Power only is a service where the carrier supplies just the tractor and driver to pull a trailer someone else owns. Cross-border, it is structurally everywhere: in a through-trailer move, the Mexican linehaul, the transfer, and the U.S. linehaul are each power-only pulls.
Power only is trucking stripped to its motive core: the carrier provides a tractor and driver, the customer provides the trailer, whether a drop-trailer pool, a leased box, or freight already sitting on wheels. Domestically it powers trailer pools and surge fleets. Cross-border, power only stops being a niche and becomes the structural pattern of the market: in every through-trailer move, the trailer belongs to one party while the Mexican carrier, the transfer, and the U.S. carrier each supply tractor and driver for their leg. Three power-only pulls, one loaded box.
Understanding cross-border freight as chained power-only segments clarifies the questions that matter. Equipment responsibility: whose trailer is it, under what interchange terms, and who pays when it comes back damaged or late, the source of the estadías conversation. Compatibility: fifth wheels, glad hands, and electrical are standardized, but trailer condition standards and permitted weights differ by country, so the pulling carrier's acceptance inspection at each handoff protects everyone. Insurance: the tractor operator's liability while pulling a foreign trailer needs to be explicit rather than assumed, particularly given Mexico's distinct cargo liability regime. For brokers with trailer pools, power only is also the key that unlocks Mexican capacity: plenty of excellent Mexican fleets will gladly pull your boxes on committed lanes, extending your network without anyone buying trailers.
Cargado connects 250+ brokers with 2,000+ vetted carriers moving Mexico and Canada freight every day.