How Do Load Boards Work?

Hauling cars can be a pretty fun and rewarding line of work, not to mention earn you and your auto transport business a whole lot of cash. But before you start earning big, there are a few things that you need to know about running a business – one of the biggest and most important things to know is what load boards are, and how load boards work.

For those who are brand new to hauling cars, you may have never even heard of the term load board, which we wouldn’t blame you for. But today, we’ll do our best to help explain what load boards are, how they work, and the difference between basic load boards and the best load boards on the market.

What is a Load Board?

A load board is essentially an online marketplace that both Carriers and Shippers regularly use for moving their loads. Shippers use it for finding Carriers to take their loads, while Carriers use it for finding loads to haul for their car hauling business. 

A load board is what allows Shippers and Carriers to meet and do business with one another, and since the first one launched online over twenty years ago, it has become the biggest and most convenient way for auto transport workers to do business.

How do Load Boards Work?

While many load boards may vary from one another slightly, each works essentially the same: Shippers post loads that they need moved onto the platform, and then Carriers search for said loads. Carriers must contact Shippers in order to request taking their load – usually via an outside source, such as a phone call or direct email. Most traditional load boards lack a direct messaging feature, so requesting loads is usually a fairly monotonous and time consuming process.

Luckily, newer load boards like Super Loadboard have streamlined the load requesting and booking process. Super Loadboard has a built-in messaging feature, which allows users to PM others without ever needing to pick up their phone or send an email. 

After a Carrier books a load, they’ll be tasked with picking it up and delivering it within the time frame designated by the Shipper. After the transaction, Shippers and Carriers will be able to rate one another. And if they’re using Super Loadboard, Shippers even have the ability to mark their favorite Carriers as “Preferred,” which will grant the ability to instantly book loads without having to send any offers.

Finding the Best Load Board

While they’re all fairly straightforward and easy to use, some load boards are certainly not as great as others. When starting your journey as a car hauler, picking the best load board is vital, as less stellar load boards may slow you down and hinder how you do business.

While Central Dispatch is arguably the most well known load board, it’s quite archaic in its design and lacks many key features present in newer load boards. For example, Central Dispatch doesn’t allow users to message one another directly through its platform – they instead must message each other via phone or email outside of the service, which can quickly become confusing and overwhelming, if you have to contact ten different Shippers before finding a single load. This is just one of the many features that Central lacks compared to Super Loadboard.

While Central Dispatch might be good enough for businesses who don’t plan to grow much and are comfortable with their current system, it might not be the best fit for everyone. Carriers and Shippers looking to move faster and make more money should consider using a more advanced system, like Super Loadboard.

Try Super Loadboard

Super Loadboard is an advanced marketplace that is built-in with Super Dispatch’s Carrier TMS, and allows Carriers to easily book loads posted by Shippers in their area. Our load board is easily to use, and has several exclusive features including GPS tracking, instant booking, and more. If you’re a new car hauler looking to book loads today, then what are you waiting for? Try a free demo of Super Dispatch today!

Published on October 12, 2022