If you have set up your box truck business and you are just starting, you are probably wondering how to land your first trucking gigs.
Perhaps you’ve already landed some box truck contracts and are looking for ways to get more paying gigs and make your business profitable.
Getting more box trucking contracts is vital for your business, so you are probably wondering how other truckers in the US are finding more work.
The profitability of your business depends on your ability to find more trucking and delivery gigs.
That is why we are sharing some of the top strategies that should help you get more delivery gigs.
What Are the Types of Trucking Contracts?
As a box truck business, you can land two types of contracts, short-term contracts and long-term (also known as dedicated contracts).
Between the two, dedicated contracts are more valuable as that means that you have a regular workload, which means you are regularly getting paid for your services.
Short-term contracts can get you through a month as well if you happen to find enough to make a profit.
However, constantly having to find new box truck contracts can be exhausting and you may spend days and even weeks without work.
The best way to secure box truck contracts is to find long-term government or company contracts, which may not be easy if you are just starting out.
So, don’t waste all your time and resources on trying to lend a single long-term contract.
To help you find more workload and increase your profits, we are listing some of the top proven strategies to get the box truck contracts you need.
Proven Strategies for Landing Box Truck Contracts
While your box truck contracts will also depend on the type of vehicle you have, you can simultaneously look for multiple contracts in different places.
Shipper and government-dedicated contracts may be difficult to get without a bit of luck and extensive experience in the field. To help you in your efforts, we have listed some of the best ways that can help you land perfect trucking gigs.
Load Boards
Load boards are one of the most common and easiest ways to get box truck contracts. Load boards are online lists of box truck jobs that you can access.
Most of the load board platforms will charge a fee for helping you get contracts.
Many of these platforms have thousands of jobs available in the market so you can browse through box contracts.
The top visited load board online is DAT.
DAT lists over 900,000 different trucking jobs and contracts, increasing your chances of getting the box truck contracts you need.
Visiting DAT and other load boards is most definitely a great idea when browsing for contracts.
Amazon Truck Contracts
Another good way to start is getting a box truck contract with Amazon. You can become a carrier for Amazon and deliver parcels by visiting Amazon Relay.
You can sign up to become a carrier for Amazon, and if you are eligible, you can start working on your contract.
Amazon has become a major player in this space so it might be good to know how you can apply.
How to Start Delivering for Amazon?
To become a carrier for Amazon, you will need to meet the following criteria:
- Have an active DOT number
- Have a valid MC number
- Have an entity carrier type authorized for property and hire
- Have a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rating of “None,” “Not Rated,” or “Satisfactory”
- Have proper trucking licenses
- Have insurance for general commercial liability
- Have insurance for auto liability
- Have insurance for trailer replacement coverage
- Have insurance for cargo coverage
- Have employer liability insurance
If you meet all eligibility requirements, you can simply sign up to become a carrier on Amazon Relay.
Amazon Relay can provide you with a constant flow of work due to the scale and size of its delivery operations.
There is also a nice collection of different loads and routes.
Amazon Relay program for truckers also provides a handy application that can help you view and manage loads status, report delays, and use navigation.
Dispatchers
Using dispatchers for box truck contracts is another great way to find workloads that can help you make a profit.
Dispatchers in most cases act like freight brokers and may ask for a commission for every contract you take.
You can use Google to search for box truck dispatchers, and you will surely be presented with interesting results.
Many dispatchers have online load boards that you can choose from.
Local Delivery Sites
Some manufacturers and suppliers need local deliveries all the time, so you can take advantage of this demand through local delivery sites.
You can find matching box truck contracts on websites like GoShare, Dolly, and Lugg.
These websites work by connecting truckers to businesses and people who need various types of delivery services.
Other websites where you can also try your luck with contracts are Shiply and Trella.
You can look for other local matching delivery sites and get multiple contracts for delivering different types of products and equipment.
Online Moving Jobs
You can also get into moving jobs aside from delivering parcels. There are plenty of people and companies that would use your moving services and your truck may be perfect for the job.
You can use Dolly to land moving gigs as well as deliveries. Sites like Thumbtack and Taskrabbit can also help you find online moving jobs and increase your chances of making a profit.
FedEx Routes
Starting a contract with FedEx is a great way of never having to worry about finding box truck gigs.
Once you start working on FedEx routes, you will be receiving delivery orders from FedEx within your chosen routes. FedEx deals with a great number of deliveries and parcels, so you may never run out of delivery jobs with this carrier service.
What is important is to deliver all packages to the right addresses within the deadline. Working with FedEx may become a highly profitable venture as FedEx needs deliveries every day.
FedEx has two types of Routes offered to independent trucking businesses:
Fedex Ground and Delivery Pickup
This is a route that you can take to deliver parcels and other deliveries to homes and businesses within your designated area. This service usually covers local deliveries that are serviced by box trucks and vans.
Fedex Ground Linehaul
This is a route that allows you to take over contracts for long-distance transport and deliveries.
Ground Linehaul involves many miles and is serviced by tractor-trailers.
Depending on your vehicle and your technical capabilities, you can apply for any of the FedEx routes.
If you are eligible, you can start delivering for FedEx.
How Much Can You Make with a FedEx Route?
According to the official stats from FedEx, the value of a FedEx route is 1.5 million dollars per year on average.
However, this stat includes all routes owned by a single truck operator with several operational vehicles.
To calculate actual profits, you will need to deduct the expenses.
The cost of a single route is estimated to be around $100,000, while average profits range between $30,000 and $40,000.
Online Marketing
Whether you are offering moving or delivery or working with both, you can advertise and promote all your trucking services online.
The most effective start is probably to create your website. You can hire a professional web designer to help you with your brand logo and website design.
After your website is live and up and running, you can start advertising on social media as well.
Although you can use only social media platforms to promote your business, it wouldn’t be bad to have your online HQ, which would be your website.
You can promote your services on popular social networks such as Facebook or use paid Google ads to help people and businesses find you.
You can also list your business with Google My Business and create an account. That way, people in your area can easily find you based on your location and services.
When it comes to local business, Yelp for business is another popular online service where you can list your business for more exposure.
Company Routes
You can also buy a company route, otherwise known as the bread route.
With company routes, you can get dedicated territory for making deliveries so you will never have to worry about finding contracts again.
Some companies are on a constant lookout for independent truckers, so you might find your luck with companies such as Pepperidge Farm.
Truckers who buy bread routes usually earn based on commission from sales.
Mobile Billboards
Another great way to raise awareness and place your business in the spotlight is using mobile billboards. You can advertise your company as you are driving and have an ad on your truck.
At the same time, you can make some extra cash by offering mobile billboard advertising for other companies and businesses.
Mobile billboards are often more effective in comparison to static billboards, which can be a perfect opportunity for additional profits and/or advertising your business as well.
Conclusion
We hope that our top strategies will help you land profitable box truck contracts, while we invite you to explore every option and even combine multiple strategies.
At the end of the day, you can’t make any profit without profitable contracts.
If you are wondering which of the options above is the best, it all depends on your vehicle, employees, location, and technical capabilities.