Amazon Relay’s hostling and shuttling opportunities can help carriers create steady, local revenue streams while reducing operational costs. These are quick and easy trailer moves. Not only do you keep your equipment earning, but you’re also giving drivers predictable schedules closer to home. Here’s how it works.
What’s hostling?
If you’ve ever moved trailers around a yard, dock, or warehouse site - that’s hostling. It’s all about getting trailers to the right place at the right time to keep freight yards running smoothly.
For carriers with idle day cabs, hostling is a great way to:
- Keep your assets earning within a defined area (which means less hassle with traffic and road conditions).
- Add steady local work to balance your long-haul routes.
- Reduce fuel costs with lower-speed routes (you’re typically pulling between loading docks and parking slips).
- Lower maintenance costs (yard-based moves reduce wear and tear).
- Create predictable schedules for your drivers.
How hostling works with Relay
On Relay, you’ll find contract auctions for trailer moves. You’ll be paid for the full block of time that you commit to. Once your company’s driver arrives to the assigned facility, there are two types of local trailer moves we’ll use to fill their block.
- Single-site hostling: Moving trailers within one Amazon location. This might be positioning a trailer for loading or offloading at a delivery station (smaller yards that process less freight).
- Shuttle runs: Moving trailers between nearby Amazon sites (usually within 50 miles). For example, due to the size and activity of fulfillment and sort centers, you might haul trailers to offsite storage lots.
Most carriers handle both trailer staging and swapping during a hostling or shuttling block, giving you flexibility in how you use your equipment.
What do I need for Amazon’s hostling & shuttle runs?
Check if your business meets Relay’s carrier requirements, then start your Relay application on your desktop or in our app on iOS or Android.
To add hostling and shuttle moves to your business, you’ll also need:
- Your own day cab or hostler truck.
- A valid CDL for your hostling driver (public roads may be used to access offsite yards).
- A C+ performance grade.
- Completion of two digital courses in the Relay portal—one about providing hostling services for Amazon, and one about Relay auctions (you’ll need to be an approved Relay carrier to access these courses).
What does a hostling or shuttle move look like?
- Time-based vs. load-based: You’ll book these moves by blocks of time instead of individual loads. That way, your drivers can handle multiple trailer moves during their slot, and your company gets paid for the full block, even if Amazon doesn’t use all the time.
- Flexible scheduling: One driver can work multiple blocks per day as long as they don’t overlap. Drivers must stay within their hours of service limits and a max of 12 hours of hostling support. As a reminder, it’s the carrier’s responsibility to ensure that drivers stay within these limits.
- Booking limits: There’s a cap on the amount of hostling moves you can book. That way, we can ensure fair distribution of these opportunities to eligible Relay carriers.
Booking options for hostler & shuttle moves
- Auctions: To secure longer-term work, you have a chance to name your own price by bidding on hostling and shuttle lanes. Relay will calculate the hourly rate per driver as you place a bid. When your company wins an auction, you’ll get up to 6 months of moves, creating steady opportunities for your business.
Ready to hostle?
With access to consistent, local route opportunities, hostling and shuttling can keep your assets moving and earning within a defined area. Check if your business meets Relay’s carrier requirements, then start your Relay application on your desktop or in our app on iOS or Android.
Disclaimer: Amazon does not tender loads through any third-party load boards. Any Amazon loads posted on third-party load boards will only be tendered directly to approved and onboarded carriers via the Relay web portal or Relay mobile app. If you are interested in hauling loads for Amazon, sign up and book directly on relay.amazon.com. For more about our efforts against fraud and cargo theft, see our trusthworthy transportation page.
