For anyone who ships freight, a good load board is the most essential tool in the shipper’s toolbox. It not only allows loads to be posted and seen by many available carriers, but it also has features that help organize loads, track freight, and streamline the shipping process.
What is a Load Board?
A load board is an online system that allows shippers to post loads that need to be shipped and for truckers and carriers to find them. Essentially, load boards match people with loads to ship with people who ship loads. Good load boards have useful features that make the entire shipping process move smoothly and allow the shipper to include relevant details about the shipment. This weeds out carriers that don’t meet the shipper’s needs or requirements and streamlines the process.
How a Load Board Can Help a Company Grow
Load boards are much more than a handy tool. Load boards can help companies that need to ship freight grow. Even for shippers who have a loyal list of dependable carriers, load boards can be useful for finding a new carrier in a pinch if shipments fluctuate seasonally or business grows and the shipper finds he needs more carriers.
They are also useful if the shipper needs to send freight to a new location that the current carrier cannot accommodate. With a load board, anywhere a shipment needs to go, there will be a carrier that can take it there.
As a shipper who doesn’t use a load board but instead works directly with a trucking company to deliver goods, life is busy. Taking the time to shop around for better rates is probably out of the question. Load boards can be competitive and can help shippers make new connections at competitive rates. Using a load board allows shippers to expand shipments and expand the business.
It also gives the shipper the lowdown on a carrier’s licenses and whether or not a trucker has a good driving record. In turn, the carrier can see if the shipper is reputable and pays carriers in a timely manner.
Load boards help shippers and carriers avoid deadhead miles so money is being earned on the return trip instead of paying for an empty truck.
Often, shippers use freight brokers as a middleman to facilitate shipping and negotiating while they spend more time running the business. Of course, this comes with added cost. Others prefer a more hands-on approach to shipping and a load board that has an extensive database and useful tools can facilitate that.
DirectFreight.com has everything shippers should be looking for in a load board. With its clear-cut interface, customized features like important saved documents, email and text alerts, and a convenient new app for drivers, Direct Freight is the only load board you’ll ever need. It not only provides current load and truck information, but it also makes your business more organized and professional. Check it out for yourself DirectFreight.com and watch your shipping company flourish!