Hauling freight can be a great way to generate income. Consumer products are shipped across the country every day, and the demand for drivers is high. Independent straight truck operators can tap into the market by choosing to use a load board.

Load boards act as the middle-man between drivers with straight trucks available and companies that need freight delivered.

Partnering with the right load board service could mean the difference between a profitable shipping business and a business that fails to secure enough loads to stay afloat.

Look for the following three features to ensure that your load board has what it takes to contribute to your success over time.

1. Unlimited Searching

You may have to search through a bunch of posted loads before you find one that fits your needs.

Some load boards place a limit on the number of searches that drivers can conduct each day. Limited searching limits your ability to identify the most profitable loads and forces you to accept loads that you may not really be interested in delivering.

Be sure that the load board you partner with provides unlimited searching capabilities. The ability to search freely will help you create a more stable and profitable business in the future.

2. Fast Connections

The more time you spend searching through load board listings, the less time you spend behind the wheel.

All drivers know that a straight truck sitting idle is a straight truck that isn't making money. You want your load board to provide you with fast connections to reduce the amount of downtime you have each day.

A quality load board will make it fast and easy for you to contact companies in need of shipping services. You should be able to contact your potential customers directly from the load board instead of having to work through an intermediary.

Streamlined communication is a must from any load board that you work through to secure loads.

3. Multi-Lane Availability

Many different shipping lanes have been established across the country. While you may not operate within all of these shipping lanes right now, there is always the potential for expansion for your independent shipping company in the future.

The load board that you choose to partner with should offer you access to loads within multiple shipping lanes. Multi-lane availability from your load board ensures that you will already be set up for success as you work to expand and grow your business.

Look at the listings on a straight truck load board today to learn more.