Box trucks are loved for their cost-effective maintenance and ability to get around town. If you’re looking to haul in your community and be home in time for dinner, Relay has lots of out-and-back trips just for box trucks.
If you’re investing in your box truck business, keep reading to learn how Amazon could play a part.
What is a box truck?
Think your standard U-Haul. Also called a cube truck or straight truck, a box truck has a fully enclosed cargo area (trailer), resembling a box. Even though the trailer is separated from the cab (tractor), it sits on the same frame and doesn’t detach. The frame (chassis) runs all the way underneath the tractor and trailer, mounting them together in one “straight” piece. Cargo is loaded from the back.
Box truck vs. semi
In a nutshell: on a tractor-trailer combo, the cargo area can be swapped. On a box truck, it stays put. Each type of truck has its benefits.
- Size: A box truck’s size makes it an easy-in for those entering the trucking industry. In the freight world, they’re usually 22,’ 24,’ and 26’–bigger than a cargo van and smaller than a semi. A hefty semi can be anywhere from 48’ to 72’.
- Learning curve: Not as steep with a box truck. You won’t need advanced skills for hooking up trailers or navigating a big rig in tight spaces and poor road conditions.
- Cost: Box trucks provide a way to break into the commercial vehicle business at a lower cost, not only because a single-unit purchase is cheaper upfront. A box truck offers better fuel efficiency, insurance prices, and lower maintenance compared to a heavy-duty semi.
- Maintenance: Box trucks experience less wear-and-tear, their parts are more common, and you’re not hunting for a mechanic with diesel certification.
- Distance: Box trucks tend to be homebodies, running local or regional gigs. A semi has the wind resistance and roomy cargo area for long-distance loads.
- Load effort: With a box truck, you’re usually the one doing the lifting. The good news? It’s pretty light. A semi-cab is “power-only,” so you can exchange trailers. That means drivers can drop trailers off for shippers to load and unload.
- CDL: Depending on the weight of your truck, you may not need a CDL to drive a box truck. You can use a “normal” license to operate a vehicle that weighs less than 26,000 pounds. At Amazon Relay, we do still require a DOT medical card to drive anything commercial, but owner-operators don’t have to go through the time and expense of getting a CDL if their box trucks are under the weight limit.
- Accessibility: Box trucks are readily available to rent. You can partner up with a leasing company to grow a box truck business with Amazon. Enterprise and Ryder have whole box truck departments nationwide, and they’re included in Relay carrier discounts.
- Bottom line: Big equipment, big commitment (though Relay’s equipment marketplace has solutions for what to do with idle assets). By comparison, box truck owner-operators often cut back on mileage, opting for the freedom and flexibility of a one-person operation.
How to grow a box truck business with Amazon
Even though you don’t need as much licensing to get going with box trucks vs. semis, you’ll need a DOT authority for at least 6 months to become a carrier with Amazon Relay. We want to work with tenured, reliable carriers that prioritize safety.
Once you’re approved as a Relay carrier, you’ll be able to book box truck work for 26' and 16' vehicles–we have more loads for 26’. Because box trucks are compact, we’ll get you moving with local loads. Keeping it close to home has its advantages if you’re working toward a profitable box truck business, or starting with one truck. Relay has no fleet size requirements.
That being said, you’ll have to meet our other equipment standards.
Amazon Relay box truck requirements
Not all box trucks are made equal. Amazon has a few truck regulations to ensure safe and legal transportation.
- Drivers must have a functional tuck under lift gate.
- Your DOT number must be clearly displayed on the truck’s exterior, even if you’re using a rented truck.
- The box truck must be clean and free of debris and holes.
- Drivers must arrive on site with a pallet jack and load straps.
- Drivers must not use on-site equipment.
- Drivers will be responsible for loading and unloading all freight.
- Drivers must have a smartphone with the Relay app installed.
Box truck work
Not every route was made for a tractor-trailer. Amazon is always expanding our supply types to give box truck carriers the opportunity to grow their business. Here’s how Relay can put your box truck to use.
- Post office shipping: Most of Amazon’s box truck hauls will be in this space. We run tens of thousands of runs per night from Amazon sort center to post offices across the country. To join our mail fleet, your box truck must be able to load at least 12 pallets.
- Same-day service: Speed matters with same-day shipping. Box trucks can help us exceed customer expectations by right-sizing the equipment to get freight between locations.
- Co-mingling: Mix and match work types to fill drivers’ time as much as possible. Box trucks can now book sort center to sort center hauls.
Relay’s load board allows carriers to specify loads by the type of truck and/or the type of work. You can look at a domicile and see everything available to your equipment.
Where can I find loads for box trucks?
There are three ways to book Amazon box truck work, and they’re all free: Relay’s load board, Post A Truck, and contracts.
- Load board: Even though a box truck is the same thing as a straight truck or cube truck, we call them box trucks on Relay’s load board. We offer a variety of filter preferences, so you can browse and bid on spot freight that makes the most sense for your business.
- Post A Truck: You have the chance to instantly load match with Post A Truck. Tell us where you want to go and how you want to haul, and you could automatically book a fit for your box truck’s dimensions.
- Box truck contracts: Whether you’re local, independent, or non-CDL, Amazon offers 16' and 26’ contracts for box trucks to help carriers book consistent lanes. But in order to qualify, you’ll have to prove yourself as a high-performing carrier.
Now that you know how to get loads for box trucks, sign up for Amazon Relay. You can also download the Relay app on iOS or Android to get started and track your application’s progress on the go. Book the freight that fits your business (and your truck) on desktop or mobile.
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.
