Creating a freight lane has the potential to be extremely profitable – as long as you consider the dynamics of what the freight is moving and when it should be moved. Freight lanes can come in a variety of forms – any of which can mean more money – and they can truly be the arrangement that works best for you.

 

A freight lane isn’t that different from a freight route. Freight lanes can be as simple as picking up a planned load from one destination, taking it to another, then picking up a load from that spot and hauling it to your original destination. But even at their most basic, freight lanes can mean a sizable increase in revenue, especially when drivers and carriers follow certain steps in planning a lane.

 

Because freight lanes can be designed with any number of shapes or sizes, it doesn’t take too much planning for them to be a financial game-changer. Some forethought can mean the difference between successful, money-making freight lanes and the same old grind, since more money will mean more efficiently-spent time on the road.

 

Before you jump into the planning stage, however, get your Hauling Rate Range. It should range from your break-even point to right up to your highest profit. Brokers and shippers won’t know what you need in revenue, and it’s your responsibility to know these numbers before you begin creating your new freight lane.

How to Create a Profitable Freight Lane

Though the work isn’t too arduous, it does take careful planning to design a profitable freight lane. Some simple dedication can pay off with serious dividends, though. To plan a good freight lane, you must:

• Establish a Smart Home Base. It doesn’t take much planning to know that your home would likely be the most advantageous place to start. This is true for a number of reasons: Drivers likely have a strong sense of the area, are able to navigate it easily, and don’t have to leave home to start, all of which mean home would be a prime spot.

• Start Dialing. Contact all the local manufacturers and distribution centers. A phone call will likely prove more fruitful than an email, so call and ask if they would put you on a list of preferred carriers. Not all them can or will, but those that do will make up the first leg of your lane.

• Dig Deeper. The manufacturers and distribution centers that didn’t add you on as a preferred carrier are probably using a 3PL or a freight broker. Determine the contact information for the 3PLs and freight brokers – think of these companies as avenues for further planning your lane, and try to get on their list of preferred carriers. Avoid conversations about rates at this point. This step isn’t about prices but for listing available freight in your area.

• Ask the Right Questions. If you make it onto their preferred carrier list, begin a discussion about areas where they are having trouble getting their freight. Make sure to also ask where the majority of their freight goes, and whether or not other carriers have been lax about providing proper services. Be the answer to a problem and you’ll likely get more notice.

• Do Your Research. Once you have completed your calls, begin creating the next leg of your freight lane. Investigate the areas that are the most challenging and puzzle out why other carriers aren’t biting. Knowing there isn’t as much outbound freight is crucial information – it means your quote must be high enough to cover your empty return trip. Never offer a quote until you’ve consider all these contingencies.

• Keep Time and Distance in Mind. Look for other freight around that low-freight area to get a proper idea of the distance and time it will take to begin a hauling rate from your home base to that area. Investigate and research the area until you discover something that will work with your more challenging load or as a stand-alone outbound load. Consider adding additional legs to your new lane to make your time more efficient.

• Use Your Intuition. Make your experience on the road count by addressing the initial needs of the companies from the first leg of your lane, those who are unsatisfied with other carriers. Work to meet those needs; it may be at an added cost or as a no-charge add-on, regardless, they will be happy to have found someone to fill the gaps.

• Dot Your I’s and Cross Your T’s. You ambition with this kind of detailed planning should be to create a full month for your truck (or trucks) to complete. Some legs of your new freight lane may not immediately make money, but with time, a well-designed freight lane should be profitable fairly soon.

The Benefits of a Well-Designed Freight Lane Plan

One of the most important benefits of the time and energy spent designing a well-crafted freight plan is that it only really needs to be done once. It may need tweaks from time to time, but once the bones of your plan are in place, you can expect more profits with considerably more ease.

 

Money is a nice benefit, too, but successful freight lanes offer more than just profit. Drivers can increase efficiency, hit their favorite spots along the route, and work to build relationships with companies in their lane.

 

 

Well-planned freight lanes offer both single drivers and carrier companies increased revenue and better, more productive, driving. Carriers profit by having more trucks that they can create lanes with, leading to more money for everyone.