Multi-stop hotshot loads: how to run and price them
By Gustavo, truck dispatcher · Updated October 2026 · How we check facts
Hotshot decks rarely leave full. A 40 ft gooseneck can take a skid of pump parts, a mini excavator and a bundle of tubing on the same run, and a broker with three small drops would rather pay one hotshot than three. Multi-stop work can fill a deck and a day. It can also turn a 300 mile run into a 14 hour shift for one load's pay if the stops aren't priced.
Three kinds of multi-stop load
| Type | How it runs | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| One pickup, several drops | One shipper, freight for 2 to 4 customers along a route | Delivery windows that don't line up |
| Several pickups, one drop | Freight from different suppliers to one job site | One late shipper holds up the rest |
| Stacked partials | You combine separate loads, often from different brokers | Weight, deck space and timing across loads |
Stacked partials pay best when they work, because you collect two or three rates for one set of miles. They also carry the most risk: if one shipper isn't ready, you either wait and blow the other delivery or leave without it.
How to price the stops
Start from the whole trip, then pay yourself for each stop. A stop isn't free just because it's on the way: pulling off, finding the dock or the site, waiting, unloading and re-securing can take an hour or more.
EXAMPLE
- Empty to first pickup
- 30 mi
- Loaded, pickup to last drop
- 340 mi
- 370 mi x $1.30 cost
- $481
- Two extra stops x 1.25 hr x $40/hr
- $100
- Margin, 25%
- $145
All EXAMPLE numbers. Use your own cost per mile from the hotshot rate calculator, and your own value for an hour of the truck's time. If the broker prices it as a flat rate, divide by total hours, not just miles, to see what you're really earning. How rates vary by freight type is in hot shot rates by load type.
Questions to ask before you agree:
- How many stops, in what order, with what windows?
- Who loads and unloads at each, and is there a forklift?
- Weight and dimensions of each piece, not just the total.
- Stop-off pay for each extra stop, in dollars.
- Free time and detention at each stop.
- Can the stop order change, and who pays if it does?
Load order and securement for mixed freight
The last delivery goes on first. Plan the deck so each drop comes off without moving anything else, and so the weight stays balanced over the trailer axles as pieces come off.
- Secure each article on its own. The federal tie-down count applies per article, not per load (49 CFR 393.110, checked Oct 26, 2026). A strap across two different pieces is fine only if each piece still has its own required tie-downs.
- Watch the weight shift. Dropping a heavy machine from the front of the deck can leave the remaining freight tail-heavy and change pin weight on the truck.
- Re-secure after every stop. Re-tension what's left and replace any strap that was holding something that's gone. Then do your regular checks at 3 hours, 150 miles or a duty change (49 CFR 392.9).
- Keep pieces apart. Dunnage and blocking stop mixed freight from rubbing or shifting into each other.
The counts and the working load limit math are in hotshot tie-down rules.
Detention, stop by stop
Detention is where multi-stop loads leak money. Every stop is another chance to wait.
- Get the terms in writing: free time per stop or for the whole load, the hourly rate after, and any cap.
- Document arrival and departure at each stop: check-in time, out time, and a photo or signature.
- Tell the broker early when a stop runs long, before free time ends, so the claim isn't a surprise.
- Watch your clock. Waiting is on-duty time, and it uses your 14-hour window whether you drive or not.
EXAMPLE
- Stop 1: 1.5 hr (2 hr free)
- $0
- Stop 2: 3.5 hr (2 hr free)
- 1.5 hr billable
- Stop 3: 2.5 hr (2 hr free)
- 0.5 hr billable
- 2 hr x $50/hr (example rate)
- $100
Paperwork at every stop
- A rate confirmation that lists every stop, window and accessorial.
- A bill of lading for each shipment, matched to the right drop.
- Signed proof of delivery at each stop, with piece counts.
- Photos of the freight secured before you leave each stop.
One missing signature can hold payment on the whole load. Send everything the day it happens.
Finding multi-stop and partial loads
Brokers post partials and multi-stop loads on the same boards as full loads; filter by partial and set your length and weight to the space you have left. The search side is covered in hotshot load boards, and the freight itself in hot shot loads. Other guides are on the guides page.
Multi-stop work through dispatch
Stacking partials takes phone time you don't have while driving: matching pieces that fit together, checking that windows line up, and getting stop-off and detention terms on paper. On our hotshot dispatch desk we build the stack, check the weight and deck space, and send you the plan with each load's rate. You approve each one, and each broker sends you its own rate confirmation. See the TruckQuick home page for how we work with every rig.
Sources
- 49 CFR 393.110 and 392.9, via Cornell LII (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- 49 CFR 395, hours of service (on-duty time)
Questions people ask
Q01What is a multi-stop load in hotshot?
One trip with more than one pickup or delivery. It can be one shipper sending freight to several customers, several shippers going to one site, or two or three separate partials you combine on one deck.
Q02How much should I charge per stop?
There's no standard. Price the whole trip from your cost per mile, then add a stop-off charge for each extra stop that covers the time it takes: driving into the site, waiting, unloading and re-securing. Get it written on the rate confirmation.
Q03Can I haul partials from two brokers at once?
Yes, as long as each load is yours to haul under your own authority, each broker knows the load won't be alone on the deck, weights and dimensions fit together, and every delivery time works. Never re-broker freight you were hired to carry.
Q04Do I need to re-secure after each stop?
Yes. Every article that stays on the deck must still meet the tie-down rules after the drop. Removing a strap that was holding two items can leave the remaining one short. Check and re-tension before you pull out.
Q05How does detention work on multi-stop loads?
Detention terms are set on the rate confirmation. Ask whether free time applies at each stop or for the whole load, the hourly rate after free time, and how arrival and departure times must be documented.