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Glossary

Load Board

A load board is an online marketplace where freight brokers and shippers post available loads and carriers search for freight to haul.

What Is Load Board?

Load boards are the primary marketplace connecting carriers with available freight. The three major load boards are DAT, Truckstop, and 123Loadboard. Brokers and shippers post loads with details including origin, destination, equipment type, weight, rate, and pickup/delivery dates. Carriers search these boards to find loads that fit their location, equipment, and schedule.

DAT is the largest load board with over 500 million loads posted annually and is considered the industry standard. A DAT subscription runs $50-$200/month depending on the plan. Truckstop is the second largest and is known for its rate analytics tools. 123Loadboard is more affordable at around $35-$50/month and popular with smaller carriers.

The challenge with load boards is that rates posted are often starting offers — not final rates. Many owner-operators accept the posted rate without negotiating, leaving significant money on the table. On average, the initial posted rate is 15-25% below what a broker is willing to pay. Experienced dispatchers know how to negotiate these rates up, which is one of the biggest value-adds of a professional dispatch service.

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Why It Matters

Load boards are where most of your freight comes from. But posted rates are negotiable — accepting the first rate you see can cost you $500-$1,000 per load. Knowing how to search efficiently and negotiate effectively directly impacts your per-mile earnings.

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Real-World Example

James is an owner-operator running a reefer out of Atlanta. He sees a load posted on DAT from Atlanta to Miami at $2.40/mile. If he books it himself, his 660-mile haul pays $1,584. His FF Dispatch dispatcher sees the same load, knows that broker has historically paid more, and negotiates it up to $3.10/mile — $2,046 total. That is $462 more on a single load, minus the 5-8% dispatch commission.
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How FF Dispatch Handles This

FF Dispatch searches DAT, Truckstop, 123Loadboard, and our network of 500+ direct broker relationships simultaneously. We negotiate rates 15-35% above initial postings because we know broker margins and market conditions.

Related Terms

Freight Broker

A freight broker is a licensed intermediary that connects shippers who need freight moved with carriers who have available trucks, earning a commission on each transaction.

Rate Confirmation

A rate confirmation is a written agreement between a carrier and broker that specifies the load details, pay rate, pickup/delivery requirements, and terms of the haul.

Per Mile Rate

The per mile rate is the amount a carrier is paid for each mile driven on a load, and is the primary measure of load profitability in trucking.

Dispatch Service

A dispatch service is a company that finds loads, negotiates rates, handles paperwork, and manages logistics for owner-operators in exchange for a percentage of the load revenue.

Backhaul

A backhaul is a return load picked up near a delivery destination to avoid driving empty on the way back to a carrier's home base or next pickup location.

Related Content

Dry Van DispatchReefer DispatchFlatbed DispatchHotshot DispatchPower Only Dispatch

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need my own load board subscription with a dispatch service?+
No. FF Dispatch handles all load board searching on your behalf, saving you $100-$200/month in subscription fees.
Which load board has the best rates?+
No single board consistently wins. DAT has the most volume, Truckstop has strong analytics, and 123Loadboard is budget-friendly. The best strategy is searching multiple boards simultaneously.
How quickly do loads get booked?+
High-paying loads can be booked within minutes. Having a dedicated dispatcher monitoring boards in real-time gives you an advantage over searching yourself between drives.

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