Dry Van Trucking
Dry Van Trucking
Dry van trucking businesses can take advantage of DAT’s unrivaled industry connections and resources to build sustained success.
DAT has earned a reputation for driving profitability levels to new heights for dry van trucking businesses far and wide. For a flat monthly rate that comes without any hidden fees, you can access the best load board in the country, build your freight network, and ensure your fleet is firing on all cylinders.
- Easily find the best-paying dry van loads nationwide.
- Leverage the largest freight network to grow your business.
- Boost your operational efficiency and bottom line with real-time market insights.
Easily find the best-paying dry van freight nationwide.
Connect to DAT’s load board to find the best-paying dry van freight in the country.
If you’re looking to find the best loads on the market, DAT has you covered. Dry van carriers and owner-operators can access nearly 1 million listings daily, including more than 357,000 exclusive to DAT.
The DAT load board’s instant refresh capabilities, matching alerts, inbound/outbound maps, and unlimited searching and posting make it easy to find quality dry van cargo criteria and start capitalizing on the most lucrative new business opportunities.
Leverage the largest freight network to grow your business.
Vet prospective brokers on DAT and build partnerships with seasoned pros across the industry.
A successful dry van trucking business means more than just freight. It’s also about creating relationships that help your business succeed. An investment in DAT not only connects you to the most valuable dry van loads in the country, but it also connects you to the right people. Before you do business with anyone new, you can use the DAT Directory to view customer reviews, credit scores, and data on average days to pay.
Boost your operational efficiency and bottom-line with real-time market insights.
DAT gives you an up-to-the-minute view of market conditions to keep your fleet on schedule, on the open roads, and on track to optimize profits.
DAT helps you stay up-to-date on market conditions with average broker spot market rates over a 15-day period that help you confidently negotiate fair deals for the lanes you’re searching. DAT also offers automatic triangular routing suggestions driven by advanced market analytics and designed to identify the hottest areas of demand for your dry van trucking business. Plus money-saving features on mileage and routing help you maximize the uptime of your fleet.
A dry van, also known as a dry van trailer or box trailer, is defined as a semi-truck that remains enclosed, with freight staying protected and dry from the elements. While dry vans are protected against rain and precipitation, they are not temperature controlled (unlike refrigerated refeer trucks) nor are they fit for oversized shipments (like flatbeds).
Ideal for hauling boxed, palletized, or loose freight, dry van trailers are dependable, versatile, and popularly-used vehicles for LTL deliveries, especially. Dry vans can come in a variety of dimensions and sizes, including 53-foot trailers, 28-foot trailers, and box trucks, making the dry van trucking business a popular option for many truckers.
Given how much a dry van is suited to transport, it’s no surprise that dry van trucking is the most common type of freight transportation. A “dry van” refers to an unrefrigerated semi-truck that is transporting a load in which the cargo stays enclosed and protected from outside precipitation.
A key advantage of dry van trucking is the protection the vehicles provide. A dry van not only keeps equipment enclosed on all sides, but also allows for trailers to be locked, adding another layer of protection against cargo robbery. Another advantage is that the vehicles can be used to transport a wide variety of materials, making it easier to find quality freight.
When you decide to enter the field of dry van trucking business, you can either purchase a brand new dry van trailer, buy a used one, or rent. A new dry van trailer will cost you anywhere between $30,000 to $60,000 on average. A variety of factors, including the dimensions of the truck, will determine where the price point ultimately falls on the spectrum. Each dry van trailer is fitted with a standard width of 8 feet, but the length can vary significantly, with standard lengths of 53’, 48’, or 28’ available to choose from.
When it comes to used dry van trailers, the prices are significantly lower. The going rate for a used 53’ dry van trailer that is less than a year old ranges from $23,500 to $27,000. Older trailers can be bought for far less, but it’s worth noting that these may end up burdening you with higher upkeep costs down the line.
Depending on the size you’re looking for, new dry van trailers can also usually be rented for around $1,500 per month, while used dry van trailers can often be hired for anywhere from $500 to $750 per month.
Due to their efficiency, affordability, and dependability, dry vans are deployed across a variety of industries. Dry vans are especially well-suited to transporting packaged consumer goods — such as clothing, electronics, and furniture — nonperishable goods, machinery, and other household goods that have no need for a climate-controlled environment. Beauty and cleaning products, industrial equipment, automotive parts are additional examples of packaged goods that can be palletized and hauled via dry van.
Because dry vans can haul large loads of up to 45,000 pounds, they offer a lot of flexibility for truckers and shippers alike.
There’s no doubt that there’s an earning difference between dry van transportation services and flatbed services. According to recent estimates, flatbed truckers can take home an average of almost $13,000 more per year than dry van truckers. They reach those numbers because flatbed truckers earn roughly 8 cents more per mile than dry van truckers. This is in part because shippers can be convinced to pay for additional tarping surcharges with flatbeds if it means keeping the freight safe and dry, something that is taken for granted with a dry van.
Dry van trucking businesses turn to DAT to drive their bottom-lines to new heights. Quite simply, as the premier freight network in the industry, DAT makes it easier to run your business. DAT manages back end logistics and delivers advanced market analytics to keep you a step ahead of supply and demand trends. More than 1 million new loads are posted every day on DAT’s load board, including many that are exclusive to DAT. With a flat monthly plan, you can access exclusive, specialty cargo contracts and dry van loads as well as information that will help your business succeed.
“The DAT Load Board is the only one I use, and I really don’t see any interest in trying any other one.”
- Brian Stone, Stone’s Trucking LLC
"DAT Load Board is awesome. They even teach you how to book a load and how to use it on your computer or cell phone app. Highly recommend DAT!"
- Francis Gatmaitan, Alpha Trucking
Drive your dry van trucking business forward with the DAT load board.
As one of the most relied upon vehicles in the freight industry, the dry van trucking business is booming. With demand showing no signs of slowing down, DAT’s superdatabase outpaces the industry — featuring the most valuable dry van loads and transformative dry van transportation solutions.