Amazon Relay vs x12port Load Board

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.

x12port Load Board is a private freight marketplace where brokers, shippers, and 3PLs post loads for carriers in their own networks. Loads are visible only to carriers invited by the account holder, not on a public board, and there are no per-post fees. Carriers can connect at no cost. The EDI workflow sends 204 Motor Carrier Load Tenders, tracks acceptances and declines through 990 responses, and updates shipment status from 214 messages. Carriers can submit 210 freight invoices; the listed transaction sets also include 211 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading. The product is available on the web and through an API. Its plans include free options and paid plans from $199/mo; a 14-day trial provides full access without requiring a credit card. The Professional plan lists AS2, SFTP, and API connectivity. x12port advertises free AI support, with up to 30 messages per session. The About page describes the service as cloud-native and says it does not sell, share, or monetize customer data. Listed users also include small trucking companies and dispatchers.