01
Live load: when it works
Low daily volume, ample dock doors, quick turns under two hours, and freight that is ready when the appointment says. If any of those fail, detention and missed appointments follow.
02
Drop trailer: how it runs
The carrier stages trailers at your facility. Your team loads across shifts; a tractor swaps loaded for empty on a cadence. Seal and trailer number are logged at the swap, and GPS on the trailer shows dwell and location.
03
What drop changes on your side
Yard space for the pool, a process for sealing and releasing trailers, and clear communication on which trailer is ready. In return, no driver waits, no detention clock starts, and loading fits the shift rather than the schedule.
04
Sizing the pool
Roughly daily outbound loads × days of buffer you want, plus one spare. A facility shipping five loads a day with a one-day buffer needs about six trailers; see the trailer-pool guide for the full method.
05
Pricing difference
Drop programs usually carry a trailer charge but remove driver detention (trailer dwell beyond the agreed free days can still be billed) and reduce the appointment failures that create expedite spend. Model both on total cost, not line-haul rate.