Short answer
Relay Assistant is Amazon Relay's AI-powered chat. Top-performing carriers can use it to negotiate rates and pickup times on urgent spot loads, and Amazon either approves the request or may send a counteroffer. Drivers also use it for trip issues.
What is Amazon Relay Assistant?
It's Amazon's AI chat inside Relay. Amazon's RelayCon 2025 recap calls it "Relay Assistant, an AI-powered chat tool for rate negotiations and faster load support."
So it has two jobs: rate talks on some loads, and help during a trip.
How do you negotiate a rate with Relay Assistant?
Amazon's post on setting your own rates says: "When an urgent load needs coverage, you can now negotiate freight rates and pickup times through this AI-powered chat."
Here's how it works, in Amazon's words:
- Find the icon. "Just look for the chat bubble icon to pitch your price and ask questions about promising loads."
- Make your case. "Relay Assistant will consider any details you offer to negotiate the rate, and immediately evaluate your rate request."
- Get an answer. "If approved, you can book the load right away. You may receive a counteroffer."
It's open around the clock: "Relay Assistant is ready 24/7 for eligible load board listings." Amazon's load board post says you can name your own price on select spot loads.
There are limits. Amazon says "final rates still depend on real-time supply and demand." Its footnote adds that your rate preferences are considered, but final rates "reflect current market conditions and other factors."
A carrier interviewed on Amazon's blog described it this way: "You're able to converse back and forth with AI to negotiate the rate you think a load deserves." That's one carrier's description, not Amazon policy.
Who can negotiate rates with Relay Assistant?
Not everyone. Amazon says only top-performing Relay carriers with strong Relay performance scores get rate negotiation. Its rates post says the same: "Top-performing carriers can negotiate rates on urgent spot loads through AI-powered chat."
Amazon doesn't publish the grade or score you need. Our Relay scorecard guide explains how the performance score works.
How do you decide what rate to ask for?
Know your floor before you pitch. Our free Relay load calculator takes the pay, loaded miles, deadhead and your costs, and gives you net, net per loaded mile and a break-even rate. The break-even rate is the lowest rate per loaded mile that covers your costs on that load.
Then ask with that number in mind. Amazon decides, and the final rate reflects market conditions, so a request could be approved or met with a counteroffer, and Amazon doesn't say every request gets one or the other.
Amazon says Relay Assistant "will consider any details you offer," so give it the facts that matter to you: when your truck is free, where it is, and the rate you need to make the load work.
Our guide to how much Amazon Relay pays explains how Relay prices are built.
What other ways can you set your own rate on Relay?
Relay Assistant isn't the only one. Amazon's owner-operator post says: "On certain loads, you can negotiate arrival times and rates," and that in load auctions you "have a chance to name your own price."
- Auctions. Amazon says auctions "are available for trailer-required, power-only, box truck, and reefer contracts." See our auctions guide.
- Post A Truck. You post where your truck will be. One carrier on Amazon's blog put it this way: "On Post A Truck, you can put the amount that you drive for." That's a carrier's words, not Amazon policy. Our Post A Truck guide covers how it works.
Relay Assistant is the one built for urgent spot loads.
What can Relay Assistant do during a trip?
Drivers use it on the road. Amazon's app post says drivers "request support from Relay Assistant throughout their trip."
From Amazon's 2026 improvements post:
- It "can resolve over-the-road issues on the spot" such as trailer availability, site closures and basic trip information.
- For disruptions, its answers come back "including the ability to reroute and release drivers."
- "When Relay Assistant can't resolve an issue, it connects you to a human operator with your conversation's full context."
You don't have to use the chat. Amazon's free freight search post says "you can also call our operations center for direct communication about delays or unexpected changes to a load." Our Relay contact guide lists how Amazon says to reach the operations center, and our Relay app guide covers driver help in the app.
Does Relay Assistant handle late or on-time disputes?
Amazon doesn't say it does. In the same 2026 post, Amazon says it's "now resolving performance disputes 20% faster," with no baseline given.
Our Relay disputes guide covers how disputes work. If a late arrival or other on-time hit landed on your scorecard, our free dispute letter tool writes a letter from what happened on the trip, which you edit and paste into Relay.
What's planned for Relay Assistant?
These are plans, not live tools yet. Amazon says: "By end of this year, carriers will be able to ask RA to repeat Post A Truck orders." Amazon describes Post A Truck orders as automatically booking loads that match your search criteria. It also lists load availability, schedule changes and route patterns as planned areas.
Today, Amazon doesn't describe Relay Assistant booking loads by itself.
What doesn't Amazon publish about Relay Assistant?
- The grade or score needed for rate negotiation
- Which loads are eligible
- How many counteroffers you can get
- Whether a negotiated rate differs from the listed price after booking
- Whether Relay Assistant works in Canada
- How long chat data is kept
Where does NudoIQ fit?
NudoIQ is an independent Chrome extension for the Relay load board, not affiliated with Amazon. On loads Amazon marks negotiable, it can show a negotiate icon that opens Relay's own Relay Assistant chat. It opens the general chat, not a chat about that specific load. NudoIQ also shows net profit on each load, so you can see your number before you pitch. It's free for 7 days with no card needed to start, then $49.99 a month.