BestAmazonBookerAmazon Relay bobtail loads: how to spot them on the board
What is a bobtail on Amazon Relay?
On Amazon Relay, a bobtail work opportunity is typically a tractor move without a loaded trailer (or a closely related empty repositioning job), as typed by Relay on the load board. Exact wording in the UI can vary by market, but the decision is the same: this is not a standard loaded haul, so payout, miles, and equipment needs should be judged differently.
BestAmazonBooker is not affiliated with Amazon or Amazon Relay. You still need your own carrier account and access to the live load board.
Why bobtails matter for load decisions
Dispatchers and drivers lose time when every card looks alike until you open it. Bobtails and empty moves change:
- Whether the miles are productive loaded freight or repositioning
- How deadhead and clock time stack against the payout
- Whether the truck is free to take the next loaded opportunity
Seeing bobtail status in the search list helps you skip, shortlist, or accept with intent — instead of drilling into every row.
How to spot bobtails on the load board today
Without a helper, you usually learn a load is bobtail after opening details or by reading subtle type labels in Relay's card layout. On a busy board that costs attention: refresh cycles move the list, and similar payouts hide different job types.
A clearer workflow is: scan the list → identify bobtails and empties early → open only the cards that still fit your plan.
How BestAmazonBooker helps
When Relay marks a work opportunity as bobtail, BestAmazonBooker paints a green Bobtail badge on the load card. The badge sits with the loading-type column (Drop / Live / similar), so it stays visible while you scan.
That is decision support on the board — not a promise that every bobtail is a good take. You still confirm details in Relay and follow Amazon Relay's terms.
Bobtail vs empty or near-empty freight
Bobtail is a Relay load type. Empty / near-empty freight is often signaled by a very low pickup weight on the work opportunity. Those signals can overlap, but they are not identical.
BestAmazonBooker can surface both when the data is present: the Bobtail badge under Drop/Live, and a weight chip under the trailer column (including an Empty label for tiny reported weights). See the load weight guide for Empty placement and how to use weight in your scan.
FAQ
What is a bobtail on Amazon Relay?
A bobtail is typically a tractor move without a loaded trailer — or a related empty repositioning opportunity — as typed on the Relay load board. Treat it as a different decision from a loaded haul.
Why should dispatchers care?
Because bobtails change time, deadhead, and whether the truck is available for the next loaded lane. Spotting them in the list saves clicks and avoids wrong shortlists.
How does BestAmazonBooker show bobtails?
It adds a green Bobtail badge on matching cards, usually under the Drop/Live column, based on Relay's work opportunity type.
Is bobtail the same as empty weight?
Not always. Bobtail is a type; empty/light freight often shows up as tiny pickup weight. The extension can show both signals when Relay provides them.
Try it on your board
Install BestAmazonBooker, open Relay in Chrome, and run a search. Bobtail badges appear on matching cards while you filter and highlight the loads you actually want.
Prefer the store listing? BestAmazonBooker on the Chrome Web Store. More answers in the FAQ.