Short answer
Amazon Relay trailer rental runs through Relay's equipment marketplace, where approved carriers bid in live auctions to rent their 53' dry van trailers to Amazon, at a rate per trailer per week. Amazon picks them up and drops them off.
What is Amazon Relay trailer rental?
It's renting your trailers to Amazon. Amazon's trailer auctions post says: "Relay's equipment marketplace holds live trailer auctions where Relay carriers can rent their 53' semi-trailers to Amazon."
Amazon describes it the same way on other pages. The Relay home page says: "Rent your company's unused trailers to Amazon to reduce idle time." Amazon's power-only post calls it "an equipment marketplace to lease your trailers to Amazon."
Amazon's post on Relay work types says "idle trailers can be leased to Amazon for pick-up through Relay's equipment marketplace." So this is for trailers you aren't using, not for trailers you need on your own loads.
Peak season is one time Amazon promotes it. Its Prime Big Deal Days post says: "Rent your idle assets to Amazon for Prime Big Deal Days demand." Amazon names the equipment marketplace as a peak booking option next to the load board, Post A Truck, contracts and auctions. Our Relay peak season guide covers the others.
What do you need to rent trailers to Amazon?
For your company, Amazon lists:
- An active Relay account
- "Sufficient 53' trailers to participate during contract dates"
- "CARB compliant or SmartWay designated trailers"
- "Valid DOT inspection throughout the semi-trailer lease contract"
- Proof of ownership (or sub-lease authority)
For each trailer:
- "53' dry van trailers within maximum manufacturing age"
- "Mandatory trailer skirts"
- "Swing or roll up type doors"
- "Air or spring type suspension"
Amazon doesn't publish the maximum age number. Our Amazon Relay CARB guide covers California compliance.
How do Relay trailer auctions work?
Each auction lists the equipment count, the contract dates (start and end) and the auction cut-off time.
- Bid. Amazon says "bidding is as simple as entering your rate per trailer per week."
- Watch where you stand. "You'll always know where you stand compared to the bids placed by other carriers."
- If you win. "Amazon reaches out to you for trailer documentation and payment details."
- Handoff. "We pick the equipment up and drop the equipment off." Amazon will also install GPS and decals and perform pre-inspections.
These are equipment auctions. Load and contract auctions work differently; see our Relay auctions guide.
What should you check before you bid?
Each item comes from Amazon's requirements above:
- Count your trailers. You need enough 53' trailers to cover the full contract dates, not just the first week.
- Check inspection dates. The DOT inspection has to stay valid for the whole lease contract.
- Check CARB or SmartWay. Each trailer needs one or the other.
- Check the specs. Skirts, swing or roll-up doors, and air or spring suspension.
- Have your papers ready. Proof of ownership, or sub-lease authority, plus trailer documentation if you win.
- Watch the cut-off. Every auction lists its cut-off time.
How should you think about your bid?
Start with what the trailer costs you. Amazon's post says: "Truck and trailer payments are the second highest vehicle-based expense for carriers, behind fuel." That's Amazon's claim, with no source given.
Your weekly rate is your call. Look at the contract dates too: Amazon doesn't publish typical contract lengths, but each auction lists its start and end dates, and your trailers are gone for that whole stretch. Before you bid, ask Amazon what it doesn't publish: who carries insurance and damage risk while Amazon holds your trailer, and when rental payments are made.
If you're weighing a trailer rental against hauling with that trailer yourself, price your loads too. Our free Relay load calculator shows a load's net, net per loaded mile and break-even rate from its pay, miles and your costs.
Can you rent equipment to run Amazon Relay?
That's the other way people search this. Here's what Amazon publishes.
You may not need a trailer. Amazon's truck requirements post says "The majority of Amazon Relay loads are power-only," meaning you bring the tractor and Amazon provides the trailer. Amazon's 2026 freight expansion post counts "More than 80,000 Amazon trailers." The Relay FAQ says Amazon trailers have "automated inflation alert technology, ABS II, a kingpin hook safety securing plate, and rear corner safety grab handles." Our Relay power-only guide covers how those loads work.
For trucks, Relay has rental discounts. Relay's discounts page lists truck rentals "Up to 40% off, including high roof gas and diesel vans, 16ft box trucks, 26ft box trucks, and daycabs." The list names no trailer rentals.
Amazon's 2026 improvements post adds: "You already have a 40% off on rentals from Ryder," and mentions "a 3-year leasing option with a 10% discount." Our Relay rewards guide covers the discount list.
What doesn't Amazon publish about trailer rental?
- The maximum manufacturing age number
- Typical rental contract lengths
- When and how rental payments are made
- Insurance and damage responsibility while Amazon holds your trailer
- Whether reefers or 48' trailers can be rented
- The grade needed to bid
- How often auctions run
- Any program to rent trailers from Amazon for non-Amazon work
Where does NudoIQ fit?
NudoIQ is an independent Chrome extension for the Relay load board. If you run power-only with Amazon's trailers, it shows net profit and lane price history on each load, from costs you set once. It's free for 7 days with no card needed to start, then $49.99 a month.