Truckload
Truckload capacity for van, flatbed and reefer freight
When a shipment needs the whole trailer, we put it on a vetted carrier and stay on it until the paperwork is signed. One truck, one driver, no transfers between pickup and delivery.
Why ship Truckload with MeritSpan
More than 65,000 vetted carriers, ready for your loads
More than 65,000 vetted and approved carriers are ready to move your dry van, flatbed and refrigerated loads. That depth is what keeps a truck available when a lane gets tight or a pickup moves up a day.
No carrier hauls your freight until it is approved. We check several factors to confirm each one is insured and able to perform for your business, so the truck that arrives is covered and capable.
Every truckload is backed by a $1 million bond.
Equipment
Dry van
The standard for palletized and boxed freight that needs to stay dry and secure.
- 53-foot trailers, roughly 26 standard pallets on the floor
- Loads up to about 44,000 lb
- Drop trailers, team service and multi-stop routes on request
Flatbed
Open-deck trailers for freight that loads from the side or the top, or that will not fit through a trailer door.
- Flatbed, step deck and other open-deck equipment
- Machinery, steel, lumber, building materials
- Tarping, straps, chains and permits handled with the carrier
Refrigerated
Temperature-controlled trailers for freight that has to hold a setpoint from dock to dock.
- Frozen, chilled and protect-from-freeze service
- Food, beverage, produce and other sensitive products
- Setpoint and loading instructions confirmed with the driver before pickup
Truckload is the right call when
- The shipment fills most of a trailer, or weighs more than an LTL carrier will take
- The freight should not be handled or transferred on the way
- Pickup and delivery times are firm
- The product is high value, fragile or temperature sensitive
What to have ready for a quote
- Pickup and delivery cities or ZIP codes
- Equipment type
- Commodity and total weight
- Pickup date and any delivery deadline
- Temperature setpoint for refrigerated loads
Truckload questions
How far ahead should I book a truck?
A day or two of notice gives the best mix of price and choice. We also cover same-day and next-day loads; tell us the deadline and we will tell you what is realistic.
Can one truck make more than one pickup or delivery?
Yes. Multi-stop loads are common. Each extra stop adds a charge and some time, and we lay that out in the quote.
How do I know where my load is?
Every load is tracked from pickup to delivery, and you can see status in the MeritSpan portal alongside the rest of your shipments.
Equipment and guides
Dry van truckload shipping
A dry van is an enclosed, non-refrigerated 53-foot trailer and the most common truckload equipment in North America.
Read more →Flatbed truckload shipping
A flatbed is an open trailer with no walls or roof, used for freight that loads by crane or forklift from the side or top, or that will not fit inside a van.
Read more →Refrigerated truckload shipping
A refrigerated truckload, or reefer, is a 53-foot insulated trailer with its own cooling unit that holds a set temperature from pickup to delivery.
Read more →Industries that ship Truckload
Manufacturing and industrial
Dry van for palletized goods and flatbed for machinery, steel and oversized pieces.
See how we ship it →Food and beverage
Refrigerated truckload for full loads, and dry van for shelf-stable product.
See how we ship it →Retail and e-commerce
Full loads from the port, the plant or the warehouse to the distribution center.
See how we ship it →Building materials and construction
Flatbed for lumber, steel and roofing; dry van for palletized and boxed product.
See how we ship it →Furniture, appliances and home goods
Full loads from the factory or port to your warehouse or distribution center.
See how we ship it →Consumer packaged goods
Full loads to distribution centers, with dry van and refrigerated equipment.
See how we ship it →Other ways we move freight
LTL
Pay for the space you use. Compare carriers side by side on every shipment.
Learn more →Reefer LTL
Frozen and refrigerated pallets without paying for the whole trailer.
Learn more →Final Mile
Delivery into the home or business, from the curb to fully assembled.
Learn more →International
Air, ocean and cross-border freight, door to door or port to port.
Learn more →Ready to price a Truckload shipment?
See live rates on screen now, or tell us about your freight and a person will reply.