Load Board Software: How Do You Assess Loading Capacity?
Load board software plays a vital role in the domestic transport management (DTM) sector of the third-party logistics (3PL) industry. This sector, essentially modern freight brokerage, is a rapidly growing part of the US economy. Find out how load boards are supported by 1st in class load planning software.
Since 2024, the DTM 3PL segment has generated a gross revenue of over $58.7 billion, with a net revenue of $9.6 billion and an average margin of 16.4%. The segment’s revenue is growing robustly, increasing by 12.4% from 2020 to 2024, with an impressive long-term average annual growth rate of 11.5%.
To understand how load board software helps evaluate load capacity, it is essential to look at how freight is handled. The majority of freight brokers’ revenue (85%) comes from full truckload freight (FTL). Of this, dry freight accounts for almost three-quarters of revenue, while refrigerated freight accounts for over 20%. Load board software is the most essential tool that freight brokers and carriers use to manage this process.
Want to dive deeper into how third-party logistics (3PL) can elevate your business performance? Don’t miss our article Third-Party Logistics (3PL): Leverage Your Business to the Next Level, which explores how outsourcing logistics can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and strengthen your supply chain.
What is a Load Board?
A load board is a digital marketplace where freight brokers and shippers post available freight to be hauled. Think of it as a job board specifically for the trucking industry. These platforms can be accessed online, through mobile apps, and sometimes even at truck stops.
Who Uses Load Boards and How?
Freight Brokers and Shippers: These are the primary users who post the available loads. They use load boards to connect with trucking companies, fleets, and owner-operators who can haul their freight.
Trucking Companies, Fleets, and Owner-Operators (Carriers): These users are on the opposite side of the marketplace, searching for loads to transport. They use load boards to find jobs that match their location, equipment, and schedule. Carriers will contact the freight broker who posted the load to discuss rates and agree on the terms of the job.
The process typically works as follows:
- Posting: Freight brokers and shippers post details about a load, including its origin, final destination, weight, and other specifications.
- Searching: Carriers search the load board for available loads that fit their criteria.
- Contacting: When a carrier finds a suitable load, they contact the posting broker to negotiate a rate and finalize the job.
The Value of Load Boards
- Increased Efficiency: Load boards help match available freight with available trucks, reducing „empty miles” (the distance a truck travels without a load). According to a DAT study, frequent load board users had significantly fewer empty loads compared to occasional users.
- Market Transparency: Load boards are subscription-based with tiered pricing. Basic plans allow carriers to search for loads. In contrast, higher-tier plans offer valuable features like lane rate benchmarking and credit data on freight brokers, giving users better insight into market conditions.
- Primary Source of Freight: For many for-hire carriers and owner-operators, load boards are the primary source for finding new freight jobs. This makes them a vital tool for staying busy and profitable in the trucking industry.
Challenges and Inefficiencies
While load boards are a powerful tool, they are not without their challenges:
- Outdated Information: Posted loads may no longer be available, or the criteria may not perfectly match a carrier’s needs.
- Multiple Postings: Sometimes, the same load is posted numerous times by different brokers, leading to confusion and duplicated effort for carriers.
- Negotiation Hurdles: Carriers often have to make multiple phone calls to get rate information, and there’s a risk of a load being canceled even after an agreement has been reached.
How Does Load Board Software Assess Loading Capacity?
Load board software assesses loading capacity by providing a digital platform that automates and streamlines the freight-matching process. It acts as an intermediary, giving both brokers and carriers the data they need to make informed decisions.
For Brokers and Shippers
Brokers and shippers use the software to post detailed load information. It includes not only basic details like the origin and the final destination, but also critical specifications such as:
- Cargo weight and dimensions
- Required equipment type (e.g., dry van, flatbed, refrigerated)
- Special handling instructions
The software can also be integrated with Transportation Management Systems (TMS) to automatically populate these details, ensuring accuracy and saving time. This detailed information allows carriers to quickly determine if they have the capacity—both in terms of vehicle type and space—to transport the load.
For Carriers
Carriers, including trucking companies and owner-operators, utilize the software’s advanced features to find loads that match their available capacity. Load board platforms offer tools such as:
- Advanced Search and Filters: Carriers can search for loads based on specific criteria like equipment type, lane (route), and pickup date. It helps them find loads that fit their truck’s capabilities and current location.
- Real-time Notifications: Modern software can send alerts when a new load matching a carrier’s saved search criteria becomes available. It ensures they don’t miss out on a suitable job.
- Analytics: Some advanced tiers of load board software provide market rate data and predictive analytics. This information helps carriers assess the profitability of a load and negotiate fair rates.
While load board software focuses on matching available freight with carriers, load planning software takes the next step, ensuring that once a load is secured, it’s packed efficiently and safely.
Would you like to learn more about how to calculate load capacity in detail, including methods, examples, and useful tips? Check out our article How to Calculate a Container’s Load Capacity.
How Load Planning Software Works
Load planning software provides a digital solution to a complex logistical challenge. Instead of manually trying to figure out how to fit various items into a cargo space, users simply input the details, and the software does the rest.
1. Easy-to-Use Interface
Load planning software is designed to be user-friendly, often operating directly in a web browser, so there’s no need to install new applications. Users add cargo items by specifying dimensions, weight, and constraints. A 3D load plan preview shows a description of each item right on the box. After defining the cargo space and any loading constraints (like non-rotatable or non-stackable items), the software quickly calculates the best arrangement.
2. Saves Space and Time
A key benefit of this software is its ability to maximize cargo space. By precisely placing items, it can significantly reduce transportation expenses. The software’s unique load-planning engine respects constraints like weight limits and item positioning, and it can even group items based on their final destination. This process, which would take a human planner hours, is completed in seconds, creating a smooth and efficient workflow.
3. Best Visualization
The load plan is displayed in an interactive 3D visualization, allowing users to view the cargo layout from any angle. This feature is handy for verifying the plan and identifying any potential issues before loading. A built-in editor allows for manual adjustments using a simple drag-and-drop feature, and users can generate detailed print reports or share the plans online for clear communication with warehouse staff and drivers.
4. Integrations
Load planning software offers several integration options to simplify workflows:
- Microsoft Excel: Users can import a list of cargo items from an Excel file and export the final load plan back for easy sharing and adjustments.
- API-Interface: This allows companies to integrate the software with their existing systems for seamless data transfer. It ensures all transported goods data is automatically available in the load planning application, eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors.
Are you curious to see what load planning software is on the market and how different load planning software solutions compare? Check out our series starting with Which Is the Best Load Planning Application? Part 1 – 4 Key Functions. It’s the first part of a detailed guide that helps you explore features, performance, and usability across top tools in the industry.
Key Features of Load Planning Software for Load Board Planning
To be effective for load board planning, the software must include these features:
- Unlimited Calculations: The ability to perform an unlimited number of calculations is crucial for dynamic logistics operations.
- Vehicle and Container Database: The software should support a wide range of cargo spaces, including various containers, flatbed trailers, and trucks, allowing for flexibility.
- Constraint Settings: Advanced constraint settings, such as no-stacking, no-tilting, and shift-to-mass-center, ensure the final plan is both safe and compliant with regulations.
- Weight Distribution Verification: The software should verify that the planned load complies with permitted weight limits for axles, ensuring safety and avoiding fines.
Intermodal Freight Load Boards
Intermodal freight load boards are specialized platforms that connect shippers and carriers for multi-modal transportation, primarily involving trucks, trains, and ships. While these load boards function similarly to standard truckload load boards by matching available freight with available capacity, they operate within a unique set of rules and regulations specific to intermodal transport.
A key aspect of intermodal shipping is the strict adherence to regulations governing the loading, blocking, and bracing of cargo. Railroad companies, such as BNSF, put these requirements in place to ensure safety and prevent damage during transit. When using an intermodal load board, shippers and freight brokers must be acutely aware of these rules, which typically include:
- Maximum Weight: Specific weight limits apply to different container types (20-foot, 40-foot, 53-foot), trailers, and commodities. These limits apply not only to the cargo but also to the total gross weight of the equipment and its contents. For example, a 53-foot container has a maximum gross weight of 67,200 lbs, but a 20-foot container is limited to 52,900 lbs.
- Weight Distribution: Cargo must be distributed evenly both laterally and longitudinally. It is crucial for maintaining the vehicle’s balance and preventing unsafe shifting during transport.
- Weight Concentration: There are strict limits on how much weight can be concentrated in a small area. For instance, no more than 25,000 lbs. can be placed in any ten linear feet, or 2,500 lbs. per linear foot, to prevent floor failure.
- Blocking and Bracing: The shipper is solely responsible for ensuring the cargo is secured correctly. It involves using floor blocking, backup cleats, and adequate nailing to prevent longitudinal movement. Vehicle doors are not designed to restrain cargo, so all freight must be independently secured.
The Role of Load Boards vs. Load Planning Software
While intermodal load boards are excellent for matching freight to capacity, they typically do not contain the detailed technical data required for proper load planning and compliance. A load board provides the high-level information (origin, final destination, cargo type, and weight) needed to find a carrier.
However, the load board does not provide details such as optimal cargo placement, weight distribution, axle load limits, or step-by-step loading instructions. These elements are usually handled by dedicated load planning software.
When a shipper books an intermodal load on a load board, they then must use load planning software to create a detailed and compliant loading plan. This software can simulate the placement of cargo, ensuring that weight distribution rules are met, and even generate a step-by-step report for the loading crew. The load board finds the job, but the load planning software provides the detailed instructions necessary to execute it safely, adhering to the rules of the road.
The Power of Load Planning Software
Experience the full power of our software with a 10-day free trial. No credit card is required to sign up. After your free trial, you can choose a plan that fits your business needs, with flexible pricing from one-day tickets to monthly and annual subscriptions.
Ready to streamline your operations and save on shipping costs?
- Calculate your savings: Use our online calculator to see how much you can save on transportation expenses.
- Book a live demo: Get a personalized walkthrough of all our features and see how EasyCargo can solve your specific loading challenges.
Start planning smarter, not harder. Try EasyCargo today and transform your logistics workflow.
