What goes into a truckload rate

A truckload rate isn't a number from a price list. It's what it takes to get a qualified truck to your dock, on your schedule, on that lane, that week. Five things move it.

1. The lane

Origin and destination matter more than distance alone. A lane into a busy freight market usually prices lower than one into an area where trucks struggle to find their next load, because the carrier has to think about how they get back out.

2. Equipment

Dry van, refrigerated and specialised equipment each draw from a different pool of trucks. Refrigerated freight costs more to move: the trailer, the fuel to run the unit, and the care the load needs.

3. Timing

Lead time, pickup day and appointment windows all show up in the price. A load tendered the afternoon before pickup competes for whatever capacity is left. A load booked a few days ahead, with flexible hours, gives us more carriers to choose from.

4. Market balance

Rates move with the balance of trucks and freight. Seasons, weather, holidays and produce harvests all tighten or loosen capacity, sometimes within a week.

5. Accessorials

Detention, lumper fees, extra stops, liftgates and driver assist are extra costs. Tell us about them up front and they're in the quote, not a surprise on the invoice.

How to get a sharper quote

• Give the full origin and destination, city, state and ZIP.
• Say whether the dock hours and appointments are fixed or flexible.
• Share weight, pallet count and anything special about the freight.
• Book as early as you can, especially in peak season.

We price every lane from our own lane-rate history plus live market data, and a real person checks the quote before it reaches you.