Are you a trucker or trucking company owner? Using a freight marketplace or freight load board for trucks is a fantastic way to supplement your core customers. This is especially true when business is slow, or you're trying to expand your customer base. The convenience of a good freight marketplace also lets you land shipper and broker loads in one place.
Don't waste time on a lousy freight marketplace or trying to choose one when you don't know what to look for. In this post, we'll teach you the top 5 qualities to look for so you can establish the best freight load board for your business.
The 5 Qualities of the Best Freight Load Boards
Take your business to the next level with this easy solution – freight load boards. You’ll be able to easily find loads, post an offer on the board anytime you want, get competitive bids and fast notifications, haul more freight, and make more money.
When searching for the best freight load board for your business, keep these five qualities in mind.
1. Free Sign-Up
Trucks carry more than 70% of all freight moved in America, and with such a robust market, there's no shortage of people trying to squeeze money out of truckers. This includes freight load boards.
You often only know what you're paying for once you've signed up for the marketplace. Pay attention and avoid the many rip-offs out there.
Even boards that give you a "free trial" when you sign up can be sneaky. The free trial version may be so limited you can barely get work before it's time to pay. Or they'll give you such a short trial period that you can only get a feel for how good it is after they start charging you.
The good news is that you don't have to pay for access to a good freight load board. Choose one of the many freight marketplaces that let you sign up for free. That way, you only have to pay for what's worthwhile.
2. Instant Notifications of Freight Matching
Freight matching makes it easier than ever to consolidate freight. When you use a freight load board that features freight matching, a simple announcement lets potential clients know you have leftover space and you can pick up another load. All you have to do is make a post specifying your free space and wait for the bids to come in.
Since gas prices have increased by more than 100% since 1995, the savings you'll enjoy with freight matching will make a big difference in your monthly spending.
Avoid missed opportunities and half-empty trips by choosing a freight load board that gives instant alerts when matching trucks are found. You can save time and money if you get an email notification when an opportunity presents itself.
Choose a board that gives you instant notifications when matches are found.
3. Fast, Reliable Payment
You don't want your business stuck in first gear because you're waiting for delayed payments. Therefore, you need to look for a freight load board that makes it easy not only to get bids, but also to get paid. Looking for efficient payment solutions and being wary of hidden fees is vital.
Knowing you'll get paid quickly makes avoiding the risks around slow-paying loads easy. Too many of these can make it very hard to run or expand your business.
Faster cash flow also makes it easier to keep hauling continually. You'll be able to cover any expenses for maintenance and improvement much sooner. You'll be shocked by the difference in workflow if you haven't already experienced it.
Regarding hidden fees, ensure you see the actual sum and don't get blindsided by a stack of extra costs. When you use an efficient freight marketplace and factoring company, you'll have fast, simple factoring without hidden fees.
4. User Rating System
You'll find it much easier to know what you're getting into with the help of a user rating system. Direct feedback from other users lets you see who and what you're dealing with. If a load or shipper isn't worthwhile, you'll know it – it will allow you to pick the best opportunities for your business.
It also adds extra incentive for people to do their best. Everyone wants to get positive ratings and avoid negative ones.
The best rating systems give you more details on what's good and bad about the post or user. Instead of a vague, general rating, you can find specific ratings for different factors. It will also let you know if the information provided is accurate, how quickly you'll get paid, and the quality of service to expect.
5. Board Customization
Want to be more efficient in sorting the good posts from the bad? You can do this if the freight load board lets you filter and customize your searches and board pages.
Saving posts for later viewing or repeated use can speed up your workflow. This makes it very easy to return to posts, loads, and trucks. Just go to your saved posts page; there’s no need to find it again manually. This is especially helpful if you're a carrier wanting to keep track of loads you plan to haul later. It also helps if you just want to keep track of good posts and shippers.
Another great time-saving function to look for is the ability to hide or block posters you don't want to deal with. You shouldn't have to waste time looking at irrelevant posts.
Whether it's a post with requirements you don't meet, one offering the wrong price, or one you don't trust, it doesn't belong on your feed.
Choosing Your the Best Freight Load Board For Your Business
Finding a solid freight marketplace with the tools you need for efficient business can be a long search. It takes precious time that could be better used for hauling loads and making money.
With the ComFreight marketplace, we offer you a high-quality freight load board with all these essential qualities. Our features include everything listed above, including the ability to check freight brokers’ credit scores and see trending market rates in real-time.
Sign up for free to get started looking for freight to carry.
