Where to look for clients for cargo transportation: 15 working methods + efficiency table

Most carriers lose up to 40% of potential orders due to the wrong choice of customer search channels. If your truck is idle, and applications come in sporadically, the problem is not competition, but ineffective attraction strategy. The first thing you need to check is whether you are using at least 3 of the 5 top order sources (exchanges, direct contracts, social networks, affiliate programs, offline networks). The mistake 80% of beginners make is focusing on only one channel (for example, only on the stock exchange ATI.SU), which leads to an unstable flow of orders and price dumping.

In this article - analysis of 15 customer search channels indicating their pros, cons and average conversion, as well as efficiency comparison table according to the criteria “speed of receiving the first order”, “average bill” and “time consumption”. Separately disclosed 3 little-known ways, which provide stable orders without competitors (including working with brokers and niche sites). If you are a single carrier or the owner of a small fleet, you will find here concrete steps, how to fill out an order schedule for 2-3 months in advance.

1. Freight exchanges: how to choose a site and not burn out on commissions

Freight exchanges (ATI.SU, fuel and energy complex, CargoTransport) is the fastest way to get your first order, but 70% of carriers lose money due to the wrong approach. The main mistake: registering on all sites at the same time without analyzing their specialization. For example, ATI.SU suitable for international transport, and CargoTransport — for local cargo up to 5 tons. If you are transporting oversized items, it is better to concentrate on fuel and energy complex or Baltic Transport.

To avoid paying commissions in vain:

• 📌 Check it out carrier rating on the stock exchange - if it is below 4.5, you will not be accepted for profitable orders.
• 💰 Compare commissions: on ATI.SU it is fixed (from 3%), and on fuel and energy complex — progressive (up to 10% for new accounts).
• ⏳ Monitor response time: orders on the exchange are “caught” in 10-30 minutes. If you answer later, the chances are close to zero.
• 🔍 Use filters by type of cargo (for example, “food products” or “building materials”) - this reduces search time by 3 times.

⚠️ Attention: On the stock exchange ATI.SU There is a “black list” of carriers with late payments. If you are included there, you can delete the entry only through support, providing proof of payment (screenshots, acts). Check your status once a month in your personal account.

2. Direct contracts with companies: how to find and retain corporate clients

Corporate clients (factories, retail chains, construction companies) give stable income and orders for 6-12 months in advance, but they are difficult to find. Main secret: look not through HR or accounting, but through logistics and purchasing. For example, in the company Leroy Merlin The logistics department is responsible for transportation, and Magnet - purchasing department. Contacts can be found on the website in the “Tenders” section or via LinkedIn (search by position “logistician”, “purchasing manager”).

Algorithm for working with corporate clients:

1. Collect a database of 50-100 companies in your region (use Contour.Focus or SPARK-Interfax to search).
2. Send a commercial proposal (sample below) to the logistician's email with the subject "Proposal for transportation [type of cargo] - 10% discount for paying in advance."
3. After 3 days, call and check if the letter arrived. Ask: “What are your priority criteria for choosing a carrier?” - this will help correct the next sentence.
4. If they refuse, offer a test flight with a 15-20% discount. After successful transportation, the chances of a long-term contract are 60%.

Sample commercial proposal for a corporate client

Subject of the letter: Transportation of [type of cargo] along the route [from to where] - guarantee of timing and cargo insurance

Text:

Hello, [Name]!

The company [Your name] specializes in transporting [type of cargo] along the route [from to where]. We offer:

• Guaranteed delivery times (a fine of 5% of the cost for each day of delay - but we haven’t had this in 3 years).
• Cargo insurance for up to [X] rubles.
• Flexible payment system: cash/non-cash payment, postpayment for regular customers.
• 10% discount when paying a month in advance.

Examples of our clients: [names of 2-3 companies, if any]. We are ready to provide recommendations.

We can discuss the details by phone [number] or meet in your office. When is it convenient for you?

Best regards, [Your name]

[Company name]

[Website/phone]

Company type	Who makes the decision	The best way to communicate	Average bill per order
Trading networks (Magnet, Pyaterochka)	Logistics Manager	Email + call in 2 days	50 000 — 300 000 ₽
Construction companies	Head of Supply	Personal meeting	100 000 — 500 000 ₽
Manufacturing plants	Logistics Director	Recommendation from a current client	200 000 — 1 000 000 ₽
Agro-complexes	Deputy Director	Harvest season call	30 000 — 200 000 ₽

3. Social networks: how to sell transportation on VK, Telegram and Instagram

Social networks are not only for B2C. 35% of small and medium-sized companies looking for carriers through VK, Telegram and even Instagram. Main rule: don't sell directly - Give value first. For example, in a group VK "Transportation in Russia" publish not "Looking for cargo!", but "5 mistakes when transporting furniture that spoil the cargo (and how to avoid them)." This way you will attract the attention of logisticians, who will then write to you themselves.

Effective content formats to attract customers:

• 📹 Video reviews from customers (even if it’s a short video with unloading and the words “Everything was delivered on time, thank you!”).
• 📊 Infographics with routes and prices (example: “The cost of transportation from Moscow to the regions - current prices for June 2026”).
• 🗣 Cases with photographs of the cargo (for example: “How we transported 10 tons of equipment in 12 hours without damage”).
• 🎁 Promotions for new customers (for example: “First shipment with 15% discount when ordering before [date]”).

Where to look for clients on social networks:

• 🔹 VK: groups “Cargo transportation [your region]”, “Logisticians of Russia”, “Tenders and orders for business”.
• 🔹 Telegram: channels @gruzoperevozki, @logist_ru, chats "Search for cargo for carriers".
• 🔹 Instagram: hashtags #looking for a carrier, #need a car, #gruzmoscow (subscribe to them and turn on notifications).
• 🔹 Facebook: groups "Transport Logistics" and "Business Partnership".

4. Cold calling and email campaigns: scripts that work

Cold calling and email campaigns provide up to 20% conversion, if you segment the base correctly. The main mistake: calling “everything”. For example, there is no point in offering transportation of perishable goods to calling furniture stores. The best niches for cold contacts:

• 🛒 Wholesale bases and warehouses (regular transportation of small batches is required).
• 🏗 Construction stores (delivery of materials to clients).
• 🚜 Agricultural companies (seasonal transportation of crops).
• 📦 Online stores (delivery of goods from warehouse to delivery points).

Cold call script that gives a 30% response rate:

1. Presentation (5 seconds):

— Good afternoon, my name is [name], I’m from the company [name]. We specialize in transporting [type of cargo] across [region]. Do I understand correctly that you are involved in [the company's field of activity]?

2. Key question (10 seconds):

— Tell me, please, how do you resolve issues with the delivery of [specific cargo, for example, “furniture to clients”]? Do you have a permanent carrier or are you looking for contractors for each order?

3. Sentence (15 seconds):

— We work with [name 1-2 well-known clients in their niche, if any] and can offer [your key advantage, for example, “guaranteed delivery times with compensation for late payments”]. If you are interested, I can send you a commercial offer or discuss the details over the phone. When is it convenient for you?

⚠️ Attention: For cold calls never say "do you have loads?" - this immediately reveals an amateur. Instead, ask about the company's logistics process. For example: “How do you organize the delivery of goods from the warehouse to the stores?” or “Do you handle logistics yourself or outsource?”

1. Prepare a database of 50 companies (use Zoon or 2GIS).

2. Check the company’s website for information about logistics (section “Delivery”).

3. Write a script for a specific niche (for example, for construction companies, mention experience in transporting bricks/concrete).

4. Call between 10:00 and 12:00 or from 14:00 to 16:00 (logistics are not in meetings at this time).

5. After the call, send an email with a brief repetition of the offer and a link to reviews.

-->

5. Affiliate programs and subcontracting: how to work with brokers

Brokers and transport partner companies can provide you with orders for years to come, but there is 3 key risks: unscrupulous intermediaries, reduced tariffs and delays in payment. To minimize them:

• 🤝 Work only with brokers who provide an agreement and insure the cargo.
• 💵 Specify the payment scheme: the best option is 30% prepayment, 70% after delivery.
• 📄 Check reviews about the broker on the forums (Forum.Gruzovoz.ru, TruckersMP).
• 🚛 Start with small orders (up to 50,000 ₽) to check the reliability of your partner.

Where to look for reliable brokers:

• 🔹 Venues TenderPro and B2B-Center (section "Transport services").
• 🔹Forums TruckersMP and Dalnoboyshik.ru (sections "Job Search" and "Partnership").
• 🔹 Messengers: in Telegram There are chats "Freight Brokers" and "Transport Logistics".
• 🔹 Exhibitions: TransRussia, Transport and Logistics (you can meet brokers in person there).

Example of a successful partnership: company PEC often uses subcontractors to deliver to remote regions. If you are ready to work under their brand, there is a guaranteed flow of orders, but with strict requirements for timing and quality.

6. Offline methods: how to find clients without the Internet

Despite digitalization, 40% of orders carriers receive through offline channels. The most effective:

• 📋 Advertisements on boards in shopping centers, gas stations and business centers. Example text: "Cargo transportation in [region]. Guaranteed timing. Phone: [number]."
• 🤲 Personal connections: Tell your friends who work in logistics, trade or construction about your services.
• 🏢 Business cards in the offices of companies that deal with cargo (warehouses, wholesale warehouses, building materials stores).
• 🚚 Branded transport: a sticker with a phone number and services on board the car brings up to 10% of customers "self-propelled".

How to work with offline clients:

• 📞 Always answer calls from unfamiliar numbers - these may be orders.
• 📝 Maintain your contact database in a notepad or Excel: name, company, type of cargo, date of last order.
• 🎁 Offer a discount for referrals (for example: “Refer a friend and get a 5% discount on your next order”).
• 📅 Remind yourself once every 2-3 months (call or SMS: “Hello, this is [name] from [company]. I remind you that we are ready to help with transportation. Promotion: 10% discount until [date]”).

Example: one carrier from Yekaterinburg placed advertisements on boards in 10 shopping centers and received 7 orders per month for the amount of 180,000 ₽. The main thing is to update your ads once every 2 weeks so that they don’t get lost among the new ones.

7. Niche sites and forums: where to look for non-standard cargo

If you specialize in oversized, dangerous goods or international transport, regular exchanges will not work. Niche platforms needed:

• 🌍 International transport: TIR Portal, EuroTransport, Trans.eu.
• ⚠️ Dangerous goods (ADR): ADR Portal, forum HazMat Transport.
• 🏗 Oversized: Oversize.ru, group VK "Transportation of oversized cargo."
• 🐄 Animals/livestock: AgroTransport, forum Farmer.ru.
• 🚜 Agricultural machinery: AgroTruck, chat Telegram "Agrotransportation".

On niche sites competition is 5-10 times lower, but there are nuances:

• 📄 Often required additional documents (oversize permits, ADR certificates).
• 💰 Tariffs are 20-30% higher, but there is also more responsibility.
• ⏳ Orders take longer to find, but they more stable (customers return).

Example: a carrier from the Rostov region specializes in the transportation of agricultural machinery. He registered for AgroTruck and within six months I found 5 regular customers (agricultural holdings), which provide orders worth 500,000 rubles per month.

8. Search automation: services and bots for carriers

If you spend more than 2 hours a day searching for cargo, you need automation tools. They save time and increase the number of orders by 30-50%. Best services:

• 🤖 Bots for exchanges: ATI Helper (automatic response to orders), Gruzovoz Bot (monitoring of new cargo in Telegram).
• 📊 Order aggregators: TruckerPath (shows cargo along the route), LoadBoard (price analytics).
• 📱 Mobile applications: Truck (search for cargo by geolocation), Transport Card (routes with loading).
• 📈 CRM for carriers: TruckingOffice (order and financial management), Fleetboard (vehicle fleet tracking).

How to set up automation:

1. Install ATI Helper and set up an auto-response for orders with keywords (for example, “Moscow-St. Petersburg”, “20 tons”).
2. Connect TruckerPath to the navigator - it will show the nearest cargo along your route.
3. Create message templates in CRM for a quick response to customers.
4. Set up notifications about new orders in Telegram via bot @LoadAlertBot.

Example: a carrier from Krasnodar automated the search for cargo using ATI Helper and TruckerPath. Over the course of a month, the number of orders increased from 8 to 15, and the search time decreased from 3 hours to 30 minutes per day.

🔍 Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How to quickly get your first order if you just started working?

The fastest way is exchanges (ATI.SU, fuel and energy complex). Register, fill out your profile (be sure to add photos of the equipment and reviews, if any), turn on notifications about new cargo. The first orders can be received already on the day of registration if you respond promptly (within the first 10-15 minutes after the shipment is published). Also post an ad in local groups VK and Telegram with the note "First customers get 10% discount."

How much can you earn from cargo transportation per month?

Income depends on the type of cargo and region:

• 🚛 Light trucks (up to 5 tons): 80,000 - 150,000 ₽/month.
• 🚛 Medium trucks (5-20 tons): 150,000 - 300,000 ₽/month.
• 🚛 Tractors (20+ tons, international transportation): 300,000 - 1,000,000 ₽/month.
• 🚛 Oversized/special equipment: from 500,000 ₽/month (but permits and experience are required).

To increase your income, combine orders: for example, transport cargo to one city and back (the so-called “round-trip” orders).

How to avoid scammers when working with new clients?

Safety rules:

• 🔍 Check the customer company through Contour.Focus or SPARK (if the LLC/IP has existed for less than a year, the risk of fraud is high).
• 💵 Do not agree to 100% prepayment from the client (this may be a cash-out scheme). Optimal scheme: 30% advance payment, 70% after delivery.
• 📄 Sign an agreement even for one-time orders. As a last resort, draw up a waybill (Bill of Lading) with signatures.
• 🚨 If a client asks to transport cargo without documents or at a suspiciously low price, refuse.

If you were deceived, write a statement to the police and to the site (if the order was made through the exchange). For example, ATI.SU blocks scammers and returns the commission to the carrier.

Is it necessary to register an individual entrepreneur for cargo transportation?

Yes, if you work officially. Advantages of IP:

• ☑ You can enter into agreements with legal entities (many companies do not work with individuals).
• ☑ Legal payment of taxes (6% on the simplified tax system or 15% on OSNO).
• ☑ Possibility to get a loan or lease for a new car.

If you work without an individual entrepreneur:

• ❌ Risk of a fine from the tax office (up to 20% of income).
• ❌ You cannot enter into contracts with companies (only verbal agreements).
• ❌ Problems with obtaining cargo insurance.

The cost of registering an individual entrepreneur is 800 ₽ (state fee). You can apply online via Public services in 1 day.

How to calculate the cost of transportation for a client?

Calculation formula:

Cost = (Distance × Tariff per km) + Loading/unloading + Additional. services (insurance, support)

Approximate tariffs (2026):

• 🚛 Up to 1.5 tons: 30-50 ₽/km.
• 🚛 3-5 tons: 25-40 ₽/km.
• 🚛 10-20 tons: 20-35 ₽/km.
• 🚛 20+ tons (tractor): 18-30 ₽/km.

Additional costs that can be included in the price:

• 💰 Loading/unloading: 1,000 - 5,000 ₽ (depending on weight).
• 💰 Cargo insurance: 0.5-2% of the cost of the cargo.
• 💰 Toll roads: the cost of travel on toll roads (for example, M-11 Moscow - St. Petersburg).
• 💰 Escort (if needed): 5,000 - 20,000 ₽/flight.

Tip: use stock exchange calculators ATI.SU or in the app TruckerPathso as not to make a mistake with the price.