Question 1

What do I need to work with a dispatcher?

Accepted Answer

Three things: active MC authority, commercial truck insurance with at least $1M liability, and a working ELD. That's the minimum brokers require. We verify all three before you haul your first load. If something is off - expired insurance, authority not active - we'll tell you before it costs you a load.

Question 2

How long does onboarding take?

Accepted Answer

Most carriers are fully set up in 24–48 hours. We need your MC number, a certificate of insurance, and a signed dispatcher-carrier agreement. Once we have those, we build your carrier packet and start reaching out to brokers in your lanes. The bottleneck is usually getting the COI from your insurance agent - if you have it handy, the whole process moves faster.

Question 3

Do I have to sign a long-term contract?

Accepted Answer

No. We work month-to-month. If you want to stop, give us 30 days written notice and that's it - no termination fees, no awkward conversations, no commitments. We think a dispatcher who's doing their job shouldn't need a contract to keep you around.

Question 4

Can I still choose which loads I take?

Accepted Answer

Always. We find the load, negotiate the rate, and bring it to you with our recommendation. You say yes or no. We'll tell you our honest read - including when we think a rate is below what your lane should pay - but the final call is yours every time. We never book a load without explicit approval.

Question 5

How much does dispatch cost?

Accepted Answer

6% of gross load revenue for most owner-operators. Fleets running 4+ trucks pay 5%. New authorities under 6 months start at 7%, then drop to 6% automatically. Zero monthly minimums - if you don't haul, you don't pay anything.

Question 6

Is there a setup fee?

Accepted Answer

No. The application, onboarding, and carrier packet setup are all free. Our money comes from your loads - so charging you upfront would be backwards.

Question 7

When do I pay the dispatch fee?

Accepted Answer

After you've been paid for the load. We invoice separately from the broker payment - you receive the full load rate from the broker, then we send you an invoice for our percentage. Most carriers pay weekly or bi-weekly. We've never taken money out of a broker payment.

Question 8

What exactly does the fee cover?

Accepted Answer

Every load search, every rate negotiation, every broker call, every check call while you're in transit, and your weekly performance report. Basically everything that's not driving and fueling. Detention disputes, TONU claims, broker non-payment issues - those are on us too.

Question 9

What happens if a broker doesn't pay?

Accepted Answer

We deal with it. Non-payment and slow-pay brokers are a real issue in this industry. We track payment status, send demand letters, and escalate to collections or factoring partners when necessary. You shouldn't have to be the one chasing down your own money.

Question 10

How do you send me load offers?

Accepted Answer

Text is fastest. We send the essentials - origin, destination, rate, pickup window, mileage - plus a quick note on whether we think it's worth taking. You reply yes or pass. The best loads move fast, especially on competitive lanes, so quick responses matter.

Question 11

How many loads can you find me per week?

Accepted Answer

Depends on your availability, your equipment, and the market in your lanes. A dry van OTR operator who's available Monday through Friday typically runs 3–5 loads per week. Local operators on shorter runs might do 8–12. We set realistic expectations based on your specific situation during onboarding.

Question 12

Do you handle check calls?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We call the broker when you pick up, hit the required check-call intervals they specify, and confirm delivery. You shouldn't be making calls when you're trying to drive. If a broker gives you a hard time on the road, they call us - not you.

Question 13

What about lumpers and detention pay?

Accepted Answer

We try to negotiate lumper reimbursement and detention pay language into the rate confirmation before you ever pull into that shipper. If detention runs past two hours and the broker won't budge, we push back with the contract language and escalate if needed. Detention is your time - you should get paid for it.

Question 14

How much more will I make with a dispatcher?

Accepted Answer

Carriers we work with typically see $0.30–$0.50/mile more than what they were getting when self-dispatching on the same lanes. On 10,000 miles a month, that's $3,000–$5,000 more in gross revenue - before our 6% fee. That math works out in your favor pretty clearly. But we'll be honest: if you're already running dedicated lanes with strong direct relationships, a dispatcher may not move the needle much for you.

Question 15

What should I actually expect in the first month?

Accepted Answer

The first two weeks are about building your broker profile and getting your carrier packet established. You should see rate improvements within 2–3 weeks as we develop those relationships. Most carriers see 15–25% improvement in gross revenue in month one. Full performance optimization - where we've dialed in your lanes, built broker relationships, and reduced deadhead - usually takes 60–90 days.

Truck Dispatch FAQ - Every Question Answered Honestly

Before You Sign Up

What Does Dispatch Cost?

How It Works Every Week

What to Expect

Run the Numbers First

Related Dispatch Services

What Carriers Say About Our Dispatch

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