Your tractor, their trailer
Power only dispatch services that check the trailer before you hook it
Power only lets you earn without owning a trailer. It also puts someone else's equipment behind your truck. We confirm the trailer terms, the interchange coverage and the load before we call, and every move is offered to you first.
- 1We find a preloaded trailer on your lane
- 2We confirm interchange terms and coverage
- 3We call you; you say yes or no
- 4You hook, inspect, pull and drop
- 5Next trailer lined up near the drop
Power only dispatch, explained
In power only, you supply the tractor and the driver. The trailer belongs to someone else: a shipper with its own trailer pool, a broker running a trailer program, or a carrier that has more trailers than trucks. Most trailers are preloaded and sealed, so you hook and go instead of waiting at a dock.
For an owner-operator, the appeal is obvious. No trailer payment, no trailer maintenance, no tires to replace on a 53 footer. For the trailer owner, power only is capacity without hiring drivers or buying tractors.
The trade-offs are real too. You work inside someone else's schedule and drop yards, you depend on the condition of their equipment, and the interchange terms decide who pays for damage. A good power only dispatcher checks those terms before the rate.
Rates in power only are usually a little lower than for the same lane with your own trailer, because you are not supplying the trailer. The savings on trailer payments, tires and repairs are what make up the difference, so judge each move on what it leaves after your real costs, not on the headline rate alone.
Where power only loads come from
Broker trailer programs. Some brokers keep pools of trailers at shippers and offer preloaded moves to carriers with only a tractor.
Shippers with their own trailers. High-volume shippers stage loaded trailers and need trucks to move them between plants, warehouses and stores.
Carriers short on tractors. Fleets with extra trailers sometimes contract tractors for overflow freight or to reposition empty trailers.
Trailer and equipment moves. Relocating empty trailers, delivering new trailers and moving rental equipment all need power.
Driveaway and towaway
Driveaway is the cousin of power only. Instead of pulling a trailer full of freight, the vehicle itself is the cargo: a new truck driven from the factory, a trailer towed to a dealer, or several tractors moved together in a saddle-mount setup. Towaway is the same idea when the unit is towed rather than driven.
The work runs under its own rules and setups, and the companies that specialize in it handle a lot of the volume. If that side of the business interests you, our guide to truck driveaway companies covers how it works and who does it.
The paperwork that protects you
Trailer interchange agreement. Sets who is responsible for the trailer while it is in your care, and for how long. Read the damage and late-return clauses.
Trailer interchange or non-owned trailer coverage. Insurance for physical damage to a trailer you don't own. Many programs require it at a set amount.
Pickup notes. Photos of the trailer, the seal number and any existing damage, taken before you leave the yard. They settle most disputes in your favor.
Is power only right for you?
Power only suits owner-operators who want to keep costs low and stay flexible: someone starting out without the cash for a trailer, someone whose trailer is in the shop, or someone who likes the quick turnaround of drop and hook. It also suits regional drivers, because many trailer programs run between the same plants and warehouses week after week.
It suits you less if you want to haul specialty freight, which usually needs specialty trailers you control, or if the trailer programs near your home base are thin. We will tell you honestly what power only looks like on your lanes before you commit.
Getting approved for trailer programs
Trailer owners are careful about who pulls their equipment. Expect to show your authority, liability and cargo insurance, trailer interchange or non-owned trailer coverage at the amount they set, and sometimes a minimum authority age or a clean safety record.
Some programs also want a tracking app on your phone or ELD integration so they can see where their trailer is. We send your packet only to programs whose requirements you already meet, which saves weeks of applications that go nowhere.
Your record, their trailer
A trailer defect found at a roadside inspection lands on the carrier pulling it, which is you, not the trailer owner. A burned-out marker light or a worn tire on someone else's trailer can become a violation on your safety record.
That is the main reason the pre-trip matters so much in power only. Spend the ten minutes at the yard. If something is wrong, get it fixed or refuse the trailer before you sign for it, and tell us so we can push the yard or broker to fix their equipment.
How we dispatch a power unit
Chaining drops and hooks. The best power only weeks are a string of moves where each drop sits near the next pickup. We plan the chain before you start, so you aren't bobtailing 150 miles to the next yard.
Yard hours and trailer readiness. A trailer that isn't loaded on time or a yard that closes early can cost the day. We confirm both before you leave.
Mixing power only with your own trailer. If you own a trailer too, we can switch between your trailer and power only moves as the week needs, as long as you have a place to drop yours.
Bobtail and deadhead counted. Driving without a trailer to reach the next yard is still empty miles. We count it in every offer so the rate per mile you hear covers the whole move.
Your yes, your signature
Every power only move is offered to you before it is booked. We tell you the yard, the trailer owner, the load, the destination, the drop instructions and the rate. You decide.
After your yes, the rate confirmation comes straight to you, and you sign it. If the terms on paper don't match the call, don't sign it. Call us and we fix it. A no costs nothing, and we keep looking.
Before every hook, run your inspection. Our pre-trip inspection checklist works on your phone at the yard.
What power only drivers ask us
"What if the trailer is in bad shape?" Don't take it. Note the defects, call us, and we deal with the broker or the yard. Pulling a bad trailer puts the violation on your record.
"Who pays if the trailer gets damaged?" The interchange agreement decides, which is why we check it and your coverage before you ever hook.
"Do I need a trailer of my own eventually?" Not necessarily. Plenty of owner-operators run power only full time. Others add a trailer later to widen their options.
The power only fee EXAMPLE
One tractor on an MC older than 6 months pays 5% of gross. A preloaded move paying $1,400 costs $70 in dispatch fees, and you keep $1,330. A new MC pays 7% for 6 months, and fleets of 2 or more tractors pay 4% while that limited-time rate lasts.
Setup is free, there are no minimums, and empty weeks cost you nothing. Full details on the dispatch fee page.
Power only dispatcher questions
01How does power only dispatch work?
You bring the tractor; the shipper, broker or carrier supplies the trailer, usually already loaded. We find those loads, check the trailer terms and interchange requirements, and call you before booking. You hook at the yard, pull the trailer to its destination and drop it, often picking up another trailer nearby for the next move.
02What is truck driveaway?
Driveaway is moving a vehicle by driving it, or by towing it with another vehicle, to deliver the vehicle itself. New trucks, trailers and RVs often move this way from factories and dealers. It is related to power only because the cargo is equipment, but the rules and setups differ. Our driveaway guide covers the companies that do it.
03Who inspects a trailer I do not own?
You do, before you drive it. Federal rules require the driver to be satisfied that the brakes, lights, tires, coupling and other parts are in good working order, and to review the last inspection report when one exists. The trailer should also carry proof of its annual inspection. If anything is wrong, report it before you leave.
04Can a new MC run power only?
Yes, though some trailer pools and brokers require a minimum authority age or specific insurance before they release trailers. A new MC pays 7% for its first 6 months. We start with programs that accept new carriers and make sure your trailer interchange coverage is in place before the first hook.
05How much do power only dispatchers charge?
Ours is 5% of gross on each load for one truck on an MC older than 6 months, 7% while the MC is under 6 months and 4% per truck for fleets of 2 or more while that limited-time rate lasts. No setup fee and nothing in a week you don't haul.
Bring the tractor. We'll line up the trailers.
Send the application with your hitch type and coverage. We'll call with power only moves that fit, and you approve each one.