POWER ONLY DISPATCH
Power only dispatch services that grow your fleet without trailer payments
Our power only dispatch services find preloaded trailers, drop-and-hook freight and pool loads for your tractors, check that the trailer is really waiting, and bring each load to you first. You decide. The rate con goes to you, not to us.
TRACTOR + DRIVER. TRAILER WAITING AT PICKUP.
UNIT 02
Where power only freight comes from
Power only loads exist because someone else owns the trailer and needs it moved. Knowing who that is decides how steady your week is.
Three kinds of shipper post most of it. Large carriers and logistics companies run trailer pools and hire outside tractors when their own drivers can't cover the volume. Shippers with their own trailers, like retailers and manufacturers, use power only carriers to shuttle loaded trailers between plants, warehouses and stores. And brokers post one-off preloaded loads on the boards, often with tight pickup windows.
Programs come and go. Each one sets its own entry rules (time in business, safety record, insurance limits) and its own pay terms, and they change with freight demand. We read a program's current terms on its own site before suggesting it, and we never claim a relationship we don't have. You sign up with any program directly, under your authority.
The desk's real work is the part that makes or breaks power only: confirming the trailer. A load that pays well but sends your driver to an empty yard, a trailer with a flat tire or an expired annual inspection is a lost day. Before any offer reaches you, we confirm the trailer number, its location and loaded status, and who to call if it isn't there.
Then the offer comes to you with everything on it: pickup yard, trailer number, delivery appointment, miles, deadhead to the yard, rate and broker. You take it or pass. Passing is free and the desk simply moves to the next one. On a yes, the broker emails the rate con to you, you sign it, and your driver heads for the yard with the trailer details already on their phone.
The trailer isn't there
We confirm trailer number, yard and status before you say yes, and get a contact at the yard.The trailer isn't road ready
Your driver still inspects it. We ask for the trailer's inspection date and note who pays for a roadside repair.Pool trailers pull you off your lanes
We plan the next load before this one delivers, so a pool run doesn't strand your tractor.Drop and hook turns into live load
We get the appointment type on the rate con, with detention terms if it changes.
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Fleet A: three tractors, zero trailers
A hypothetical fleet with one tractor and its own van adds three tractors and runs them power only. Change every number to your own quotes.
What the example shows: power only saves capital on day one, and that matters more than the weekly gap for most owners adding trucks. Money not spent on trailers can sit in reserve for repairs, insurance down payments and slow weeks. A fleet with a thin reserve that buys three trailers is one blown engine away from trouble.
What it doesn't show: risk. If a pool program cuts volume, power only tractors have nothing to pull, while a fleet with trailers can still book board freight. That's why the strongest setups keep a few owned trailers for flexibility. To compare all-in cost per unit across your whole fleet, use the small fleet cost per truck calculator.
UNIT 04
Power only vs owning trailers: the honest trade-offs
| Question | Power only | Own trailers |
|---|---|---|
| Cash to add a unit | Tractor and driver only | Tractor, driver and a trailer |
| Weekly fixed cost | Lower: no trailer payment or trailer insurance | Higher: payment, insurance, tires, inspections |
| Rate per mile | Often a bit lower on the same lane | Full rate, since you bring the equipment |
| Freight sources | Pools, preloads, drop-and-hook | The whole board plus direct shippers |
| Dwell time | Usually short with true drop-and-hook | Live loads can mean long waits |
| Main risk | Depends on trailer owners' volume | Trailer sits idle when freight is slow |
Rules still apply to the trailer you pull
A borrowed trailer is still part of your combination on the road. Your driver needs the right CDL class for the combination CDL Class AGCWR 26,001 lb or more, towing a unit over 10,000 lb GVWR49 CFR 383.91(a)(1): a combination with GCWR of 26,001 lb or more where the towed vehicle's GVWR is over 10,000 lb.49 CFR 383.91Checked Oct 2026, inspects the trailer before pulling it, and is on the hook for a bad light or tire found at an inspection. Every trailer must have passed an annual inspection within the last 12 months Annual inspectionEvery 12 months49 CFR 396.17(c): a CMV may not be used unless each component in Appendix A has passed an inspection at least once in the preceding 12 months.49 CFR 396.17Checked Oct 2026. Ask for the date, and have your driver check the sticker or paperwork at pickup.
Insurance questions to ask first
Before pulling a trailer you don't own, ask your agent about trailer interchange coverage and non-owned trailer physical damage. Programs and brokers often require them, with specific limits. We're not your insurer or agent, so we don't tell you what to buy. We tell you what each load or program asks for, so you can check it before saying yes.
Our opinion: for an owner adding units two through five, power only is a smart first step and a poor final plan. Start your new tractors power only, build a reserve, then buy trailers once you can see which lanes and customers keep paying for your own equipment.
UNIT 05
Power only dispatcher questions
EXAMPLE A $1,850 preloaded run costs $74 in dispatch for a fleet of two or more tractors, or $92.50 for a single tractor. Pass on it and it costs nothing.
The fee covers finding the trailer, the rate negotiation, broker setup, check calls and the weekly report for each tractor. Full tiers and step-down dates are on the dispatch rates page.
01How does power only dispatch work?
The dispatcher finds loads where the trailer is already provided, usually preloaded at a shipper, a drop yard or a carrier's trailer pool. We confirm the trailer is really there and inspected, negotiate the rate, then bring you the load. You say yes or no. On a yes, the broker sends the rate con straight to you to sign, and your driver hooks and goes.
02Can a small fleet grow with power only?
Yes, and it is one of the cheaper ways to add trucks, because each new unit is a tractor and a driver with no trailer payment. The trade is dependence: your trucks run where pool trailers are, and when a program cuts volume your plan has to change. Most fleets that grow this way keep a mix, power only plus a few owned trailers.
03Do power only programs take new carriers?
Some do and some don't, and the rules change. Each program sets its own minimum time in business, safety record and insurance limits, and many check them when you apply. Read the program's current requirements on its own site. While your MC is new, the desk leans on brokers who post power only loads and will onboard a new authority.
04Does power only pay less than dry van?
Often a little less per mile on the same lane, since you aren't bringing a trailer. But your costs are lower too: no trailer payment, trailer insurance or trailer repairs. Compare margin, not rate. Use the Fleet A example above with your own quotes to see which wins for you.
05How much do power only dispatchers charge?
We charge 5% of gross for one tractor, 4% each for two or more, and 7% while your MC is under 6 months old, stepping down on its own. No setup fee, no contract, and nothing on loads you pass on.
Add the next tractor, keep the trailer money
Tell us how many tractors you run and where they sit. A dispatcher calls back with power only loads checked for trailer, time and rate.
4% for 2+ trucks, 5% for one, 7% while your MC is new