load board and app to app, you’re missing opportunities.

Finding opportunities

• Target loads that match your capabilities: Focus on loads that match your capabilities. Seek freight partners and brokers who specialize in the types of loads you can handle.
• Build relationships: Reach out to brokers who frequently posts loads that match your capabilities. The more you work with a broker and prove your value, the more consistently they’ll look to you to move their loads.
• Use technology tools that do the work for you: Leverage the power of the right load board—one built to meet your specific needs. To help you succeed in today’s volatile, unpredictable freight market, Truckstop built a simpler load board just for you: The Truckstop Load Board exclusively for dry vans.

Why the Truckstop Dry Van Load Board Stands Out

Only Truckstop offers a load board dedicated solely to dry van carriers and owner-operators—a more affordable, simpler way to find dry van loads. Prioritizing quality over quantity, the Truckstop Load Board for dry vans serves up legitimate loads posted by verified brokers, so you always know the loads you are seeing for dry van freight are real and ready for you to book. Truckstop Load Board Pro for dry vans uses SONAR insights to give you access to the market insights you need to negotiate higher rates and plan for seasonal rate trends.

• Find the best, most relevant loads easier and faster than ever.
• Get the features available in our flagship load board—refined and focused to meet the needs of dry van carriers.
• As the van segment faces the lowest per-mile rates in the industry, Truckstop introduces a lower price point, so you’re paying just for what you need—nothing you don’t.
• Exclusive SONAR Insights provide same-day rate recommendations and trend data, so you always know the market and never leave money on the table. (Available on Pro.)

Advanced Search Filters That Save Time

For maximum visibility and exposure to load opportunities available on the Truckstop Load Board for dry vans, you get the ability to perform unlimited searches and post unlimited trucks and lanes and let the dry van loads come to you. And with advanced features and filters that help you cut to the chase to find the right load at the right time, you’ll spend less time searching and more time hauling. Here are some Truckstop-only innovations built right in to the dry van load board—tools that refine your search, save you hours of time, and keep your wheels turning:

Private Loads – Use this feature to view private loads and spot loads all in one place. Private Loads shows you loads from brokers you’re already onboarded with—right alongside public loads, so you don’t miss out on the best freight options. No more switching between load boards and chasing loads because you weren’t looking in the right place at the right time.

Authority Age Filter – For new authorities, it can be challenging to find brokers to work with. The Authority Age Filter lets you filter load results to match brokers you’re qualified to work with based on how long you’ve had your authority. You’ll see a broker’s authority age requirement posted right in the load details, so you never waste time on loads that require a longer authority.

Load Popularity – This feature helps you win better paying loads—even in the competitive dry van market. Load Popularity prioritizes loads with less competition, so you gain more negotiating power and a better chance of winning the loads you want.

Onboarded Status – Every owner-operator wants to skip the paperwork and get on the road. Using Onboarded Status, you can instantly identify brokers you’re already approved with and skip the time-consuming onboarding process. By maximizing existing broker relationships, you’ll likely get consistent loads and win more bookings.

Backhaul Search – Minimize deadheads—increase profits. Backhaul Search swaps your origin and destination to help you quickly find backhauls and avoid driving empty miles that eat into your margins.

Maximizing Revenue with Dry Van Load Board Tools

A critical aspect of realizing success and profitability as an independent freight carrier of any size and type is to have a thorough understanding of your numbers. Not only should you know how much you make per load, but you need to have a command on what your expenses are, so you can cut costs where you can. You should know how much you need to pay yourself, pay your bills, and keep your equipment in working order so the cash consistently comes in.

As a dry van owner-operator facing the challenges unique to your equipment type, extra diligence is necessary to protect your cash flow—especially during economic downturns or recessions related to the industry.

To stay profitable, you need to know what a load is really worth. With SONAR Insights exclusively built into Truckstop Load Board Pro for dry vans, you get real-time rate data and market trends that help you book smarter. Instead of guessing, you can negotiate with confidence, plan around seasonal slowdowns, and avoid leaving money on the table. It’s a faster, more informed way to find the right loads at the right price every time.

The Truckstop Load Board for dry vans puts tools at your fingertips that save you tons of time, and no matter how long you’ve been in trucking, you’re well aware that time = money. And the more time you can save searching, planning, and contemplating your plan of action, the more time you’ll spend driving and earning money.

Mobile Optimization: Finding Loads on the Road

As a dry van driver trying to find loads, it’s important to maintain your productivity and practice good time-management, whether you’re in your home office or your cab: your “office” on the road. Truckstop Go(TM), our mobile app, is included with the Truckstop Load Board for dry vans, so you can find and book loads, maintain broker relationships, and even factor loads on the go. Equipped with Truckstop Go, you can keep pressing on, keeping pace, and keeping ahead of your competitors—no matter where you are—to ensure your dry van is always loaded and earning money for you.

Your Next Dry Van Load is Waiting

As a dry van owner-operator, you’ve got your work cut out for you, no doubt. It’s time to pull out all the stops. With the right tools, the right strategy, and a laser-sharp focus on finding the right dry van loads at the right time, you can enjoy the career you signed up for: Time spent on the open road, the satisfaction of doing the meaningful work of keeping the country moving forward, and the freedom to run your business the way you want. Ready to find your next load? Start using the Truckstop Dry Van Load Board today.

FIND LOADS NOW