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Cargo van loads: where to find them and who will set you up
Updated
Cargo van and sprinter loads come from brokers, load programs and load boards. The brokers and programs in the table below name cargo or sprinter vans on their own pages, and MX Logistics Group and My Virtual Fleet work with carriers under their own authority. Curri hires gig drivers in their own vehicles as well as carriers, and FRAYT lets drivers use their own personal vehicles.
At a glance
- Who names cargo vans
- The brokers, programs and load boards in the tables below
- Federal liability minimum
- $300,000 for a fleet of only vans under 10,001 lb GVWR, $750,000 at 10,001 lb or more
- Liability most brokers ask for
- $1 million or more, at 20 of the 21 that publish a minimum
- Curri auto liability
- $300,000 per occurrence if you run no vehicles over 10,000 pounds, $750,000 otherwise
Brokers and programs that load cargo vans
| Broker or program | Authority age | Liability | Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 cargo vans
| Board or app | Price |
|---|---|
| DAT One | $59 a month |
| Direct Freight | $39 a month |
| Truckstop | $42 a month per user, up to three users |
What a cargo van needs to haul for hire
| Rule | For a cargo van |
|---|---|
| USDOT number | Needed at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. Sprinter is not a weight class, and the weight is the greatest of GVWR, GCWR or actual weight. A nonhazardous van rated and weighing under 10,001 lb stays below the line unless a trailer brings the combination to 10,001 lb or more. |
| CDL | No CDL for nonhazardous freight unless the van or rig reaches 26,001 lb. Class B covers a single vehicle rated or weighing 26,001 lb or more. Class A needs a combination of 26,001 lb or more with a towed unit rated or weighing over 10,000 lb. |
| Medical card | Drivers need medical certification at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. A nonhazardous van rated and weighing under 10,001 lb stays outside the weight-based duty unless a trailer brings the combination to 10,001 lb or more. At that weight non-CDL drivers generally carry the certificate while CDL and CLP drivers have an exception from carrying the paper card. |
| Operating authority | Hauling regulated freight for hire in interstate commerce needs your own MC authority. The 10,001 lb weight line does not settle authority, and no 26,001 lb exemption applies. Private carriage, exclusively exempt commodities and exclusively exempt commercial-zone operations follow different rules. |
| Insurance minimum | $300,000 public liability under 10,001 lb GVWR and $750,000 at 10,001 lb or more. The $300,000 applies to a nonhazardous fleet of only vehicles under 10,001 lb GVWR that needs authority, and the ordinary small-vehicle exception in 49 CFR 387.3 does not remove it. The $750,000 applies to interstate for-hire nonhazardous freight and is not a cargo limit, with hazardous cargo on its own schedule. |
| UCR | Interstate carriers register every year, whether for hire, private or exempt. A light-vehicle carrier of regulated property with MC authority ordinarily pays the lowest bracket even with no vehicles that count toward UCR. UCR is separate from MC authority and vehicle plates, and 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. 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. |
Where cargo van loads come from
Brokers
- MX Logistics Group lists sprinter vans and works with carriers that bring their own MC authority.
- AB&M Logistics lists cargo vans, sprinter vans and straight trucks and checks that carriers are DOT-verified and in good standing.
- Candor Expedite lists cargo and sprinter vans and pays 30 days after invoice.
AB&M, Candor, FitzMark and Warp don't say on their pages whether you need your own authority, so ask before you set up.
Load programs
- Curri takes loads up to 1,500 lb in a cargo van and 4,000 lb in a sprinter. Its drivers range from gig workers in their own vehicles to carriers with authority.
- FRAYT runs cargo and sprinter vans under 10,000 GVW and lets drivers use their own personal vehicles.
Load boards
- Expedite Load Board, Boxaloo and My Virtual Fleet list cargo and sprinter vans. My Virtual Fleet requires your own authority, $1 million in liability and $100,000 in cargo.
- Load Work focuses on expedited van, box and straight truck freight. It requires active MC authority, a DOT number and insurance.
- DAT requires an active USDOT number on your account, cargo vans included.
- Direct Freight's free tier needs no MC number to search and caps you at three calls a day.
Liability minimums for light vans
A van rated under 10,001 lb has a lower federal floor. Brokers set their own bar, and some van programs go lower.
| Who sets it | Liability minimum |
|---|---|
| Federal floor, for a fleet of only vehicles under 10,001 lb GVWR that needs authority | $300,000 |
| Federal floor at 10,001 lb or more | $750,000 |
| Brokers that publish a minimum on their own pages | $1 million or more at 37 of 39 |
| My Virtual Fleet | $1 million |
| Curri | $300,000 per occurrence if you run no vehicles over 10,000 lb, $750,000 otherwise |
| FRAYT, for vehicles under 10,000 GVW | Your home state's minimum |
Weight lines for a van
A van needs no CDL for nonhazardous freight unless it reaches 26,001 lb. The 10,001 lb line comes first.
A nonhazardous van rated and loaded under 10,001 lb stays outside the medical card and hours-of-service rules until a trailer brings the combination to 10,001 lb or more. Hauling regulated freight for hire across state lines takes MC authority at any weight.
Working with a dispatcher
A dispatcher who cold-calls with guaranteed freight books under your MC and your insurance. If you're filed at $300,000, no dispatcher can book you with a broker that wants $1 million.
Never pay a deposit or hand over your passwords or broker accounts. Before you hire one for a van, read the truck dispatcher guide.
Deadhead and cost per mile
Count deadhead before you trust a revenue post, and plan the return lane before you accept the outbound load. Load Work advertises a deadhead optimizer among its tools.
Know your cost per mile. The startup cost estimator works out a van's cost per mile from your loaded and empty miles, fuel economy, insurance and payment. It leaves out maintenance, tires, tolls and your own pay, so add those before you take a rate. Startup cost estimator
Frequently asked questions
How much insurance does a cargo van need?
The federal floor is $300,000 for a fleet of only vans under 10,001 lb GVWR that needs authority. Brokers set their own minimums, and 20 of the 21 that publish one ask for $1 million or more.
Do I need a CDL to drive a cargo van for hire?
A van needs no CDL for nonhazardous freight unless it reaches 26,001 lb. A nonhazardous van rated and loaded under 10,001 lb also stays outside the medical card and hours-of-service rules, unless a trailer brings the combination to 10,001 lb or more.
Do I need MC authority for a cargo van?
Hauling regulated freight for hire across state lines takes MC authority at any weight. My Virtual Fleet and Load Work require it, and MX Logistics Group works with carriers that bring their own MC authority.
Which load boards list cargo van loads?
Expedite Load Board, Boxaloo and My Virtual Fleet list cargo and sprinter vans, and Load Work focuses on expedited van, box and straight truck freight. DAT requires an active USDOT number, and Direct Freight's no-cost plan lets you search without an MC number.