Securing Haulage Contracts With Amazon Relay
As a carrier company you’ll often need to fill your schedule with regular work to maintain revenue and keep your fleets on the road. Amazon Relay gives you access to a wide range of opportunities throughout the UK and EU, to help you keep your business moving.
In the past, carriers could use load boards to find spot work at the last minute, or look for long-term freight contracts. The Relay platform helps you find dedicated carrier work in the form of both short-term contracts—with durations as short as a week or up to five weeks—and long-term contracts. For either, carriers receive transparent pricing in advance.
Here, we show you how the process works and how to boost your chances of securing freight carrier contracts on the Relay platform.
How Amazon Relay helps you find freight hauling contracts
Amazon Relay is a platform designed for carrier companies and owner-operators to grow their business with haulage opportunities.
When you join Amazon Relay’s network as a driver, whether as an owner-operator or as part of a carrier company, you are automatically given access to the Load Board platform. Carrier companies looking for contracts often need to work with freight brokers, but not on Amazon Relay. Here, you can directly book loads through our website and the Relay mobile app.
You can bid on contract auctions, where you get a chance to work based on the best offer you can. As with auctions generally, the winner will be the carrier with the most competitive bid. Otherwise, you can simply click on the haulage contract that works for you as it appears. These contracts ordinarily include dates, equipment and driver types, and the estimated payment.
What you need to start booking contracts on Relay
To become a relay carrier, you’ll need to fill out an application first.
There are also specific insurance requirements you’ll need to meet as a Relay carrier, so that both your business and Amazon’s operations are protected from losses associated with transportation risks like theft, accidents, or damage.
After we receive your company’s completed application, we’ll make a decision within 1–4 weeks. Any delays will be due to validation of insurance details and compliance checks.
If approved and the initial Relay training you’ve received is complete, you will immediately be able to start booking loads from our load board. You will also have access to FAQs and operating guides for existing carriers to help you operate successfully within our network.
Once you’re up and running, you’ll also be able to manage all your work in the Relay mobile app. Drivers use the app to get trip information, truck-friendly navigation, and pre-trip weather alerts that all help make the road safer.
Securing haulage contracts with Amazon Relay
Carriers can choose spot work via Relay Load Board, or use the ‘Post A Truck’ function where you can tell logistics partners if you’re available to book new trips. For more stable work, you can seek out Relay Contracts (RCM).
RCMs are short-term contracts up to 15 weeks in length, and are available to book on a daily basis. They start and end in the same domicile, with route planning and trailers (but not drivers or tractors) provided by Amazon.
You will also have the opportunity to schedule contracts weeks in advance, for up to six months. It’s important to know our hauling contracts are only available to Relay carriers in good standing. A Relay Performance Score ranges from 0% to 100%, which corresponds with a grade from F to an A+.
Here’s some tips on how you can build your rating and boost your chances of securing these contracts:
- Consistently accept loads
- Keep to Amazon’s insurance requirements
- Deliver on-time
Remember, you can track your performance by accessing your performance scorecard in the Relay portal. The scorecard breaks down your performance for each load you have carried, allowing you to see where you can adapt your operations to improve and enhance your business relationship with Amazon.
Access trucking contracts available through Amazon Relay
To sum up, with Amazon Relay you get access to consistent, flexible and reliable work, and if you maintain an excellent standard of performance, the better your chances will be of securing haulage contracts each time.
Bear in mind that there are certain insurance requirements and compliance checks you’ll have to go through to become a Relay carrier. If you stick to these and can consistently accept loads, you’ll benefit from a strong relationship with Amazon and its network.
When you use Relay, you’ll get guaranteed payouts on booked contracts and get paid within seven days. to get access to high-growth opportunities and a way to lock-in revenue for your drivers.
