Same lane, every week

Dedicated lane dispatch: the same lanes, on a schedule you can plan around

Dedicated lane dispatch means less time hunting the board and more time running freight you already know. We look for repeat lanes that fit your truck and your home time: distribution center runs, plant to plant freight, cold storage to grocery, building materials, regional box truck routes. You approve the lane and every load on it.

5% of gross for one truck with authority older than 6 months. No setup fee, no contract.

Find my dedicated lane

EXAMPLE

Whatever the board shows: produce, meat, dairy, frozen

Wk 1
Fresno, CA to Dallas, TX$3.10/mi
Wk 2
Dallas, TX to Chicago, IL$2.05/mi
Wk 3
Chicago, IL to Atlanta, GA$2.60/mi
Wk 4
Atlanta, GA to Miami, FL$1.70/mi

Avg rate: $2.36
Rate swing: $1.40
Weeks home: 1 of 4

EXAMPLE months with illustrative rates, to show the pattern. Not market data or a rate promise.

Spot vs dedicated

Two months on the same truck

Flip the example between a spot month and a dedicated month, and pick your equipment. The spot month jumps around: a strong load out, a weak one back, a different city every week. The dedicated month repeats the same lane at the same rate.

Look at the three numbers under the chart. In a good spot month the average rate can come out higher, because you catch a few strong loads. But the swing between the best and worst week is wide, and you're home when the freight allows it, not when you planned to be.

The dedicated month gives up the peaks. In return you know the rate before the month starts, you know which days you load, and you usually know when you're home. Fewer empty miles between loads and less time waiting on the board often close the gap with spot.

Neither month is better for everyone. A carrier paying off a truck may want the steady number. A carrier who likes chasing the market may not. The point of the comparison is to see the trade before you commit to it.

Where they come from

Where dedicated lanes actually come from

Dedicated freight rarely shows up on a public load board. It comes from relationships and a clean record on loads you already ran.

Broker contract freight
Brokers hold contracts with shippers and need the same lanes covered every week. Run a lane well a few times and they often ask if you want it regularly.
Distribution centers
Retail and grocery DCs replenish stores on fixed days. That means regular outbound freight, often regional, and a clear schedule.
Cold storage and food plants
Frozen and chilled product moves from cold storage to retail on a steady rhythm. Reefers and reefer box trucks fit here.
Plants and suppliers
Manufacturing plants and building material suppliers ship to the same customers each week, which suits dry vans, flatbeds and step decks.

Our part: we notice when a broker keeps posting the same lane, ask about steady volume, and steer you toward repeat freight that fits your home base. We can't promise a shipper will offer a lane. We can make sure you're the carrier they remember.

The path

How a spot lane turns into a dedicated one

1
Pick the lanes worth repeating
We start with your home base and how often you want to be there, then look at which lanes around it post freight week after week. A lane that only pays well one week a year isn't worth building toward.
2
Run them well a few times
We put you on those lanes when the loads make sense for you, and we keep the broker updated so every pickup and delivery goes cleanly. This is where most of the work happens.
3
Ask the question
Once a broker has seen you deliver on time a few times, we ask whether they have steady volume on that lane. Many have contract freight they'd rather give to a carrier they already trust.
4
Review the offer together
If a lane is offered, you see the rate, the schedule, the expected volume and any terms before anything is agreed. You decide whether it fits.

This takes weeks, not days, and it doesn't always end in an offer. The work still pays off: the same habits that win a dedicated lane also get you better spot loads from brokers who know your name.

By equipment

What dedicated work looks like for different trucks

26 ft box trucks

Regional routes with fixed stops: food service, retail restocks, furniture and appliance delivery. Often home every night, with liftgates and tight appointments.

Flatbeds and step decks

Supplier to yard runs for lumber, steel and building materials. Steady through construction season, slower in winter in the north.

Power only and vans

Drop and hook between plants and distribution centers. Fast turns at the dock when the trailer is preloaded.

What shippers expect

What a shipper expects before handing you a lane

On time, every time

A dedicated lane exists because the shipper wants one less thing to worry about. Late pickups and missed appointments end lanes fast.

Updates without asking

Check calls at pickup, when loaded, en route and at delivery. We handle broker updates; you send the photos and times.

Equipment that passes inspection

Clean trailers, working doors and straps, a truck that won't break down on the third week. Breakdowns cost lanes.

Temperature records on reefer lanes

The right setpoint and mode on the bill of lading, a precooled trailer and a download of the unit's record. You run the unit; we help you keep the paperwork straight.

Matching paperwork matters as much as the driving: signed bills of lading, legible delivery receipts and invoices sent on time. Shippers notice carriers who make their week easier.

Honest trade-offs

Is a dedicated lane right for your truck?

A dedicated lane is a commitment. Before you take one, weigh what you gain against what you give up.

It usually fits if

You want a steady number to plan payments around
You want to be home on set nights or weekends
Your truck is reliable enough to keep a weekly schedule
You'd rather know the dock than search for the next load

Think twice if

You like chasing high spot rates when the market is hot
Your schedule changes week to week
A missed week would cost you the lane
The lane leaves you empty on the way back with no reload

Many carriers mix the two: one dedicated lane for the base of the week, spot loads around it. That's often how we plan it, so a slow spot market doesn't leave you with nothing.

Your call

You approve the lane, and every load on it

A dedicated lane doesn't change who decides. Before you commit, you get the lane, the rate, the schedule, the expected weekly volume and the terms. You say yes or no.

Once you've accepted the lane, each load still comes to you with the details: pickup and delivery times, weight, commodity and extras like detention or lumper fees. Nothing is booked until you confirm. When you say yes, the broker emails the rate confirmation straight to you, and you review and sign it yourself.

If the lane stops working, you can step away. The fee doesn't change because the freight repeats: 5% of gross for one truck with authority older than 6 months, 7% for newer authorities, 26 ft box trucks and hotshots, and 4% for fleets of two or more trucks. No haul, no pay, and you can cancel with 30 days notice.

See how lanes work by equipment on reefer dispatch and dry van dispatch, read about refrigerated truck brokers, or check your fee on the pricing page.

Dedicated lanes: straight answers

Q01How do owner-operators get dedicated lanes?

Usually by running the same lane well for a broker or shipper until they offer it on a schedule. On-time pickups, quick updates and clean paperwork are what get a carrier noticed. A dispatcher helps by steering you toward repeat freight, asking brokers about contract lanes and keeping your record clean, but no one can promise a lane before a shipper decides.

Q02Do dedicated lanes pay less than spot?

Often, per mile, when the spot market is strong, because the shipper is paying for reliability instead of chasing the cheapest truck each week. When spot rates fall, a contract rate can look better than the board. What matters is your full month: fewer empty miles, less waiting for a load and steadier home time can outweigh a lower rate.

Q03What do shippers expect on dedicated lanes?

They expect the truck at the dock on time every week, updates without having to ask, equipment in good condition and paperwork that matches. Reefer shippers also expect the right setpoint and records of the trailer temperature. Miss a few appointments and the lane usually goes to someone else, so only commit to a schedule you can keep.

Q04How do dedicated lanes affect home time?

They usually make it predictable. A regional dedicated lane can put you home most nights or every weekend, because the pickup and delivery days repeat. Long-haul dedicated lanes still keep you out, but you know when you'll be back. Spot freight can pay more some weeks, but the next load decides where you end up.

Repeat lanes, still your call.

Apply in about 2 minutes. You approve every lane and every load.

Load offer · 53 ft dry van

Joliet, IL Columbus, OH

EXAMPLE

RATE: $1,050
MILES: 352+18
ALL-IN RPM: $2.84

Freight: Paper goods, 38,500 lb
Pickup: Tue 07:00-09:00 · Deliver: Tue 17:00 appt
Detention $50/hr after 2 hrs
Lumper reimbursed with receipt

Decline: no penalty Find my dedicated lane