Carrier no-show

The carrier is not answering. What do I do?

Stop treating silence as a normal delay once it threatens the pickup window. Escalate through the carrier contacts, verify whether the truck is still committed, and prepare the load for immediate re-cover if the carrier cannot perform.

Written by

Jay RockFreight Broker · UCW Logistics

Updated

September 7, 2026

Applies to

U.S. domestic truckloadBooked freight where the assigned carrier has stopped responding

Do these first

A late truck and a silent carrier are different problems. This is the silent one.

Call the driver — then carrier dispatch, then any secondary contact.
Write down the last confirmed communication — what was said, and when.
Confirm the pickup closing time — that is the deadline you are actually working to.
Confirm the freight is still ready — and will still be staffed at that hour.
Send me the full load details now — so re-covering can start in parallel, not after.

Missed pickup vs carrier no-show

A missed pickup can still involve an active carrier explaining a delay. A carrier no-show is different: the committed carrier has gone quiet or cannot confirm performance.

What I need to re-cover the load

Send origin, destination, pickup window, delivery requirement, equipment, commodity, count, dimensions, weight and special requirements.

Why earlier is better

Same-day replacement capacity has fewer options as the clock runs down.

Carrier has gone quiet?

Send the last confirmed status and full shipment details so I can escalate and start a recovery plan before the pickup window is gone.

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