With power only dispatch services, shippers get the flexibility to choose the right carrier for a specific load. This can help them save time while maintaining their production schedules.
Keeping drivers on staff is a costly line item for most shippers, and power-only trucking companies can help improve their cash flow. They can also offer speed and flexibility to meet shipping surges or to ship to international markets.
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Flexibility
Keeping drivers on staff is a costly line item in any shippers budget, but power only dispatch services can help you maintain flexibility while dispatching loads efficiently. Some companies offer a single flat rate, while others charge a percentage of total revenue.
They can also give you a variety of options for handling billing. Many companies use online invoices and other web-based tools to make the process easier on you and your customers. They may also allow you to customize your own payment plans, ensuring you don’t get stuck with a bill that doesn’t fit your budget.
The company you choose should also be able to help you select the best trucks for your needs. Choosing the right equipment can make a huge difference in how efficiently your shipments move from point A to point B.
You’ll be able to save on fuel and maintenance costs, making it more likely that you’ll see your profits grow. Plus, you’ll be able to take advantage of the latest technological advances in transportation, such as the latest safety measures and telematics technology.
If you’re looking for the right partner to handle your freight, contact us today! We’re happy to answer any questions you might have about our services and can even provide a free quote for you.
Our team is ready to help you find the power only trucking solution that best fits your business needs. Call us or send us an email to learn more about the power only trucking technology that floats your boat.
Savings
Power only trucking offers shippers a variety of benefits. These include faster dispatch times, greater flexibility in budgeting and improved cash flow. The service also reduces the need for shippers to recruit contractors on demand or maintain a fleet of tractors.
It’s not uncommon for power only trucking services to offer rates that are lower than traditional freight shipping routes. The rate depends on the load type, distance, and location. For example, a refrigerated tanker load will pay a different rate than a flatbed trailer.
Dispatch services that have experience handling all aspects of power only trucking can help you find the best loads and negotiate the rates with brokers. They will also provide secretarial support to organize emails and phone calls, run broker/shipper credit checks, and set up factoring accounts.
While hiring a dispatcher to manage your business can be a great idea, it’s important to choose the right one. Make sure to check their customer reviews and ask around among your circle of owner operators.
Another key element of choosing the right power only dispatching company is ensuring that their service delivery quality is top-notch. This means that the dispatcher will be able to book loads that will help your company thrive, not just survive.
It’s also essential to check the dispatcher’s pricing model and see how much they charge for each load. This can be a significant financial burden for some owner operators, so you should have a good idea of how much you can afford to pay before you sign any contracts with a power only dispatching service.
A good dispatcher will also be able to manage a large roster of driver schedules for you. This means that they can help you manage your crew, ensure that they are paid on time and that they get their work completed.
In addition, they should be able to run all required paperwork with utmost accuracy and efficiency. This will reduce the need for you to spend time on nagging tasks and free up your time to focus on running your business effectively.
Idle Time
A power-only dispatch service can make it easy for you to line up loads with shippers and brokers who need trucks with a trailer but don’t have the drivers. This allows you to earn significant cash on the road, and it makes it possible for you to focus on delivering freight instead of worrying about invoicing your services to shippers.
Trucks that idle for long periods can be a major drain on your fuel budget, as they burn half a gallon of gas per hour. In addition, idling can cause carbon buildup, which can lead to problems with the engine’s ignition system and exhaust systems. Idling also increases vehicle maintenance costs and shortens a truck’s engine life.
There are several technologies that can help reduce idling in your fleet, including cab heaters, electric auxiliary power units and shore power connections. Using these technology solutions can cut fuel costs by up to 40%, according to Aaron Peterson, chief engineer of vehicle performance at Navistar.
Another way to reduce idling is to install a telematics system in your vehicles. This system can track idling time, and it can send alerts to dispatchers and managers when a vehicle has been idle for too long.
This type of data can help you schedule appointments more efficiently, send the closest idle driver to a new job or direct them to an extra one, and make your fleet more efficient in general. It can also provide you with insight into your drivers’ habits, so you can educate them on the cost of excessive idling and help them take control of it in the future.
Idle reduction options are available from all truck manufacturers. These include automatic idle shutdown, ambient temperature override and cab heaters. Some of these are installed in the factory while others are aftermarket options.
Then there are auxiliary power units (APUs) that can reduce idle time by up to 50%. APUs allow drivers to connect small devices such as microwaves, mini-refrigerators and other electrical appliances to a single point of shore power.
Many fleets are taking advantage of these options to save fuel, but they still need to implement a plan for reducing idling. They can start by implementing an idle shutdown policy and communicating this to their drivers. They can also install a telematics system to monitor idling time, and they can use fleet tracking software to see where their trucks are at all times.
Connecting with Brokers
Power only dispatch services are a great way to find loads for your truck. They can also help you build your customer base and foster long-term relationships with shipping partners.
Brokers are always in need of qualified drivers to transport trailers filled with goods for them. Because power only trucking is cheaper for brokers, you can earn a good income by picking up loads from them.
However, if you’re not familiar with the industry, it can be a little overwhelming. You may not know where to begin or how to negotiate with brokers. You may not even be sure that you have the right equipment to haul the load.
To avoid these obstacles, it’s important to have a strong understanding of the trucking industry and the equipment that you use. This will allow you to communicate with a broker in an efficient manner and to understand what they’re asking of you.
In addition, you’ll need to find a quality load board that gives you the information you need to negotiate with brokers effectively. For example, DAT’s load boards offer data on specific lanes and market rates for each load, based on thousands of real transactions that occur on the site.
Another feature that’s helpful when connecting with brokers is the ability to filter by broker. The more you filter, the better chance that you’ll find the perfect match for your truck.
This can make it easy to book loads that you’re a good fit for and save you time on the road. Some platforms also show which carriers have seen a specific load before, making it easier to connect with them.
Some dispatch services can be a bit intimidating to work with, so it’s important to choose a partner that is reputable and has experience working with owner-operators. You’ll also want to ensure that your chosen company is skilled at interacting with customers and completing all paperwork accurately and quickly.
FMCSA defines a dispatch service as a “person or entity that works exclusively for motor carriers and does not engage in the sourcing of freight or other activities unrelated to sourcing shipments”. Whether this means that the service is required to obtain broker operating authority registration depends on many factors, and it must be determined on a case-by-case basis.
