How can I get high paying loads?

November 23, 2022

When you work as a carrier, the last thing that you need to do is take on loss-making loads. Many carriers, especially those who are new to the system, tend to try and focus on taking on any old job. Even if it means making a loss, so long as you complete the job it will help to build your reputation. That is the prevailing opinion, but it rarely works out like that!

So, you no doubt have one question lingering in your mind: How can I get high paying loads?

This is not as easy as it might seem at first. Here are some useful tips to help you start landing better rates. In time, this should help you to start landing more high-paying roles. The more you can find freight that pays you the best price, the more profitable your work becomes, and thus the more positive you will feel about your role as a carrier. How, then, can you get high paying loads?

How can I get high paying loads?

Get to grips with lane rates

One of the most important parts of your pricing mechanism is going to be evaluating lane rates. Lane rates are very important as these give you a rough average of what people are asking for. Many load boards provide you with access to a 15-to-30-day average for lane rates. Others limit you to a 60-to-90-day ratio. Keep that in mind because if you are going on outdated lane rates you could be leaving a lot of money on the table.

Many brokers will look to take advantage of you if you are not aware of lane rates. Use a load board that gives you access to lane rates, and make sure that it is made clear to anyone you work with and partner with that you understand the current lane rate average. You will not only be asking for the right rates for your services, but you will get more respect in general from the brokers you use.

Join more than one load board

You might start off with some free load boards, and that is a great idea. You can find more about free load boards to join here. However, over time, you should expand your horizons. You might land the odd good client through one load board – but turning to four or five different load boards can open up the potential to get lots more work than you originally intended.

Join up with multiple load boards because it widens your employment horizons. It also makes it a bit easier for you to find other brokers that you might not locate on just one board. Your main ingredient for success is going to come from hedging your bets and having as many options as you can.

Build relationships with brokers

Once you have found a broker that you like working with, it is worthwhile looking to find an arrangement with them. If the job goes well and both parties are happy, see what else you can move for that particular broker. The best way to get more money from your work is to start making agreements and deliver consistently high-quality results.

You will find that brokers who know you are punctual, available, and professional will be happy to give you more work. Over time, they might then start to look to form a direct partnership with you as opposed to simply hiring you through load boards. This can make it easier to land better contracts and also give you more of a chance to land the full cut of the rate offered for transit.

Look to government contracts

As time goes on, one of the best ways to get high paying load roles is to work with the government. Public freight is often very well paid. These can be especially common when there are large construction projects going on when something happens in terms of a natural disaster, or some kind of national emergency takes place.

They need you to usually move specialized goods, though, so you will need to prove that you can handle the challenge and stay organized. You also tend to only get one shot at this, so do not tender for a government contract until you know that you have the experience and confidence needed to complete the job on time.

Understand your expenses in full

One common mistake carriers make, especially early in their careers, is not managing their expenses properly. Expenses need to be properly evaluated, especially when taking on government contracts. You need to understand what you are going to be using up in terms of your own budget and then add that to the cost that you are asking for.

Do not simply offer a job that basically has you working at cost just to get the contract. That is highly unlikely to lead to any kind of meaningful long-term reputational gains. Instead, you should focus on making sure that you understand what your expenses are and how much you can realistically deduct. Once you get that side of things right, it is much easier to press ahead and get well-paying contracts that will cover both the payment you desire and the expenses your trip incurs.

Keep these ideas in mind, and you should find it much easier to find the best loads. The more that you can do to expand your horizons and open up new avenues, the better. Keep this in mind, as it could play a critical role in making sure you can continue to grow as a trucker.

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