Trucker’s Edge is a subscription load board uniquely designed and offered by DAT, the internet’s biggest load board. Designed for independent owner operators, Trucker’s Edge was built with a focus on owners with 1-5 trucks.
Trucker’s Edge offers 3 plans, from $39.95 to 99.95 per month. They also have a free mobile app for use on the go. This article will break down the features of each plan. It will also explain how to get the most out of each feature.
UNLIMITED SEARCHES
Did you know that DAT posts over 620,000 loads each business day? A single search will find you a load, but matching your truck to the best load for you will take some dialing in, and several searches. Search away with no limit or up charge.
There are several ways to greatly improve your ability to find better lanes, rates and freight to haul. We will cover them in greater detail as we get into other features. Again, it starts by having the most loads, most brokers and the data you need to make an intelligent decision.
Side Note: Trucker’s Edge Pro gives you the ability to show search results with a posted rate first. Even if you chose not to call on that particular load, it’s another negotiating tool you can use.
INBOUND AND OUTBOUND LOAD SEARCHES BY STATE
Obviously it’s important to know the rates for your outbound load. It’s equally important to know the rates for your return trip. That rate may look great until you realize you’re going into a low paying zone for outbound freight.
Searching both directions is a fantastic tool to find your most profitable lane and use that data when negotiating a rate. Again, search away since you have unlimited searches. Simply hit the update on your browser any time to update your search results.
You can also dial it in by city, or by zip code. In fact, you can just use the first three numbers of a zip code to stay within an area. Of course, you can also just enter a mile radius.
POST YOUR TRUCK!
Seriously, this is a powerful tool that can keep you in front of brokers you can work with.
Post as often as you need with no limit. At the very least, it’s free advertising for your brand. It could also have the best loads finding you.
I’ve written more about this in an article, 7 POWER MOVES FOR POSTING YOUR TRUCK.
ALARM MATCH NOTIFICATIONS
Set up your criteria and receive a notification when a load that matches is posted. It’s that easy.
One of the best parts of this feature is automation. No phone calls, brokers or sales pitches. Just an automated alarm to show you the match.
You can act on the notification and make a call, or send an e-mail for more information. You can also ignore it. The choice is yours.
BROKER DAYS TO PAY AND CREDIT PROFILE
Don’t just book a load and hope you get paid. To be successful you need to know who your dealing with before you book.
See the average days to pay from any broker you’re dealing with. On average, most pay within 28 days, but you need to know ahead of time before you book the load.
Broker Credit Scores also give you a snapshot of who you’re dealing with. Check it every time you’re working with a broker for the first time.
Even if you’ve been working with the same broker for years, you still need to check. The best freight brokers can still fall on hard times. Why not know ahead of time?
Note: This feature is offered with Trucker’s Edge Pro and Enhanced plans.
REAL BROKER SPOT MARKET RATES
You can see the average broker paid rates for the lanes you’re looking at. Seriously, this is the average based on the amounts brokers actually paid.
How can you tell if you’re getting the true value of your work if you have no idea of recent rates? The average spot rate lets you know the current market conditions for the lane you’re running, and lanes you should be considering.
Side Note: Keep an eye on weekly load to truck ratios. More trucks could equal a rate decline. On the other hand, less rucks could give you the advantage in negotiating a higher rate.
Note: This feature is offered with Trucker’s Edge Pro and Enhanced plans.
TRUCKER’S EDGE PRO – MORE POWERFUL FEATURES
These features are only included with the Pro plan, but they’re powerful. You’ll get a better feel for the market, find the best loads and learn to dial in the hottest lanes for maximum profit.
TRI-HAUL SUGGESTIONS
Tri-hauls are nothing new, but this feature puts the concept on steroids. The point is to split your trip into 2 legs while staying close to the original route and miles run.
As an example, based on today’s spot rates, I searched for a load going from Green Bay, WI to St Louis, MO. Then I searched for a tri-haul option.
Green Bay to ST Louis – 484 trip miles with a $1,631 rate. This is for a dry van with a 46,000lb load. This straight haul at average lane rates (as of this writing) is $3.39 per mile.
$3.39 per mile might be enough to make you happy, but now let’s look at the first tri-haul suggestion, Green Bay to Cape Girardeau, MO, then to ST Louis.
Green Bay to Cape Girardeau – 576 miles with a $2,296 rate. A little farther away, but a $3.96 per mile rate, plus the next leg.
Cape Girardeau to St Louis – 121 miles with a $482 lane rate. That’s a $3.98 per mile rate.
Running this tri-haul would add another 213 miles to your trip, but it would bring in an extra $1,148 in revenue. The total trip would have $3.99 per mile average.
Tri-hauling the return trip through Quincey, Illinois would make my return to green bay 605 miles at an average of $3.94 per mile.
Searching tri-hauls is also a great way to zero in on hot spots within the market. Even if you don’t book that second leg, You’ve identified a better paying lane. You can capitalize on it.
TRI-HAUL THE TRI-HAUL!
I want to take a minute to revisit the tri-haul from Green Bay to St Louis, and the tri-haul trip back.
If things are going well I can tri-haul that last leg of the trip. Instead of Quincy to Green Bay, I can run Quincy to Eau Claire WI, then home to Green Bay.
Adding this last haul ads 133 miles to the trip, but another $881 in pay.
All I had to do to find this was enter each tri-haul suggestion into a new search. This generates a new suggested tri-haul automatically. As your week progresses, maximize your rate per mile.
15 DAY LANE AVERAGES
The Pro plan has the tightest average for lane rates. This 15 day average will help you to be on top of trends, whether up or down.
Also, pay attention to patterns. Just because one lane shows a change, other lanes may shift in the opposite direction, or remain stable. Again, load to truck ratios, seasonal changes and weather related issues can cause swift swings in any lane.
CANADIAN LOADS
You can search both US and Canada if you run a cross-border operation. Keep everything simple with one load board.
MONTH TO MONTH BILLING – NO LONG TERM CONTRACTS
Unlike many other subscriptions, Trucker’s Edge is a simple month to month agreement. Upgrade, downgrade or cancel at any time. What’s not to like?
TRY TRUCKER’S EDGE FREE FOR 30 DAYS
Follow this link to Trucker’s Edge and you can try it free for 30 days. All three plans are available, but you should really take advantage of the Pro plan. Use the tools it has to offer and increase your rate per mile.
Keep it, switch to a different plan or cancel all together. The choice is yours. I have no doubt you’ll keep the Pro plan if you learn how to use the tools it offers. You work hard, and deserve more than you’re getting now.
Want to improve your negotiation skills? Who doesn’t want to get a bump in each and every rate quote? Read 9 HACKS TO NEGOTIATING BETTER FREIGHT RATES, EVEN IF YOU SUCK AT SALES.
Full disclosure here. Trucking Podcast has an affiliate relationship with DAT. This means we receive a small commission when you sign up through The Trucking Podcast. We thank you for that, and will do our best to provide you with content to help you succeed.
