Dry van loads and load boards: finding freight that pays

There's never a shortage of dry van loads on the boards. There's a shortage of good ones: loads that pay for every mile, from brokers who pay on time, into cities where the next load is waiting. This guide covers where van freight comes from, what boards cost and how to screen loads so the week works.

Where dry van loads come from

What load boards cost

DAT One's carrier plans, as listed in October 2026: Standard $59, Enhanced $149, Pro $169, Select $259 and Office $339 a month. Higher tiers add tools like TriHaul routing and lane rate data. Other boards have their own pricing, and some broker apps are free. Whatever you choose, the board is only a list; the money is made in screening and negotiating.

Screening a load in two minutes

1. All-in rate. Rate ÷ (loaded miles + deadhead). Market context: DAT's national van spot average was $2.19 a mile before fuel in August 2026.
2. Broker check. Authority age, credit, payment days. If you factor, ask your factor first.
3. Times. Pickup and delivery appointments your hours can actually make.
4. Weight and pallets. Will it scale legal and fit the trailer? The trailer load planner helps.
5. Extras. Detention terms, lumper, stops, driver assist.
6. The reload. What leaves the delivery city, and what does it pay?

Building a week, not chasing loads

Single loads pay bills; planned weeks pay off trucks. The habits that make the difference:

• Book the next load before the current one delivers. You choose from more options and avoid sitting.
• Know your strong and weak markets. Some cities ship more than they receive; plan to end weeks in good ones.
• Keep broker contacts. A broker who paid well and fast once is worth calling again for that lane.
• Price the weak markets in. If a broker needs your truck in a city with little outbound freight, ask for more to cover the empty miles out.

Common board traps

• Rates that look high from brokers with no history.
• Loads posted with wrong weights or extra stops added later.
• "Quick pay" that costs more than factoring.
• Loads into dead-end markets that cost a day of deadhead to escape.
• Brokers who won't put detention or layover terms in writing.
• Posts that leave out the commodity or the weight until you call.

Van freight that needs more

Some shippers need a liftgate for deliveries without docks, covered in dry van with liftgate. Others ask for food-grade trailers or strict seal procedures. Know what your trailer can do before you quote; trailer basics are in dry van trailer, and how shippers book van freight in dry van shipping. For the bigger picture of the business, see the dry van guide.

When the boards aren't enough

Boards are the fastest start, but carriers who rely on them alone usually earn less than those who build relationships. Every good load is a chance to ask the broker for the next one. Over time, the board becomes a tool for filling gaps rather than the whole plan, and your best lanes come from brokers who already know your truck shows up on time.