Why owner-operators run power only
- No trailer payment, which can lower your cost per mile a lot. Set the trailer payment to $0 in the cost per mile calculator and see.
- Drop and hook. Many power only loads are preloaded trailers, so less waiting at the dock.
- Steady freight from brokers and shippers with their own trailer pools.
Before you hook: inspect and photograph
- Tires, tread and sidewalls
- Lights and reflective tape
- Brakes, air lines and gladhands
- Annual inspection sticker that's current
- Doors, hinges and the seal number against the BOL
- Landing gear and kingpin
- Plate and registration in the trailer
Take photos of all four sides and the inside if it's empty. A trailer you didn't damage can still end up on your bill if you can't prove its condition when you picked it up.
Insurance
Most brokers want trailer interchange coverage for power only, along with your auto liability and cargo. Get the limits brokers ask for from your agent before you start booking, so a setup packet doesn't hold up a load.
Where power only goes wrong
- Trailers with flat tires or bad lights, and you eat the road service
- Waiting for a trailer that isn't ready, with no detention terms
- Bobtail or deadhead miles to get to the trailer yard that nobody counted
- Damage claims with no photos to fight them
How TenFour dispatches power only
Every truck gets its own dispatcher. We count the miles to the trailer yard in every load's rate per total mile, check the rate con for trailer and detention terms, and make sure your interchange coverage meets the broker's limits before we book. Brokers pay you directly.
Questions
What insurance do I need for power only?
On top of auto liability and cargo, most brokers want trailer interchange coverage, which covers physical damage to a trailer you don't own while it's in your care. Ask your agent for it by name and check the limit brokers require.
What's the difference between power only load out and towaway?
Load out means you're pulling a loaded trailer to a delivery. Towaway means you're moving a trailer, often empty or new, from one place to another. Both show up on load boards as power only.
Do power only loads pay less?
Often a bit less than a full van load, but you're not paying for a trailer. Compare them on your own cost per mile with the trailer payment set to zero.
What should I check before hooking a trailer?
Tires, lights, brakes and air lines, the annual inspection sticker, the doors and seal, the landing gear, and the plate and registration. Take photos of every side before you leave.
Want a dispatcher who works for your margin?
Every truck gets its own dispatcher. We judge every load on rate per total mile, deadhead included, and never book under your minimum. Brokers pay you directly.