What on earth is Spotted Equipment?

Spotted equipment or spotted trailers are the terms used for empty trailers. These empty trailers are left at the shipper's dock door to be loaded or unloaded at a specific time. The shipper uses them as additional warehouse space.

A carrier will often leave the spotted trailer for free if the shipper has a high volume, such as one load everyday. The carrier would come in and drop one trailer when picking up the daily load. Manufacturers can route goods right off the assembly line into the empty trailer. The trucker has shortened down time because when he drops one trailer there is one waiting for him to take. It makes it easy on both the carrier and the shipper.

Another term you will hear is drop and hook. Meaning the carrier will drop the trailer they have and hook up the trailer to be picked up. You most likely won't negotiate for spotted trailers until you have established a good working relationship with a shipper. My first load with most shippers is an "emergency save". I'm there when they have a desperate need to get a load moved.

Tomorrow will discuss when and how to charge for spotted trailers.

Moving on,

Jeff Roach