A Complete Guide to Hauling with Amazon Relay

Many owner-operators and fleet managers want freight they can count on. They do not want to pay a heavy broker fee.

Amazon Relay is a load board. It links commercial drivers straight to Amazon freight. There is no broker in the middle.

If you want your trucks to keep moving and you want to get paid fast, this is one of the strong choices you can use now.

This guide shows how the plan works. It covers the gear you need and the rules you must meet to get in. It also shows how the right insurance can guard your whole firm.

Quick answer: Hauling with Amazon Relay lets owner-operators and fleet managers book spot loads and short-term contracts straight with Amazon. You pay no broker fee. To get in, you need an active DOT number for at least 180 days in a row, a satisfactory FMCSA safety rating, and commercial trucking insurance that matches Amazon limits. The board takes a wide range of gear. That includes 26-foot box trucks, day cabs, and sleeper cabs for 53-foot dry vans or power-only loads.

Key takeaways

• Time on the job: Your MC and DOT numbers must have interstate operating authority that is active and in good standing for at least 180 days.
• Insurance minimums: You must carry at least $1,000,000 in auto liability, $100,000 in cargo coverage, and $50,000 in trailer interchange protection.
• Safety scores: Amazon will reject or suspend a carrier if the Unsafe Driving or HOS Compliance BASIC score hits 60% or higher.
• Pay: Semi-truck drivers often average $1.50 to $2.50 per mile. Short-haul box trucks on set local routes can average up to $5.00 per mile.

What is Amazon Relay?

Amazon Relay is a freight board that takes the old middleman out of the trucking industry. You do not spend hours on the phone with brokers to haggle a rate. You book loads in a phone app or on the web.

This direct path makes your day-to-day work simpler.

You join a large freight network. You get access to thousands of loads a day that move all over the country. A big plus is the clear price you see up front.

The rate on the load board is the sum you will be paid. No hidden broker fee cuts your pay.

Amazon pays carriers faster than the usual wait in this trade. You can expect a direct deposit, most of the time within seven days of a done drop-off.

Pros and cons of hauling for Amazon

Before you put your whole fleet on the Amazon network, weigh the pay against the hard parts of the work.

Benefits of Amazon Relay

• Direct booking: You cut out the usual freight broker fee.
• Keep your pay: You keep 100% of the posted load rate on each trip.
• Fast pay: You get a weekly payout in your bank. That helps your cash flow.
• Steady work: You can book a one-off trip, or you can lock a full week of set work blocks.
• Clear price: The price on the load board is what you get paid.

Hard parts to weigh

• Strict rules: Amazon rules for commercial insurance limits and safety scores are harder to meet than standard federal laws.
• Tight tracking: If your drivers are late to a site, or if you cancel a load, your carrier score will drop fast.
• Market rates: In some areas, or in high-capacity seasons, Amazon base rates can be lower than rates on other open spot boards.

Rules you must meet to join

Amazon does not let just anyone haul its freight. Each carrier needs a real record of safe driving and solid day-to-day work.

1. Active authority limits

To get on the board, your Department of Transportation (DOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers must show active interstate authority.

You cannot apply if you are a brand-new business that just filed for its MC number.

Your operating authority must stay active, in line with the rules, and in good standing for at least 180 days in a row. That wait means only carriers that are already set up can haul Amazon freight.

2. Safety and compliance ratings

On top of that 180-day wait, your Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) safety rating must be listed as “Satisfactory,” “None,” or “Not Rated.” A “Conditional” or “Unsatisfactory” rating disqualifies you on its own.

Amazon also tracks your Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) scores on its own. You must meet these rules:

1. Unsafe Driving score: It must stay under the 60% line at all times.
2. Hours of Service (HOS) compliance: It must stay under the 60% line, or Amazon can suspend you.
3. Vehicle maintenance score: It must stay under the 75% line.

If your federal safety scores cross any of these lines, Amazon will suspend your carrier account right away.

Gear the load board will take

Amazon wants exact truck sizes so its large warehouses can run well. It does not take cargo vans, sprinter vans, or small box trucks that are not the standard size.

1. Box trucks and straight trucks

If you run a box truck fleet, each truck must match the size and gear rules to get on the site.

• Length: The truck must be exactly 26 feet long. Some local routes do allow a 16-foot truck.
• Floor: It must have a dock-height floor.
• Gate: It must have a heavy-duty tuck-under lift gate.

2. Semi-trucks and trailers

If you haul heavier freight, you can use a day cab or a sleeper cab. It depends how far you run. Amazon takes these:

• 28-foot trailers: Used most for smaller special loads.
• Standard 53-foot dry vans: Used for normal high-volume freight.
• Refrigerated trailers (reefers): Used for goods that must stay at a set temperature.

3. Power-only loads

Amazon also has a “Power Only” plan for semi-truck drivers. You bring the tractor. Amazon gives you a trailer that is already loaded.

You do not have to buy, keep up, or insure your own trailer.

It also speeds up your day. You hook up and go. You do not wait hours while the warehouse loads an empty truck.

Amazon Relay insurance rules

The right insurance is the biggest hurdle for new Amazon Relay carriers. Amazon makes each carrier carry high liability limits so its freight is guarded if it is lost.

You must have live policies that cover your firm 24/7. You cannot have a gap or a lapse in that cover.

Limits you must carry

To get your application approved, you must carry all of these insurance limits:

• Primary truck liability insurance: At least $1,000,000 per occurrence to cover a major crash.
• Cargo freight insurance protection: At least $100,000 to cover goods that are stolen, damaged, or lost.
• General liability insurance coverage: $1,000,000 per occurrence and a $2,000,000 aggregate limit for harm that is not from driving.
• Trailer interchange coverage: A $50,000 minimum. You must have this if you plan to haul Power Only loads.
• Employer liability: A $100,000 minimum if you hire company drivers.

You must also carry occupational accident insurance coverage or the workers’ compensation your state requires. You need it in each state where your trucks run.

What Amazon Relay insurance costs

Amazon requires $1,000,000 in auto liability. Because of that, commercial insurance will be one of your biggest costs.

What you pay depends on your drivers’ records, the zip code where you park at night, and how far your usual routes go.

Below is the average yearly commercial trucking insurance cost in a few key states. The range depends on the kind of truck you run.

Amazon Relay insurance by state

Amazon Relay carriers run in many freight markets. What you need can change with where you are, your gear, your cargo, how far you run, and your authority. Alvix Insurance Group helps owner-operators and fleets compare Amazon Relay insurance that meets the insurance rules that apply and supports local and interstate runs.

Amazon Relay insurance in Indiana

Firms that look for Amazon Relay insurance in Indiana haul in the Midwest and across state lines. Match the plan to your truck, cargo, routes, and Amazon Relay rules.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary auto liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Colorado

Amazon Relay insurance in Colorado can help you guard your truck, cargo, and firm on regional and interstate routes. What you need can change with your gear, how far you run, and the kind of Amazon loads you haul.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial auto liability.
• It may include cargo coverage.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Arkansas

Owner-operators and fleets that want Amazon Relay insurance in Arkansas can get a plan set up for Amazon freight. The right plan can guard your commercial trucks, cargo, and firm assets, and it can support the federal rules that apply.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include trailer coverage.

Amazon Relay insurance in New Jersey

Amazon Relay insurance in New Jersey is for carriers in a busy regional and interstate freight market. You can compare plans based on your trucks, cargo, routes, drivers, and the contract rules you must meet.

Cover may include:

• It may include liability insurance.
• It may include cargo protection.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in West Virginia

If you haul Amazon freight through West Virginia and nearby states, look at Amazon Relay insurance in West Virginia. The plan can be built around your gear, cargo, how far you run, and what your firm needs.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary auto liability.
• It may include cargo insurance.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in New Mexico

Firms that search for Amazon Relay insurance in New Mexico need cover that fits regional and long-haul freight. We help owner-operators and fleets compare plans built around their own Amazon Relay work.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Florida

Florida has a wide freight and distribution network, so solid Amazon Relay insurance in Florida matters for local and interstate routes. A plan fit to your work can guard trucks, cargo, drivers, and the firm.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary liability.
• It may include cargo insurance.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in North Carolina

Firms that want Amazon Relay insurance in North Carolina can pick cover for commercial carriers that haul Amazon freight in the state and on interstate routes.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial auto liability.
• It may include cargo protection.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Alabama

Amazon Relay insurance in Alabama helps owner-operators and fleets guard trucks, cargo, and the firm on regional distribution routes and interstate freight lanes.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Nevada

If you run Amazon Relay routes in the Southwest, Amazon Relay insurance in Nevada can be set around your truck type, cargo, routes, and operating authority.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial liability.
• It may include cargo coverage.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Texas

Texas is one of the largest freight markets in the country, so steady Amazon Relay insurance in Texas matters for local, regional, and interstate routes. We help firms compare plans based on how they run.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary auto liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Louisiana

If you haul Amazon freight through Louisiana, Amazon Relay insurance in Louisiana can fit your gear and how you run. Cover can help guard trucks, cargo, and the firm from covered losses.

Cover may include:

• It may include liability coverage.
• It may include cargo insurance.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Mississippi

Amazon Relay insurance in Mississippi gives owner-operators and fleets cover for Amazon freight on local and interstate routes.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Oklahoma

Firms that search for Amazon Relay insurance in Oklahoma can compare plans for regional and interstate Amazon freight. Cover can fit your truck type, cargo, and how far you run.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial auto liability.
• It may include cargo protection.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Tennessee

Amazon Relay insurance in Tennessee helps trucking firms guard trucks, cargo, and the work while they serve major regional freight routes. Owner-operators and fleets can pick cover based on what their own firm needs.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary liability.
• It may include cargo coverage.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in South Carolina

If you haul Amazon freight through South Carolina, Amazon Relay insurance in South Carolina can fit local, regional, and interstate runs.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial auto liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Kentucky

Amazon Relay insurance in Kentucky helps owner-operators and fleets guard commercial trucks and cargo on Amazon freight routes in Kentucky and nearby states.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary liability.
• It may include cargo insurance.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Georgia

Georgia has a strong logistics and distribution network, and that creates work for Amazon Relay carriers. Amazon Relay insurance in Georgia can guard trucks, cargo, drivers, and the firm.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial liability.
• It may include cargo protection.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Pennsylvania

Firms that want Amazon Relay insurance in Pennsylvania can pick cover for regional and interstate freight. Plans can be built around truck type, cargo, routes, and firm size.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary auto liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Ohio

Amazon Relay insurance in Ohio helps Midwest carriers guard trucks, trailers, cargo, and the firm. Plans can support local and interstate Amazon freight.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial auto liability.
• It may include cargo coverage.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Kansas

Owner-operators and fleets that search for Amazon Relay insurance in Kansas can compare plans built around their Amazon freight, how far they run, their gear, and their cargo.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Missouri

Amazon Relay insurance in Missouri gives carriers cover for Amazon freight through Missouri and nearby interstate markets.

Cover may include:

• It may include commercial liability.
• It may include cargo insurance.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon Relay insurance in Illinois

Illinois is a major freight and distribution market, so steady Amazon Relay insurance in Illinois matters for Amazon routes. We help owner-operators and fleets compare cover based on how they run.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary auto liability.
• It may include cargo protection.
• It may include physical damage.

Amazon truck insurance in Miami

Firms that search for Amazon truck insurance in Miami need cover for commercial carriers in South Florida and across state lines. Miami freight includes major transport corridors and a lot of distribution work, so Amazon carriers face their own day-to-day issues.

You might run a box truck, a semi-truck, or a power-only unit. A plan fit to your work can help guard your truck, cargo, drivers, and firm.

Cover may include:

• It may include primary auto liability.
• It may include motor truck cargo.
• It may include physical damage.
• It may include trailer interchange coverage.

Alvix Insurance Group can help Amazon carriers in the Miami area compare plans based on their gear, cargo, how far they run, and what the firm needs.

How the Amazon Relay score works

Amazon uses a strict grade so it keeps the most reliable safe drivers on the road. Your carrier score runs from 0% to a perfect 100%. You also get a letter grade from F up to A+.

This score is built over a rolling six-week span. A weak run can sit on your account for more than a month.

The four main scores

Your letter grade comes from your single worst score. Amazon tracks four things:

1. On time: Did your truck get to the pickup and the drop-off when you said it would?
2. Load acceptance: Did your dispatch team take and run the loads that were sent to you on the app?
3. App use: Did your drivers use the Amazon Relay phone app to log when they got there and when they left?
4. Cancel rate: Did you drop or cancel a load after your team had already said yes?

If three scores sit at 99% but your drivers skip the app and that score falls to 75%, your whole grade becomes 75%. If you want the best-paying freight, you need an A or A+ score.

Spot loads and short-term contracts

Once your insurance is checked and your account is approved, you have two ways to find work on the load board.

1. Spot loads

Spot loads are one-off trips. They show up on the load board as they come in. You can search the board and book them right away from where you are now.

This is the best choice if you need to fill an empty trailer on the way back to your home base. It is also the pick for drivers who want full control of their daily local freight schedule.

2. Short-term contracts

Short-term contracts are not the same. You can lock a whole week of set work at one time. You get a set pay rate and a schedule you can plan on.

That steady work helps you plan fuel costs and driver hours weeks ahead. Amazon holds this freight for top carriers who keep an A or A+ score.

How to apply for Amazon Relay

You apply online. It often takes about 20 minutes if your papers are ready.

1. Create an account: Go to the Amazon Relay site and set up your carrier profile.
2. Check your authority: Enter your DOT and MC numbers. Amazon can then check your 180-day active authority and pull your FMCSA safety scores.
3. Upload your COI: Upload your Certificate of Insurance (COI). Your insurance agent must list Amazon as a certificate holder with the exact limits.
4. Add your bank: Give your firm’s bank details so Amazon can send your weekly direct deposit.

If your papers are clean, full approval can come in just a few days.

Meet the rules fast with Alvix Insurance

Hauling with Amazon Relay can help your trucking firm grow. You still have to meet its insurance rules. Alvix Insurance helps owner-operators and fleets get the required $1,000,000 auto liability and $100,000 cargo coverage and a Certificate of Insurance in the right form.

Do not let insurance papers slow your Amazon Relay approval. Get a free commercial trucking insurance quote and start hauling with a plan you can trust.