How do hauling rates get set for Marketplace work?

Occasionally, we get questions from haulers about how and/or who sets the rates for work that gets posted on the Trux Marketplace. The short answer is, Trux doesn't set the hauling rates for the work posted to our Marketplace. Read on for more on how this works.

What does Trux do?

Trux provides software products, implementation and integration services, and support for the dump trucking industry. This includes the Trux Marketplace where contractors and material producers can find trucks and fleets and truck owners can find work. We don't create the work. We don't own, hire, or employ the trucks or drivers who do the work. And we don't determine the rates for that work.

An Open Marketplace

Trux connects contractors and material producers who need dump trucks with fleets and truck owners who are available and looking to find work. It's an open marketplace, meaning we provide the platform and tools for contractors and material producers to post their job requirements at rates that they are willing and able to pay and an app for haulers to find and claim the work they are willing and able to accept. Ultimately, the most attractive work - taking pay, distance, duration, lead time, and type of work into account - will be filled first. And less attractive work may go unfilled.

An open marketplace with these dynamics should find the right balance between demand (the need for dump trucks) and supply (the availability and willingness of haulers to take that work).

Is Trux just a job board?

No! While the Marketplace is certainly a core component of what Trux provides, we are not "just" a website/app or digital place to post and find work. Trux provides a set of tools and features to help haulers, contractors, and material producers make more money more efficiently.

How we help fleets and truck owners

Trux helps drivers and fleets find more work on the Trux Marketplace, but that's just the start. 

• Weekly pay. Trux pays you weekly for all of the work you claim and complete from the Trux Marketplace! That means you don't invoice the contractors/materials producers - or spend time and money following up with them for collection. It also means you get paid fast - in roughly 7 days rather than net 30/60/90 (or worse). We take the risk for you so that you get paid fast.
• More work. The Marketplace doesn't just mean more potential jobs from which to choose. It also provides you with more sources of work and options. The average hauler who uses the Marketplace sources work from 2.5 different contractors/material producers. On any given day, over 25 haulers take their first shift/job on the Marketplace. And finally, because Trux's tools and features make both contractors/material producers and fleets more efficient, haulers average one more load per day with Trux! That's more work and more take home pay for you.
• Easy assignment. Everyone knows that calling and texting is an inefficient way to schedule and assign work. With Trux, you can claim the work from the Marketplace and immediately assign it to one of your drivers. They get notified of the work that's been put on their schedule, and you see when they punch in and start the work. No more inefficient back-and-forth or worrying about whether they are "on the job."
• Keep track of the work. Track your earnings and view completed load slips by week, by job, and by hauler in real-time. An entire record of you and your fleet's work history is in the app.
• Communication tools. You can communicate directly with Dispatch and/or the job site with a single tap while on the job. No more searching for phone numbers within text threads or emails. And clear, complete job instructions are available within the app for each job you take. So you know all the key information - truck type, material, start and end locations, start and end times, total tons/loads required, etc.
• Verification and validation. In the rare event of a disagreement between the work required and the work completed, Trux gives you AND the contractor digital proof. This protects you! Digital punch in and punch out, geofence data, and electronic confirmation of delivery means that nobody wastes time trying to figure out how much to pay who and when. This gets captured for you just by doing the work.
• Grow and strengthen your network. As mentioned above, the average hauler works with 2.5 contractors/material producers posting work on the Marketplace. So Trux helps you find new and more sources of steady work. And we help you build and strengthen your relationships with these new sources. If you do good work for them, and you like the work they offer, have them list you as a Favorite in Trux. This means contractors/material producers can start requesting you directly for work rather than posting that work to the Marketplace for other haulers to find and claim.
• Tools to manage your work. Trux doesn't just provide you with tools to find, claim, and track work sourced from the Marketplace. You can dispatch and manage the work you already have to drivers that you employ who drive trucks that you own.

Best practices for finding work on the Marketplace

Haulers that have the most success finding work on the Marketplace have several things in common:

• They check the Trux Drive app frequently and accept work quickly. 90% of jobs are accepted by the first or second person to look at them! Be sure to check the JOBS page often and at different times of the day.
• They are responsive in their communications. Cancellations happen - trucks break down, tires blow, and personal commitments are a reality. In the rare event that you have to cancel a commitment, make sure you communicate with the contractor/material producer as soon as possible out of professional courtesy and to maintain a good, consistent working relationship.
• They have become a Favorite. Speaking of maintaining good relationships, if you’ve had a great experience hauling for someone on the Marketplace, ask them to add you to their Favorites list. Work that gets posted to Favorites First is available a full hour ahead of the general Marketplace. So you will get first crack!

We put together The Ultimate Guide to the Trux Marketplace with these tips and more. Download your free copy.