A rate is the price of a truck
A truckload rate buys the whole trailer on one lane on one day. It is not priced by the pound and not by class. Freight class applies to less than truckload shipments, where many shippers share one trailer. NMFTA says as much in its classification guidance (opens in a new tab).
Because you pay for the truck, a light load and a heavy load on the same lane often cost about the same, as long as both stay legal. The federal gross limit on the Interstate is 80,000 lb (opens in a new tab), and a typical 53 ft dry van carries about 42,000 to 45,000 lb of freight once the tractor and trailer are counted.
| Part of the rate | What moves it |
|---|---|
| Line haul | Miles and direction of the lane |
| Fuel | Fuel prices, often a separate surcharge |
| Equipment | Van, reefer, flatbed or specialized |
| Accessorials | Stops, waiting, tarps, unloading |
Miles, and which way they go
Miles set the floor of every rate, but direction often matters more. A truck that delivers in a place with little outbound freight may drive back empty, and the rate has to cover that empty trip. That empty driving is called deadhead.
So a lane into a busy freight market usually costs less than the same miles into a quiet one. The truck that delivers in a busy market reloads fast. The truck that delivers somewhere quiet may wait or run empty, and carriers price that in.
This is why two quotes for the same miles can differ. Check your lane's miles in the lane finder, then think about where the truck ends up. If you ship the same lane often, ask your broker what makes it easy or hard to cover. A dedicated lane with steady volume can earn a more stable rate than one off loads.
Equipment and the freight itself
The trailer your freight needs is a big part of the price. A standard dry van is the most common truck on the road. Reefers, flatbeds and specialized trailers have fewer trucks to choose from, and they cost more to run.
A reefer burns fuel to hold a temperature and needs a working unit and a clean trailer. A flatbed load means straps, chains, edge protection and often tarps, all of which take the driver time at the dock. Freight that is oversize needs state permits, and sometimes escorts and route limits.
Tell your broker the exact dimensions, weight and handling needs when you ask for a quote. A load quoted as standard that turns out to need tarps or a permit gets repriced, and the truck you booked may not be the right one. Accurate details up front are the cheapest thing you can give a broker.
Timing and notice
When you ship changes the price as much as where you ship. More notice almost always means a better rate, because the broker has time to find the right truck instead of paying whatever an available one asks.
Same day and next day loads cost more. So do loads tendered on a Friday for a Monday delivery, and loads that move around holidays, when fewer drivers are working. A wide pickup window helps too: "any time Tuesday" is easier to cover than "8:00 sharp."
Transit time has hard limits. Under federal hours of service (opens in a new tab) rules, a driver can drive 11 hours after 10 hours off. We plan with about 550 road miles a day for one driver and about 1,000 for a team. A delivery that needs more than one driver's legal day needs expedited team service, and that costs more.
The costs you can control
Some of a rate is set by the market. A real share is set by what happens at your dock, and that part you can control.
Accessorials are charges for work beyond driving the load. The common ones are detention when a truck waits past free time, extra stops, layover, lumper fees for unloading, tarping and driver assist. Each one should be agreed before the load and written on the rate confirmation.
The easiest savings are at the dock. Load and unload trucks on time, keep appointments realistic, and have the freight ready when the truck arrives. Carriers remember which shippers make drivers wait, and they price it in next time. Send complete load details, give the most notice you can, and keep your windows flexible. Then request a quote and a person on our team will price your lane.