Equipment
Power Only Dispatch Services
Power only lets you run without carrying the cost of a trailer, which changes the economics of an operation substantially — particularly for a new authority watching capital.
The trade-off is dependence on trailer availability and on the drop-yard networks of a smaller set of brokers and shippers. It works well in dense distribution markets and poorly in sparse ones.
Freight We Book On Power Only
- Drop-and-hook distribution freight
- Retail replenishment
- Intermodal container chassis work
- Dedicated shuttle runs
What We Watch On Every Load
- Trailer availability at origin and destination
- Trailer interchange agreements
- Liability for equipment you do not own
- Drop yard access and hours
The market
What Running Power Only Is Actually Like
Power only lets you run without carrying the cost of a trailer. For a new authority watching capital, or an operator who would rather not have thirty thousand dollars sitting in a depreciating box, that changes the economics of the business substantially.
The trade-off is dependence. You are reliant on trailer availability and on the drop-yard networks of a smaller set of brokers and shippers. It works well in dense distribution markets where trailers are plentiful, and poorly in sparse regions where the nearest available trailer is two hundred miles away.
The work itself is often cleaner than general freight. A great deal of power only is drop-and-hook — arrive, swap, leave — which means far less time waiting at docks and more of your day actually driving. For carriers who value predictability over the highest possible rate, that trade is frequently worth making.
The detail that catches people out is liability. You are pulling equipment you do not own, and the interchange agreement determines who is responsible if that trailer is damaged. It is worth reading properly rather than signing on a phone screen at a gate.
What Moves The Rate On Power Only
Rates are usually lower per mile than equivalent van freight because you are not supplying the trailer — that is the deal, not a bad negotiation. What matters more is utilisation: a power only operator who is never waiting at a dock can run more loaded miles per week than a van operator earning more per mile.
Seasonality
Tracks retail and distribution activity, so it firms through the peak season from late summer into the holidays. Because much of the freight is dedicated or semi-dedicated shuttle work, it tends to be steadier through the year than spot market van freight.
15 states
Where Power Only Demand Is Strongest
These states show structurally elevated power only demand based on their dominant industries. Each page has current freight market data for that state.
Other equipment
We Also Dispatch
Dry Van
Dry van dispatch across the USA — the highest-volume equipment type with the widest freight availability.
Reefer
Refrigerated freight dispatch — produce, protein and temperature-controlled loads nationwide.
Flatbed
Flatbed dispatch for steel, building materials, machinery and open-deck freight.
Step Deck
Step deck and drop deck dispatch for taller freight that will not clear on a standard flatbed.
Box Truck
Box truck and straight truck dispatch for regional, expedited and final-mile freight.
Questions
Power Only Dispatch — Common Questions
Who is liable if the trailer is damaged?
It depends on the trailer interchange agreement, which is why it is worth reading before signing. We flag the terms on any power only load so you know what you are accepting rather than discovering it after an incident.
Is power only good for a new authority?
It can be an excellent way to start, because it removes the largest single equipment cost from the business. The caveat is that you are dependent on a smaller set of relationships, so it is worth building broker setups broadly from the outset.
Will I be waiting for trailers?
Sometimes, and that is the main operational risk. We check trailer availability at both ends before recommending a load, because a booking that leaves you waiting six hours for equipment has quietly cost you the day.
Try it first
See It Before You Commit
We do not publish rates, because the honest answer depends on your equipment, your lanes and how you run. Instead we offer a free trial week: we find you a power only load, negotiate the rate, dispatch it and handle the broker. If the week justified it we carry on. If not, you owe nothing and you keep the revenue.
Running power only? Let's get you loaded.
Talk to a dispatcher today. No long-term contract, no obligation on the first call.