Power-Only Dispatch Service
JackRick Logistics offers power-only dispatch at a flat 10% per load — Friday invoicing, no retainer, no minimum, no long-term contract. Trailer-interchange guidance included. Quote: (757) 744-2484.
Power-only is trucking's efficiency play: your tractor, someone else's trailer. No trailer payment, no trailer maintenance, no waiting on trailer repairs — just hook, haul, and drop. It is one of the fastest-growing segments in trucking, and it rewards dispatchers who understand trailer pools, drop-and-hook networks, and the insurance details that come with pulling a trailer you do not own.
JackRick Logistics dispatches power-only owner-operators running under their own authority or leased on, booking drop-trailer freight, trailer-pool moves, and power-only spot loads nationwide. Flat 10% per load, invoiced every Friday.
No retainer, no monthly minimum, no long-term contract — 30 days' written notice ends the arrangement. Based in Hampton Roads, Virginia, serving power-only carriers nationwide.
What power-only dispatch actually involves
In power-only work, the trailer belongs to the shipper, the broker, or a trailer-pool operator — you supply the tractor and the driver. Loads range from single drop-trailer moves to ongoing trailer-pool arrangements where you shuttle loaded and empty trailers between a distribution center and a rail ramp or customer site. The operational upside is speed: hook-and-drop turns a two-hour live load into a twenty-minute swap.
The dispatch work is different from standard truckload. We track which customers have trailer pools near your position, confirm trailer condition and roadworthiness before you hook, and verify who is responsible when a pool trailer has a flat tire or a dead reefer unit at 2 a.m. Power-only pays best when the tractor never waits — our job is keeping the hooks coming.
The power-only freight we book
We book power-only moves across several channels: large shippers and 3PLs running drop-trailer programs, trailer-pool shuttles between DCs and ramps, seasonal retail surge capacity, and spot-market power-only loads posted when a shipper's own fleet is short. Some power-only operators also run dedicated-style repeat lanes with the same customer, which we can help you develop once the relationship is proven.
The highest-value power-only work is the predictable kind — regular shuttles on fixed schedules — because it eliminates both deadhead and dwell time. We prioritize those opportunities for carriers who can commit to the schedule, and fill around them with spot moves.
| Power-only type | How it works | Dispatch focus |
|---|---|---|
| Drop-trailer moves | Hook a preloaded trailer, drop empty on return | Trailer availability at origin |
| Trailer-pool shuttles | Repeat moves within a customer's pool | Schedule reliability, volume consistency |
| Spot power-only | One-off loads needing just a tractor | Rate negotiation, trailer condition check |
| Ramp/drayage-adjacent | Tractor moves between rail ramps and DCs | Chassis and container coordination |
Insurance and liability with non-owned trailers
Pulling a trailer you do not own changes the liability picture. Here is what we verify so a claim never finds a gap in your coverage.
Who power-only dispatch fits best
Power-only dispatch fits tractor-only operators better than any other arrangement in trucking. If you own the power unit but not a trailer — by choice or because you are building capital — power-only lets you run at full utilization without the trailer payment, trailer maintenance, and trailer downtime that eat into an owner-operator's margins. Your fixed costs are lower, your turns are faster on hook-and-drop freight, and dispatch keeps the trailer supply matched to your tractor.
It also fits leased-on operators and small fleets that want flexibility. Some carriers run power-only seasonally: pulling a dry van in their own operation during strong months and switching to power-only pool work when their trailer would otherwise sit. Others run mixed fleets where some tractors are permanently assigned to customer trailer pools. We can dispatch the power-only portion of a mixed operation alongside your trailered trucks, planning each unit for what it is set up to do.
The carriers who struggle with power-only are the ones who need total schedule control. Pool and drop-trailer programs run on the customer's rhythm — appointment windows, shuttle schedules, and trailer availability that you do not control. If you need to pick every load's exact timing, standard truckload with your own trailer gives you more autonomy. We will talk through which model fits your temperament before anything is booked.
One more honest note: power-only rates per mile can look lower than all-in truckload rates, because the trailer cost sits with the customer. The comparison that matters is revenue per week against your actual costs — no trailer payment, faster turns, less dwell time. We run that math with you openly, because power-only only makes sense when the weekly economics beat the alternative for your specific operation.
Drop-and-hook power-only vs. live loads: how we keep the truck moving
Power-only work comes in two fundamentally different flavors, and the dispatch strategy for each is different. Drop-and-hook power-only is the efficiency play: the trailer is pre-loaded, the driver hooks, pulls the paperwork, and goes, sometimes swapping an empty for a loaded trailer at a customer drop lot. These loads reward speed and reliability — the shipper's network depends on drivers who show up in the appointment window and keep the trailer pool balanced. Dispatching this work is about precision: appointment times, trailer numbers, interchange paperwork, and making sure the driver's hours line up with the facility's operating window so a missed appointment does not strand a loaded trailer.
Live-load power-only is a different job. The driver arrives, waits for loading or unloading, and the dispatcher's role shifts to managing the clock: confirming detention terms before the load is accepted, tracking how long the driver has been on site, and making the call when a facility is running so far behind that the next load is at risk. Power-only drivers are especially exposed to detention problems because they do not control the trailer and often cannot simply leave — so the dispatcher has to be the one watching the time and pushing back on the broker or shipper when the wait stretches past what was agreed.
JackRick dispatches power-only with both models in mind, and we are upfront with carriers about which kind of work we are booking them on. If you want the drop-and-hook rhythm, we chase trailer-pool and relay freight that keeps you hooked and rolling. If you are fine with live loads, we negotiate the detention terms before you ever arrive at the gate. Either way, you know what kind of day you are signing up for before you accept the load — and that predictability is what makes power-only sustainable instead of chaotic. Call (757) 744-2484 to talk through which power-only model fits your operation.
Honest terms: what it costs and how to start
Our dispatch fee is a flat 10% per load — invoiced every Friday, with no retainer, no monthly minimum, and no long-term contract. If the arrangement is not working for you, 30 days' written notice ends it. That structure exists for a reason: a dispatcher who earns only when your truck earns has to keep booking freight you actually want to run.
Getting started is a conversation, not a signup form. We review your power-only, your authority and insurance, the lanes and home time you need, and what your truck costs to run. If the math works and the fit is right, we start hunting loads. Call (757) 744-2484 or email [email protected] to get a quote.
Get a quote for power-only dispatch
Every truck is different — equipment, authority age, home base, and the lanes that keep your driver happy all change which loads are worth booking. That is why we quote in conversation instead of publishing a price list. Tell us about your operation and we will give you a straight answer on whether dispatch makes sense for you, and what it would look like week to week.
To talk through your lanes and get a quote, call (757) 744-2484, email [email protected], or reach out through the contact page at /contact/. Tell us your equipment, home base, and the lanes you like — we will tell you honestly whether we are a fit.
Key takeaways
- Power-only means your tractor plus someone else's trailer — no trailer payment or maintenance, maximum hook-and-drop efficiency.
- We book drop-trailer moves, trailer-pool shuttles, and spot power-only loads, prioritizing predictable repeat programs.
- Trailer interchange coverage is essential for non-owned trailers — Shay Denise, a licensed broker, can review your policy for gaps.
- Trailer condition is photo-documented at hook-up; maintenance responsibility is clarified before the load.
- Flat 10% per load, Friday invoicing, no retainer, no minimum, no long-term contract; 30 days' written notice to end.
- Based in Hampton Roads, Virginia — serving power-only carriers nationwide since 2022.
Questions carriers ask
What does JackRick dispatch service cost?
A flat 10% per load, invoiced every Friday. There is no retainer, no monthly minimum, and no long-term contract — if you want out, 30 days' written notice ends the arrangement. We earn only when your truck earns.
How do I start dispatch service with JackRick?
Call (757) 744-2484 or email [email protected] for a quote. We will talk through your equipment, authority, insurance, lanes, and home-time needs, then tell you honestly whether we are a fit before anything is signed.
What is included in the dispatch fee?
Power-only load sourcing across drop-trailer and pool networks, rate negotiation, trailer interchange and liability verification, rate confirmations and paperwork, and scheduling built around hook-and-drop efficiency. You supply the tractor; we keep it hooked.
Do I need a trailer to use your power-only dispatch?
No — that is the point of power-only. You run your tractor and pull the customer's or broker's trailer. If you do own a trailer, we can book you standard truckload freight too; the 10% flat and terms are the same.
What insurance do I need for power-only work?
At minimum, trailer interchange coverage for non-owned trailers, on top of your auto liability and cargo. Shay Denise is a licensed commercial insurance broker and can review your policy for gaps before you haul your first power-only load.
Is power-only freight steady year-round?
Drop-trailer and pool programs run year-round; spot power-only follows the same seasons as the rest of truckload. We aim to anchor your week with repeat program freight and fill gaps with spot moves.