Can't find loads? Trucking problems that look like a dead market usually aren't.
When the truck sits, it's tempting to blame the market. Often it's something fixable: authority not showing active, an insurance filing that never posted, paperwork that doesn't match, or a floor rate that nothing clears. Run the checklist below first. If it all checks out and you still can't find loads, that's when a dispatcher earns the fee.
How to find loads for my truck: check these 10 things first
They run roughly in order of how often they stop a truck cold. The first four are paperwork on public FMCSA records, and any one of them can make a broker's system refuse you before a person ever sees your packet. Mark each one; your likely blockers collect on the right, worst first. Open "The fix" for what to do and the official page to check.
1. Does your authority show active on FMCSA's public record?
Brokers check this first. Granted is not the same as active, and some brokers' systems reject anything that isn't.
The fix
Look up your MC on FMCSA's Licensing and Insurance site. If it isn't active, check for an open protest period, missing BOC-3 or missing insurance filing.
FMCSA Licensing and Insurance lookup2. Does your insurance filing show on that same record?
Your agent may have issued a certificate without filing with FMCSA. Brokers look for the posted filing.
The fix
Ask your agent to confirm the BMC-91 or BMC-91X was filed, then check it posted. Make sure the COI you send brokers matches the policy on file.
FMCSA insurance filing requirements3. Do your legal name, DBA, address and MC match everywhere?
Different spellings across your W-9, COI, authority letter and FMCSA record trip broker vetting systems and stall packets.
The fix
Make the W-9, certificate of insurance and FMCSA registration read exactly the same. Update FMCSA first if your record is the odd one out.
Updating your FMCSA registration4. Is your MCS-150 biennial update current?
FMCSA requires an update every 24 months, and a missed update can deactivate your USDOT number.
The fix
Check your filing date on SAFER and file the update if it's due. A deactivated USDOT number stops every broker cold.
49 CFR 390.19 (registration updates)5. Are you calling brokers that load your authority's age?
Many brokers want 30 to 90 days of active authority, some want more. Calling only those burns days.
The fix
Ask each broker their minimum before sending a packet. Keep a list of who accepts new MCs and work those first.
How new authority dispatch works6. Are your carrier packets complete and returned fast?
A packet missing one signature or document sits in a queue while the load goes to someone else.
The fix
Keep a ready folder: authority letter, W-9, COI, NOA if you factor, and a voided check or remit instructions. Return packets the same day.
What a dispatcher handles7. Is your rate floor based on your real cost per mile?
Too high and nothing clears it; too low and you haul at a loss. Both feel like there are no loads.
The fix
Work out your cost per mile, add the margin you need, and use that as your floor. Revisit it when fuel moves.
Trucking cost per mile calculator8. Are you parked in a market freight leaves from?
Some cities ship far more than they receive. Waiting in a weak outbound market can cost more than a short deadhead.
The fix
Look at where loads originate this week, not where you'd like to go. A short paid or unpaid move to a stronger market can save days.
Dispatcher vs load board9. Is your safety record clean enough for broker vetting?
Some brokers screen out-of-service rates and inspection history, even on new carriers with few inspections.
The fix
Check your public safety data, fix what you can, and keep clean inspections coming. Know your numbers before a broker asks.
FMCSA Safety Measurement System10. Does your equipment fit the freight you're chasing?
A box truck without a liftgate, or a dry van chasing reefer freight, sees a thin slice of the board.
The fix
Search for what your truck can actually haul. Non-CDL and box truck carriers should look at partials, final mile and expedited freight.
No loads, owner operator edition: what to try before tomorrow
You can do every one of these without us. We'd rather you get rolling on your own than sign up out of panic.
- Call every broker you've hauled for and ask what they have this week and next. Repeat brokers are the fastest yes.
- Search early. Many loads post first thing in the morning and the good ones go fast.
- Widen your search radius and look one market over. A 100-mile deadhead to a strong market can beat two days of waiting.
- Post your truck on the boards with your location, equipment and when you're empty, so brokers can find you too.
- Call shippers and warehouses near home base. Small shippers often have freight that never reaches a load board.
- Ask carriers you know for overflow. Small fleets turn down loads every week.
- If you run a box truck, look at partials, final mile and expedited loads, not just full truckloads.
When it's worth handing it off
If your paperwork is clean, your floor is honest and you're still spending hours a day on the phone, the problem is time. That's the trade a dispatcher makes: we search and negotiate while you drive or sleep, with broker and shipper contacts beyond the boards. You still confirm every load, and the rate con comes straight to you.
The fee is 5% of gross, 7% while your MC is under 6 months, and nothing in a week you don't haul. See pricing and terms.
Still deciding whether you need a dispatcher at all?
Compare what you get from a dispatcher with what you get from a load board subscription and your own phone. Dispatcher vs load board, side by side.
Brand-new authority?
The first 90 days are the hardest stretch for finding loads, and most of the fixes above matter more for a new MC. Dispatch for new authorities starts with brokers that load new carriers.
Stuck-truck questions
We dispatch owner-operators and fleets with their own authority. If you drive for a company and can't get miles, that's a conversation with your carrier or a reason to compare job offers.
Why do brokers turn down new MCs?
Risk. Brokers answer to shippers if a load goes wrong, and a new authority has no track record, no inspection history and sometimes paperwork that doesn't match. Many set a minimum authority age, often 30 to 90 days. It isn't personal, and it fades as your MC ages and your record builds. Until then, focus on brokers that say yes to new carriers.
Should I lower my rate to get loads?
Only to a floor you've worked out from your cost per mile, never below it. Cutting rates to fill the truck feels like progress but can leave you hauling at a loss. Often the better move is changing the lane or the timing: a short reposition or a different reload market can pay more than a cheaper rate.
Is the freight market slow right now?
It moves week to week. National spot rates and load-to-truck ratios from DAT and other publishers show the direction, but your lane matters more than the national number. If the market is soft, every carrier feels it; if your neighbors are loading and you aren't, run the checklist above before blaming the market.
How do I find loads without a load board?
Call brokers you've already hauled for and ask what's coming, contact shippers and warehouses near your home base, ask other carriers for overflow freight, and build dedicated lanes over time. A dispatcher also brings broker and shipper contacts beyond the boards. Load boards are a tool, not the whole market.
What do I do when my truck is sitting?
Use the time on the fixes that keep it sitting: check your FMCSA record and insurance filing, clean up packets, and work out your real floor rate. Then widen the search radius, consider a paid or short reposition, and call brokers in the morning. Track every empty day; it tells you what your floor really needs to cover.
Checklist clean and still sitting? Let's get you loaded.
Apply in about 2 minutes. A dispatcher calls, checks what brokers see on your record, and starts bringing you loads to confirm or pass.