Get loads | Equipment
Box truck loads: where to find them and who will set you up
Updated
Box truck loads come from brokers, load programs, load boards and direct shippers. The brokers and programs in the table below name box trucks or straight trucks on their own pages, among them the brokers Warp and MX Logistics Group and the programs Amazon Relay and FRAYT. DAT, Truckstop and Direct Freight also list box truck loads.
At a glance
- Who names box trucks
- The brokers, programs and load boards in the tables below
- Amazon Relay box trucks
- 26 ft or 16 ft with a working tuck-under liftgate
- FRAYT box trucks
- Your own motor carrier permit and DOT number and $100,000 cargo, plus $1 million auto over 10,000 GVW
- Non-CDL line
- 26,000 lb or less, by rating and by actual weight
Brokers and programs that load box trucks
| Broker or program | Authority age | Liability | Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Relay Load program |
180 days | $1 million | $100,000 |
| Circle Logistics Freight broker |
$1 million | $100,000 | |
| Curri Load program |
$750,000 per occurrence | $100,000 per occurrence if you opt out of Loss Waiver | |
| FRAYT Load program |
$1 million for box trucks over 10,000 GVW | $100,000 for box trucks |
Load boards that list box trucks
| Board or app | Price |
|---|---|
| Amazon Relay | No subscription fee or cost to join |
| DAT One | $59 a month |
| Direct Freight | $39 a month |
| Truckstop | $42 a month per user, up to three users |
What a box truck needs to haul for hire
| Rule | For a box truck |
|---|---|
| USDOT number | Needed at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. A non-CDL rating of 26,000 lb or less still leaves the safety, medical and hours-of-service duties that start at 10,001 lb in place, and the weight is the greatest of GVWR, GCWR or actual weight. Placardable hazmat triggers commercial motor vehicle status at any weight. |
| CDL | No CDL for nonhazardous freight at 26,000 lb or less and Class B from 26,001 lb. A 26 ft body is not a license class, so both GVWR and actual weight must stay at 26,000 lb or less to avoid a CDL. Towing can make it Class A when the combination reaches 26,001 lb and the towed unit is rated or weighs over 10,000 lb. |
| Medical card | Drivers need medical certification at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. That includes drivers of a non-CDL box truck, who generally carry the certificate. CDL and CLP drivers have an exception from carrying the paper card but still need certification. |
| Operating authority | Hauling regulated freight for hire in interstate commerce needs your own MC authority. No 26,001 lb exemption applies to a for-hire carrier moving federally regulated property that belongs to others. Private carriage, exclusively exempt commodities and exclusively exempt commercial-zone operations follow different rules. |
| Insurance minimum | $750,000 public liability at 10,001 lb GVWR or more. That is the interstate for-hire minimum for nonhazardous freight and it is not a cargo limit. A nonhazardous fleet of only vehicles under 10,001 lb GVWR that needs authority has a $300,000 public liability minimum while hazardous cargo has its own schedule of limits. |
| UCR | Interstate carriers register every year, whether for hire, private or exempt. UCR is separate from MC authority and vehicle plates. Solely intrastate carriers are excluded. |
| IFTA and IRP | Applies over 26,000 lb or at three or more power-unit axles in two or more jurisdictions. The weight line is over 26,000 lb for a two-axle power unit or a combination, with only power-unit axles counting toward the three. Occasional travel may use fuel trip permits instead of IFTA while IRP restricted plates and other exceptions need base-state review. |
| Heavy vehicle use tax | Form 2290 applies at a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lb or more. Taxable weight includes the equipped vehicle, the customarily used trailer and the maximum customary load, with state registration rules affecting the calculation. Expected use of 5,000 miles or less (7,500 miles for agricultural use) can suspend the tax, but you still file. |
| Hours of service and ELD | Applies at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce, even without a CDL. Drivers who must keep records of duty status use an ELD. Paper logs are allowed when records are needed on no more than 8 days in any rolling 30 days or the vehicle model year is before 2000. |
| Cargo securement | Freight in a box body still needs restraint against shifting. A box body alone does not prove the cargo is immobilized. |
Where box truck loads come from
Brokers
- Warp names 26 ft liftgate box trucks and works with local carriers on its driver app.
- MX Logistics Group lists expedited straight trucks and works with carriers that bring their own MC authority.
- FitzMark lists box trucks and posts loads in its DASH carrier portal.
- Circle Logistics' straight truck listing comes from a 2018 packet.
Warp's and FitzMark's pages don't say whether you need your own authority, so ask before you set up.
Load programs
- Amazon Relay takes 26 ft and 16 ft box trucks with a working tuck-under liftgate. Beyond the limits in the table, it asks for $1 million in general liability per occurrence with a $2 million aggregate and workers' comp where you operate. It pays weekly and charges no subscription fee.
- FRAYT wants your own active motor carrier permit and DOT number and $100,000 in cargo for a box truck, plus $1 million in auto liability once the truck is over 10,000 GVW. It also lets drivers use their own personal vehicles.
- Curri takes box truck loads up to 10,000 lb, with 2,000 lb per liftgate load. It hires gig drivers in their own vehicles as well as carriers with authority.
Load boards
- Expedite Load Board and My Virtual Fleet list box and straight trucks, and My Virtual Fleet requires your own authority.
- Truckstop files box trucks under Straight Van.
- Direct Freight's no-cost plan lets you search without an MC number, three calls a day.
Direct shippers
Call local shippers and equipment dealers. See direct shipper freight.
Staying under the CDL line
A non-CDL box truck has to stay at 26,000 lb or less, by its rating and by its actual loaded weight. That means a heavy load can put a non-CDL driver over the line.
Body length doesn't set your payload. A 26,000 lb truck can hit an axle or route limit before a load is legal.
Working with a dispatcher
A dispatcher books under your MC and your insurance, so every rule in the table still applies. Relay still needs 180 days of active interstate authority, whoever makes the booking. Be wary of cold calls that promise guaranteed freight.
On one dispatch service's published price list, box trucks cost the most: 12% of each load or $400 a week per truck. Get three answers before you agree to 12%: what it's taken from, whether fuel surcharge counts and what an idle week costs.
Walk away from anyone who asks for a deposit, your passwords or control of your broker accounts. Other ways to find box truck loads are in the truck dispatcher guide.
Deadhead and cost per mile
Count deadhead, the empty miles to a pickup and home, before you trust a revenue screenshot. Plan your return lane before you accept the outbound load. Diesel averaged $6.179 a gallon nationally in the week of October 12, 2026.
Price the empty miles. The startup cost estimator takes your loaded and empty miles and your truck's real miles per gallon, then gives a cost per mile for fuel, insurance, your truck payment and fees. Add maintenance, tires, tolls and your own pay before you take a rate. Startup cost estimator
Frequently asked questions
Can I haul box truck loads without a CDL?
Yes, as long as the truck's rating and its actual loaded weight both stay at 26,000 lb or less. A heavy load can put a non-CDL driver over that line.
What box trucks does Amazon Relay take?
Amazon Relay takes 26 ft and 16 ft box trucks with a working tuck-under liftgate. It needs 180 days of active interstate authority, $1 million in general liability per occurrence with a $2 million aggregate and workers' comp where you operate.
Which load boards list box truck loads?
DAT, Truckstop and Direct Freight list box truck loads, and Truckstop files them under Straight Van. Expedite Load Board and My Virtual Fleet list box and straight trucks, and My Virtual Fleet requires your own authority.
Do I need my own authority for box truck loads?
MX Logistics Group and My Virtual Fleet work with carriers under their own authority, and FRAYT asks for your own motor carrier permit and DOT number. Curri hires gig drivers in their own vehicles as well as carriers with authority. Warp's and FitzMark's pages don't say, so ask them.
How much does a box truck dispatcher cost?
On one dispatch service's published price list, box trucks cost the most: 12% of each load or $400 a week per truck.