When searching for truck load boards on the Internet, you’ll notice that some are free while others require paid membership. If you keep on digging, you’ll find that some of the free load boards offer basic services free of charge, but access to other features — posting more than a pre-determined number of loads per day, or viewing freight brokers’ credit reports, for example — can cost you.
So how do you decide whether to join a free or a paid load board? First, compare the features that each load board offers. It’s also important to remember that you can join more than one load board, free and paid, to better maximize your options and opportunity.
FreeFreightSearch.com, for example, offers free membership. As the world’s largest free load board, FreeFreightSearch.com helps thousands of motor carriers find loads at no charge. This load board may be free, but in addition to matching motor carriers with freight, it also offers valuable free benefits to both truckers and freight brokers. Here’s a quick look at the features offered by FreeFreightSearch.com and four paid-subscription load boards, listed with approximate costs taken from their websites.
Free load boards
A load board is a platform where load broker can post specifics one of their loads, their origin and destination. A trucker, on the other hand, can post their truck capabilities and starting point. Load boards offer a quick and easy way for brokers to find truckers to transport their load, and for truckers to fill their trailers.
Free load boards, such as Free Freight Search, allow people with Internet access to log in, create an account and enjoy all the benefits of a load board at no cost.
Are free load boards worth it?
Most trucking companies that are just starting up use load boards as a way to secure loads and get their names out into the industry. There are a few notable advantages to using load boards, especially free ones:
- Available 24/7 everyday
- Accessible from anywhere and any device
- Often load boards offer additional services (freight factoring etc.)
- Help reduce deadheading
Paid load boards
Paid load board offer an exclusive listing of loads, meaning that many loads on a paid load board won’t be available on other loads boards. This ultimately means less competition for those loads. In addition, there are other services which a paid load board can offer depending on the platform. However, the basic service of matching freight to trucks is offered across both free and paid load boards.
It’s easy to find freight for free
Finding freight for free has never been easier. With the advent of internet load boards like Free Freight Search, finding freight for your trucking company comes down to a few easy steps:
- Create a free account, log in and search for loads
- Submit your starting point and destination
- Select your vehicle type
- Fill in your ‘Pickup Date.’
That is all there is to it. The page will populate with all the loads that fit your selected requirements and criteria, and now you can contact the freight broker. Another feature offered by Free Freight Search is the ability to get notifications whenever a load that matches your specified criteria is posted, making finding a load a more efficient process.
Why truckers should use free load boards
Ideal for start-up trucking business, free load boards let you find a load for your truck quickly, easily and with no costs attached. You can access a load board from anywhere and through any device. This ensures that you can reduce deadheading, that you have greater options and control of the loads you accept and the destinations you’re comfortable
Want to start posting and searching for loads? Register on the world’s largest FREE Load Board today.