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Your tractor, their trailer

Power only dispatch services that spell out the trailer duties first

Power only means less money tied up in a trailer and more flexibility, as long as you know exactly what you're responsible for when you hook someone else's equipment. We find drop programs, preloaded freight and one-way moves, and confirm the trailer duties and coverage on every load before it reaches you.
5% of gross for one truck with authority older than 6 months. You approve every load.
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YOUR TRACTOR · THEIR TRAILER · DUTIES ON THE OFFER

Power only or your own trailer

Power only vs owning a trailer

Neither is better for everyone. Power only trades some control over equipment for lower cost and access to trailer programs. Here's how they compare for an owner-operator.

Power only compared with running your own trailer
What mattersPower onlyYour own trailer
Upfront costNo trailer paymentTrailer purchase or lease
MaintenanceMostly the trailer owner'sAll yours
Freight accessTrailer programs and preloadsThe whole board for your trailer type
Waiting at docksOften less, with drop and hookLive loads common
InsuranceTrailer interchange often requiredPhysical damage on your own trailer
FlexibilitySwitch trailer types between programsOne trailer type

Many owner-operators mix both: they run their own trailer on strong lanes and pick up power only loads to reposition or fill gaps. One desk can plan both, as long as your profile says what you have.

Power only also suits carriers between trailers: one that just sold a trailer, is waiting on a new one, or wants to test a trailer type before buying. Running power only for a few weeks shows you what reefer or flatbed freight looks like on your lanes, without the trailer payment.

Who does what

Your duties change with the trailer you hook

A dry van, a reefer and a flatbed each bring different responsibilities when they aren't yours. Pick a trailer type to see a typical split between you and the trailer owner. Every program writes its own rules, so we confirm the details on each load, but this is the shape of it.

EXAMPLE

YOU (THE CARRIER)

  • Everything on the van list
  • Checking the setpoint on the unit against the bill of lading
  • Fueling the reefer unit if the program says so
  • Watching the unit and reporting alarms right away

TRAILER OWNER (SHIPPER OR BROKER)

  • Unit maintenance and pre-trip service
  • Who pays for reefer fuel, stated on the load
  • Temperature download if a receiver asks
  • Washout requirements between loads

A typical split, not a rule. Every trailer program writes its own; we confirm the details on each load before it reaches you.

The reefer column is where most power only surprises happen: who fuels the unit, who pays for that fuel, and what the setpoint should be. We get those answers before a reefer power only load reaches you, never after you've hooked.

Getting approved

What you need for power only programs

  • Trailer interchange or non-owned trailer coverage

    Protects the trailer while it's in your care. Programs set their own limits, and some require specific wording on the certificate.

  • Clean authority and safety record

    Large trailer programs check your safety record and often your authority age before approving you.

  • A tractor that matches the program

    Some programs want late-model tractors, specific fifth-wheel setups or tracking on the tractor.

  • Program paperwork

    Interchange agreements, yard rules and inspection procedures for each program you join.

Power only dispatch

Freight we find for power only

Power only freight mostly lives in programs rather than on open boards. These are the kinds we work, and what each asks of your week.

  • Drop trailer programs

    Pick up a loaded trailer at a yard, deliver it, and hook an empty or another load. Less waiting at docks.

  • Preloaded trailers

    Shippers load trailers ahead of time so you can hook and go, often on repeat lanes.

  • One-way repositioning

    Moving empty or loaded trailers between yards and regions for carriers and leasing companies.

  • Reefer power only

    Customer reefer trailers with the unit duties spelled out, often for grocery and food distribution.

  • Seasonal surges

    Peak seasons when shippers have trailers and freight but not enough tractors.

  • Overflow for larger carriers

    Carriers with more trailers than drivers hiring tractors to move them.

Power only rates

What moves a power only rate

Power only pay looks different from a load with your own trailer. You're not paid for trailer costs, but you also don't carry them, and the fast turns can make up for a lower rate per mile.

  • Turn time

    Drop and hook loads that turn in minutes can earn more per day than higher-paying live loads that sit for hours.

  • Bobtail and empty miles

    Driving without a trailer to the next yard is still unpaid. We count it in every number we show you.

  • Program volume

    A program with steady daily volume on your lanes is worth more than a one-off at a slightly better rate.

  • Trailer type

    Reefer and specialized trailers often pay more, with more duties attached. The duties need to be priced in.

  • Repositioning direction

    Moving trailers into a region that needs them can pay well; moving them out of a crowded yard may not.

  • Detention and TONU

    Even drop programs have waits at busy yards. Terms belong on the rate con.

Before you hook

The power only hook check

Most trailer damage disputes are settled by what you documented when you hooked. Tap through the checks we remind you of on every load.

Power only hook check

1/5 CHECKED

  1. All four sides, tires, lights and the doors or deck, before you hook. Do it again when you drop.

Pulling reefers power only

Reefer power only: the unit is the hard part

A reefer trailer you don't own still depends on you while it's hooked to your tractor. The trailer owner maintains the unit, but you're the one who sees the alarm at 3 a.m. Before a reefer power only load reaches you, we confirm the setpoint and mode, who fuels the unit and who pays, what to do if the unit alarms, and whether the receiver will ask for a temperature download.

If something goes wrong with the unit on the road, call the desk and we reach the trailer owner and the broker while you keep the load safe. Document what you see, when, and the temperature on the display. Read reefer dispatch for more on running temperature-controlled freight.

EXAMPLE week

What a power only week can look like

An illustration of a week mixing a drop program with repositioning moves, not a promise of lanes or rates. Notice the short dwell times, which is the point of drop and hook.

Weekly settlement

EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE power only week. Extras are detention and TONU from the program.
LaneLoadedEmptyLinehaulExtras
Yard Columbus > DC Indianapolis17612$640-
DC Indianapolis > Yard Chicago1828$600$75
Yard Chicago > DC Milwaukee9210$420-
Reposition Milwaukee > Columbus4200$1,050-
Yard Columbus > DC Louisville21015$720$150
GROSS
$3,655
ALL-IN RPM
$3.25
FEE 5%
$183
YOU KEEP
$3,472
EXAMPLE power only week. Extras are detention and TONU from the program.

Avoid these

Where power only carriers lose money

  • Skipping photos at the hook

    Without photos, damage that was already there can end up on your bill.

  • Paying for reefer fuel by surprise

    If the load doesn't say who fuels the unit, ask before you hook, not at the pump.

  • Missing interchange coverage

    Hooking a trailer without the coverage the program requires leaves you exposed if anything happens.

  • Bobtail miles you didn't price

    Driving without a trailer to reach the next yard is still empty miles. Count them in the rate.

Getting set up

What power only programs check before approving you

Trailer programs approve carriers before you can pull a single trailer. Having these ready gets you approved sooner.

  • Active authority and a safety record without serious red flags
  • Auto liability plus trailer interchange or non-owned trailer coverage
  • Tractor year, make and fifth-wheel setup
  • ELD and any tracking the program requires
  • Signed interchange agreement and yard rules
  • Your home base and the lanes you'll run

Steady freight

How one good program turns into a steady week

The best power only weeks rarely come from the load board. They come from one or two trailer programs on your lanes where you show up on time, document every hook and drop, and become the tractor they call first.

We look for programs that match your home base and the lanes you like, get you approved, and keep the relationship clean: confirming every load's duties, sending photos and paperwork after each move, and raising problems with the program before they become disputes. Once a program trusts your truck, the loads tend to find you, and the rest of the week fills around them.

Your call, every load

How a power only load reaches you, and what it costs

Every load comes to you with the trailer type, pickup yard, delivery, drop and return instructions, your duties, times and pay. You say yes or no; nothing is booked without your yes. On a yes, the broker emails the rate confirmation to you. The fee is 5% of gross for one truck with authority older than 6 months, 7% for newer authorities and 4% for fleets. EXAMPLE: a $3,500 week costs $175.

Check loads with the load profitability calculator, read about insurance for reefer carriers, see dispatch for a new MC, or compare fees on the pricing page.

Power only dispatcher: straight answers

Q01How does power only dispatch work?
You bring the tractor; the shipper, broker or trailer program supplies the trailer. We find power only loads and trailer programs that fit your lanes, confirm who handles what on the trailer, and send you the full details. You say yes or no, and the broker sends the rate confirmation straight to you.
Q02Do I need trailer interchange insurance?
Often, yes. When you pull a trailer you don't own, many programs require trailer interchange or non-owned trailer physical damage coverage to protect the trailer while it's in your care. Limits and wording vary, so check what each program requires and confirm the coverage with your agent before the first load.
Q03Can I pull reefer trailers power only?
Yes, many power only programs include reefer trailers. You'll usually check the unit's setpoint against the bill of lading, watch for alarms and sometimes fuel the unit, while the trailer owner handles unit maintenance. We confirm those duties on each load before it reaches you.
Q04Who fuels the reefer unit on power only loads?
It depends on the program, which is exactly why it has to be on the load details. Some programs fuel the unit before dispatch, others expect the carrier to fuel it and reimburse the cost. We ask before a reefer power only load reaches you, so reefer fuel never comes out of your pocket by surprise.
Q05Can a new MC run power only?
Yes, though some trailer programs want months of authority and a clean safety record before they approve a carrier. New authorities pay 7% for the first 6 months. We start with brokers and programs that onboard new carriers and build toward the bigger programs as your history grows.
Q06Do I have to accept every load?
No. Every power only load reaches you with the trailer type, pickup yard, delivery, drop instructions, duties and pay first. You say yes or no, and a no costs nothing. On a yes, the broker emails the rate confirmation to you and you sign it.

Your tractor, their trailer, your call.

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Your fee

5%
STANDARD
7%
NEW MC / 26 FT / HOTSHOT
4%
FLEET 2+

OF GROSS · NO HAUL, NO PAY