Complete Guide to Understanding Loadboards

jwcolonel92 · Feb 16, 2012

Hi All!

I'm new here. My wife and I are excited about getting started in the industry next week. I've read on here where drivers can book their own loads while waiting to hear from their carrier. Could someone with expertise in this area explain to a total noob how one would go about doing this? Are there free sites where one could go to track loadboards? How do we read them? How do we make sure we get paid? Any information is greatly appreciated.

My wife and I are teaming a Sprinter van with one of the big carriers this Monday.

highway star · Feb 16, 2012

I would start with your carrier to find out what policies, restrictions, ect. they have.

jwcolonel92 · Feb 16, 2012

highway star said:
I would start with your carrier to find out what policies, restrictions, ect. they have.

Could someone with recent Panther experience pass along any info?

paullud · Feb 16, 2012

You need to make sure the carrier allows you to book your own loads. I wouldn't get involved with booking your own loads yet if you are this unfamiliar with how the boards work. There are a few companies that broker the freight from their website and there are separate load boards, the load boards will cost money but some are just scams so you have to be careful. Just take a look at a company website and look at how they list them and just gather information.

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chefdennis · Feb 16, 2012

Ok, this is not been to be rude at all...By your own admission you are totally new to this industry. Have no understanding of anything to do with load boards and for that matter have a limited understanding on what you are about to start doing all together.

You really need to forget about finding your own freight until you have a better grip on the business as a whole. Let Panther do what they do best and you do what you are about to set out to do..haul freight for Panther...Take the time to learn the business learn PANTHERS system and THEIR way of doing business and learn how and where to position yourself to be in the right places at the right time to get the Panther Loads....(and believe me, there is a bunch to learn as to how to best work their system to your advantage, if you don't do it right, we will soon be seeing post from you whining about there not getting enough freight from them and thngs being slow)

Now with that said...its my understand that IF you find your own freight, panther will book it for you and handle it all the way through, but they take a "cut" for their trouble..not sure what that "cut" is.....Soo..your owner gets his pay, Panther takes their "cut"..then YOU get paid...seeing the big picture here?? And you are the low guy on the totem pole in this case..

You might want to mesage guys like Moot and Turtle, 2 guys that have been highly successful with Panther and ask them just how many loads they have gotten on their own to add to the loads that Panther gets/got for them...id be more then willing to bet that in the last 5 yrs each could count those total loads on 1 hand...it ain't all its cracked up to be....

Go slow,take a yr, learn the Panther system, then you might have a different outlook,,LOL, on more then just looking for your own loads off load boards....

MissKat · Feb 16, 2012

Your owner should know this stuff. Fifteen percent is what we were told. There are a couple of android apps. Best to rely on your owner. If you don't get a load offer in a timely fashion get them involved.

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MissKat · Feb 16, 2012

And if you are the owners Congrats and ditto what my friend Chef says.

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x06col · Feb 17, 2012

Actually, the "safe" road is not always the best. Being with the "herd" certainly is safer, but way less rewarding. Try a few of the loadboards if your Carrier is not keeping you running profitably, or if you find yourself wayyy in the boonies somewhere. Fuel money plus a little bit is always better than deadhead to a good area. As you get better at the "broker lingo" so will the quality of freight. I've never learned a new language without being exposed to it.

teamjdw · Feb 17, 2012

some one been watching shipping war's?

davekc · Feb 17, 2012

Booking van freight is a little more tedious with regards to load boards, but they are out there. As suggested, learning the business would be the first step.