A load board for box trucks has to solve a problem the big boards were not built for: most posted freight is 53-foot truckload, and a 26-foot box truck or a cargo van needs partials, expedite, and local delivery. This guide covers which boards actually carry box-truck freight, how the Amazon Relay box-truck program generally works, where broker networks fit, what rates typically look like, and how to avoid the double-brokered loads that hit box-truck operators hardest.
What box-truck freight looks like
Box trucks and cargo vans carry three main kinds of freight:
- Expedite: time-critical partials, often 1 to 8 skids, where the shipper pays for speed. Automotive, aerospace, and medical are common.
- LTL and partial: shipments too small for a full trailer that a broker consolidates or moves direct.
- Local and regional delivery: furniture, appliances, retail restocking, final-mile from a distribution center, and contract routes.
A board serves box trucks well when it lets you filter by straight truck, box truck, sprinter, or cargo van, shows skid count and weight, and has enough regional posting volume for you to reload rather than run empty. If you are still choosing a truck or getting your authority, read our owner-operator guide first.
1. DAT One
DAT has the largest posting volume, and its equipment list includes straight box truck, cargo van, and sprinter categories. Not every broker uses them correctly, so searching "partial" and filtering by length and weight helps. DAT also gives you broker credit, days-to-pay, and lane rate history, which are more important for box-truck operators than for anyone, because small loads from unknown brokers are where losses happen.
Known for: volume and broker vetting. Consider: box-truck freight is a small share of postings, and the useful plan tiers cost more.
2. Truckstop
Truckstop supports straight truck and van searches and has good broker authority and credit tools. In some regions it has more box-truck and partial postings than DAT, so many operators try both for a month and keep the one that fills their lanes.
Known for: broker vetting and regional coverage. Consider: same cost structure as DAT.
3. Sylectus
Sylectus is an expedite-focused network rather than an open board. Carriers join, post their trucks' availability, and receive expedite loads from other members, many of them larger expedite carriers subcontracting overflow. It is the closest thing to a dedicated box-truck and cargo-van board. Membership has requirements and a cost, and you need to be reachable around the clock because expedite loads move fast.
Known for: expedite freight built for straight trucks and vans. Consider: it is a network with vetting, not a sign-up-and-search board.
4. 123Loadboard
123Loadboard has box-truck and cargo-van filters, a decent app, and a lower price than the big two. Volume is smaller, but for a second board it is a reasonable choice, especially for operators working from a phone.
Known for: price and mobile usability. Consider: thin on its own in most lanes.
5. Direct Freight and Trucker Path
Direct Freight is a low-cost board with a simple search that includes straight truck and van postings. Trucker Path's load board is free and worth a check for backhauls since most drivers already have the app. Neither will keep a box truck busy alone, and both are worth having as supplements.
6. Amazon Relay box-truck program
Amazon Relay is Amazon's load board for its own freight, and it explicitly supports box trucks alongside tractor-trailers. Box-truck work on Relay tends to be shorter runs between Amazon facilities and delivery stations, posted with a rate and a time window, taken on a first-come basis or through longer-term commitments.
In general terms, to qualify a carrier needs active interstate operating authority, an acceptable safety rating, a certain length of time in business, and insurance that meets Amazon's published minimums, which are higher than the FMCSA floor for many box-truck operators. Requirements change, so read the current Relay carrier page before applying.
Known for: consistent freight and predictable payment. Consider: rates are set by Amazon, not negotiated, and the work is repetitive. Many box-truck operators use Relay as a base load and fill around it with broker freight.
7. Broker networks and direct shippers
The boards are where you start, not where you end up. Box-truck operators who stay busy usually get most of their loads from a handful of expedite brokers and a few direct customers who call them first. Ways to build that:
- Note every broker who posts box-truck freight in your lanes and call them even when you cannot cover the load. Ask to be on their carrier list for straight trucks.
- Talk to local businesses that ship a few pallets a week: cabinet shops, sign makers, print shops, machine shops. Many pay LTL rates for slow service and would rather pay you the same for next-day.
- Ask final-mile and furniture delivery companies about contract routes. These are steady and let you plan around board freight.
Our broker and load board guide covers how to vet and build those relationships.
Comparison at a glance
| Board | Box truck / van filter | Broker credit | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAT One | Yes | Yes | Higher | Primary board |
| Truckstop | Yes | Yes | Higher | Primary board, regional |
| Sylectus | Built for it | Vetted network | Membership | Expedite carriers |
| 123Loadboard | Yes | Basic | Lower | Second board |
| Direct Freight | Yes | Limited | Lower | Supplement |
| Trucker Path | Partial | No | Free | Backhaul checks |
| Amazon Relay | Box truck program | N/A | Free to join | Base load, steady pay |
"Cost" is relative. Verify current plans and requirements with each provider.
What box-truck rates typically look like
Rates vary a lot by region, season, and how urgent the freight is. As a rough picture from what operators report:
- 26-foot box truck: regional broker freight often lands somewhere in the $1.50 to $3.00 per loaded mile range, with expedite paying at the top of that or above and Relay-type contract runs usually below.
- Cargo van and sprinter: commonly $0.80 to $1.50 per loaded mile on expedite, with very short runs priced flat rather than per mile.
- Local delivery: usually priced per stop, per hour, or per day, not per mile.
Treat those as typical ranges, not promises. The rate that matters is rate per total mile including deadhead, measured against your own cost per mile. Box trucks have lower fixed costs than a tractor, but fuel, insurance, and the time spent at small shippers with no dock add up. Run the numbers with our cost per mile calculator and read how to reduce deadhead miles, because on short hauls empty miles can be half your day.
Avoiding double-brokered loads
Double brokering is when a broker or a fake carrier takes a load from the real broker and re-posts it to you, often at a lower rate, with no intention of paying or with the real broker unaware you exist. Box-truck operators get hit disproportionately because the loads are small, the brokers are often unfamiliar, and the pressure to book fast is high. Warning signs:
- The rate is well above market for the lane and the broker is pushing you to book immediately.
- The "broker" wants you to run under their MC or use their paperwork with the shipper.
- The contact uses a free email address or a phone number that does not match the authority record.
- The rate confirmation is missing, incomplete, or comes from a different company name than the one on the phone.
- The shipper's pickup paperwork shows a different carrier or broker than the one that booked you.
What to do every time:
- Check the broker's authority and bond status on FMCSA's public lookup and the board's credit data before you call back.
- Get a complete rate confirmation with the broker's legal name, MC number, rate, and accessorials, and make sure the BOL at pickup matches it. Our bill of lading template shows what should be on it.
- If the shipper's paperwork names a different company, call the broker on the phone number from the authority record, not the one you were given.
- Start new brokers on one load, and get paid before you take three more.
The best protection is a short list of brokers you know. The boards get you started; the list keeps you paid. Track days-to-pay on every invoice so you see problems early. Our cash flow and invoicing guide explains how.
Running box-truck freight without losing your day to paperwork
Box-truck operators run more loads per week than tractor-trailer operators, which means more rate cons, more BOLs, more PODs, and more invoices. A dispatch system that builds the load straight from the rate con and drafts the invoice for you matters more here than anywhere. See our dispatch software overview and what TruckFlow.ai does.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best load board for a 26-foot box truck?
DAT or Truckstop as a primary board, with 123Loadboard or Direct Freight as a cheap second. If you want expedite freight, Sylectus is the dedicated network. Amazon Relay is a good base load if you meet its requirements.
Can I use load boards with a box truck and no CDL?
A 26-foot box truck under 26,001 pounds GVWR does not require a CDL. You still need a DOT number, and interstate for-hire freight requires operating authority and insurance that meets broker requirements. Many brokers set their own minimums above the FMCSA floor.
Does Amazon Relay accept box trucks?
Yes. Amazon Relay has a box-truck program with its own equipment, authority, safety, and insurance requirements. Check the current Relay carrier requirements before applying, because they change.
Are there free load boards for box trucks?
Trucker Path's load board is free and Amazon Relay is free to join. Both can help fill gaps. Neither typically has enough box-truck freight alone to keep a truck busy full time.
How do I know if a box-truck load is double brokered?
Verify the broker's MC and bond on FMCSA's lookup, check credit on the board, insist on a complete rate confirmation, and make sure the shipper's paperwork matches the company that booked you. If anything does not line up, call the broker at the number on their authority record before you load.
More loads means more paperwork, unless the system handles it. Start a free 14-day TruckFlow trial, no card required. Forward each rate con and TruckFlow.ai builds the load and drafts the invoice, so every box-truck load is ready to bill the day it delivers.