DOCK 01POWER ONLY
Power only dispatch services built around trailer pools and short deadhead
You bring the tractor, the shipper or broker supplies the trailer. We find power only loads, count the drive to the trailer into the rate and line up the next hook before you drop. 5% of gross for one tractor with 6+ months of authority.
DOCK 02HOOK, HAUL, DROP
How power only dispatch works
- LINE 01
Hook
Pick up a trailer that is already loaded, or empty and waiting at a shipper, yard or drop lot. The rate con lists the trailer number, location and yard hours.
- LINE 02
Haul
Run it like any truckload: check calls, appointment times and the paperwork that rides with the trailer.
- LINE 03
Drop
Leave the trailer at the receiver or a drop yard and bobtail to the next hook. That empty drive is where the margin goes if nobody plans it.
DOCK 03ONE RUN
One power only run, leg by leg
Every power only load is really three legs. Only one of them is loaded. This is the math we run before we call you. EXAMPLE
79% of this example run is paid. The red legs are the ones a power only load quietly asks you to cover.
DOCK 04WHERE IT LEAKS
Where power only money leaks
LEAK 01
The drive to the trailer
Pools and drop yards are not always near the freight. A load that looks good can start with a long empty run.
LEAK 02
Waiting at the yard
Trailer not ready, wrong trailer, no seal, gate closed. Hours lost before the clock even starts.
LEAK 03
Bobtail miles after the drop
No trailer means no backhaul until the next hook. Those miles are yours unless the next load is planned.
LEAK 04
Rates set without the empty miles
Posted power only rates price the loaded leg. If you accept them as posted, the empty legs come out of your pocket.
DOCK 05WHAT WE DO
What a power only dispatcher does for you
Our power only dispatch services cover the whole run, not only the loaded leg.
Finds power only freight
On load boards that post power only, and through brokers that run trailer pools or drop programs.
Counts the empty legs
The drive to the trailer and the bobtail after the drop go into the rate we ask for.
Gets the trailer details first
Trailer number, yard address, yard hours, seal and paperwork, on the rate con before you roll.
Helps with program paperwork
Some brokers and programs have their own carrier setup. We fill out what we can and tell you what they need from you.
Plans the next hook
Before you drop, we are looking at what hooks near the receiver.
Handles the calls
Check calls, delivery confirmations and broker updates, so you drive.
Who runs trailer pools and drop programs
Trailers for power only loads usually come from three places: shippers who keep trailers at their own docks or drop lots, brokers who run trailer pools for regular customers, and asset carriers that need extra tractors to move their own trailers. Each sets its own rules for who can hook, what paperwork comes first and where trailers go back. We sort that out before you accept, so you are not learning a yard's rules at the gate.
Trailer pickup checklist before you leave the yard
It is someone else's trailer, and anything wrong with it becomes your problem once you pull out. Every time you hook, check:
- Trailer number and seal number match the BOL and the rate con
- Lights, reflective tape and mud flaps
- Tires, wheels and air lines for leaks or damage
- Brakes and the landing gear fully raised
- Doors latched and the seal intact
- Registration and plate on the trailer are current
- Photos of all four sides and any existing damage, time-stamped
Report damage before you leave, in writing, to whoever assigned the trailer. Under an interchange agreement, damage found later is easy to blame on the last driver.
DOCK 06REQUIREMENTS
Insurance and equipment for power only
Power only means pulling a trailer you do not own. Trailer interchange insurance covers physical damage to a non-owned trailer in your care under a written interchange agreement; a regular physical damage policy on your own equipment usually does not. Many power only loads come with an interchange agreement, so check your coverage with your agent before your first hook.
You need a tractor with a working fifth wheel, the usual authority, insurance and ELD for interstate work, and the ability to inspect a trailer you have never seen: lights, tires, brakes, seal and paperwork before you leave the yard.
SOURCE:Progressive Commercial, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 395.8, OCT 2026
Power only, dry van or both?
| Power only | Your own dry van | |
|---|---|---|
| Trailer cost | None: the trailer comes with the load | You buy or lease, insure and maintain it |
| Rate per mile | Often lower, since you are not supplying a trailer | Includes the trailer, so usually higher |
| Where the loads are | Where shippers and brokers keep trailer pools | Anywhere van freight posts |
| Empty miles | Bobtail after each drop | Deadhead with an empty trailer |
| Best fit | Tractor owners near pools and drop programs | Owners who want every van load on the board open to them |
Many owners run both: power only when a pool load fits the week, van loads when it does not. We dispatch either. Dry van dispatch
DOCK 07FEE
What power only dispatch costs
5% of gross for one tractor with 6+ months of authority, 7% on a newer MC, 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Only on loads you haul.
All dispatch fees · Deadhead cost calculator · Load profitability calculator · Rate per mile calculator
POWER ONLY RATE CONFIRMATION
Q-01What is power only dispatch?
Power only dispatch is booking loads for a tractor without its own trailer. The shipper or broker supplies the trailer; you hook it, haul it and drop it. The dispatcher finds those loads, negotiates them with the empty miles counted, gets the trailer details on the rate con and plans your next hook.
Q-02Do I need trailer interchange insurance for power only?
Often, yes. Trailer interchange insurance covers physical damage to a trailer you do not own while it is in your care under an interchange agreement, which many power only loads come with. Your own physical damage policy usually does not cover someone else's trailer. Ask your agent what your policy includes.
Q-03How much does power only dispatch cost?
5% of gross for one tractor with 6+ months of authority, 7% while the MC is under 6 months old, and 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Charged only on loads you haul. No setup fee, no minimum.
Q-04Can a new MC run power only?
Yes, though some programs and brokers set their own minimum authority age or insurance requirements before they assign trailers. We look for the ones that work with new carriers and tell you up front what each needs.
Q-05Do power only loads pay less than van loads?
Often, because you are not supplying the trailer. But you are also not paying for one. Compare what you keep per total mile, empty legs included, not the posted rate per loaded mile. Some power only weeks beat van weeks once the trailer cost is out.
Q-06Can you mix power only and dry van loads?
Yes, if you own or lease a van as well. We plan the week around whichever fits best: a pool load when it starts near you, a van load when the freight is elsewhere.
Q-07What equipment do I need for power only?
A tractor with a working fifth wheel and air and electrical lines that hook to standard trailers, plus your own authority, insurance with any coverage the load's interchange agreement asks for, and an ELD if you run interstate under the log rules. A flashlight, gloves and a phone camera for the trailer inspection help too.
Q-08What does a power only dispatcher do differently?
A power only dispatcher counts the drive to the trailer and the bobtail after the drop into every rate, gets trailer numbers, yard hours and seals on the rate con, and plans the next hook before you drop. Those details decide whether a power only week pays.
Bring the tractor. We will find the trailers.
About 2 minutes to apply. Tell us where you are based and how far you will run empty to a hook.