Amazon Relay vs Carrier First Management

Amazon Relay is a free freight marketplace where carriers can find spot loads and contracts. Its load board supports one-off load searches and bookings, alongside Post A Truck matching, lane auctions, and single- or multi-week round-trip contracts. Before accepting a load, carriers can see the base rate, fuel surcharge, and toll charges. Completed work is paid weekly: loads completed by Saturday at 23:59 are paid the following Friday. The web portal and Android and iOS apps provide access; drivers can view schedules and load history, inspect assets, follow load instructions, and report issues in the app. Truck-friendly routes account for truck and trailer type, road restrictions, and changing traffic. Drivers can request trip support through Relay Assistant, an AI-generated chat tool. Active carriers may also access discounts on services and equipment, including eligible Samsara dash cams. Carrier eligibility generally includes interstate DOT authority active for at least 180 days, a valid MC number, qualifying safety metrics, and required insurance. Completed applications are typically approved or rejected within one to three weeks, according to Amazon.

Carrier First Management is a freight marketplace connecting carriers, brokers and shippers. Carriers can filter open loads by lane, equipment and rate, then submit bids for broker approval; approved loads are booked and assigned. Participants can view statuses from booking through pickup and transit to delivery. Quotes use real lane data for market-based rates, and invoices are generated automatically when a load is marked delivered. The document vault associates insurance certificates, authority letters and contracts with an account. Brokers can see a shipper’s credit limit, balance and payment terms, while role-based controls determine which loads, bids and documents each user can access. Listed equipment includes flatbed, dry van, stepdeck and hot shot. The broker plan is free. Carrier and shipper plans each cost $15 per month, with billing starting immediately and cancellation available from the dashboard. The service is available on Android, iOS and web, and lists 24/7 platform support.