Straight answers
The questions carriers ask before they hire anyone
What dispatchers charge, what they actually do, whether you need your own authority, and whether any of it is worth it for one truck. No sales pitch — if the honest answer is "you do not need us", that is what it says.
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Every question, answered in the first paragraph
Each page opens with the short answer. Read that and leave, or keep going for the detail — both are fine.
How much do truck dispatchers charge?
Truck dispatchers typically charge a percentage of the gross revenue on loads they book, most commonly quoted somewhere in the 5–10% range, though flat per-load and monthly retainer models also exist. The percentage varies with equipment type, fleet size, lane mix and how much back-office work is included.
Read the full answer BasicsWhat does a truck dispatcher actually do?
A truck dispatcher finds loads, negotiates the rate with brokers, completes carrier setups and paperwork, confirms appointments, tracks the load to delivery and plans the next one before the current load unloads. For an owner operator, the dispatcher is effectively the office — so the driver can drive.
Read the full answer ComparisonDispatch service vs load board: which should a carrier use?
A load board is a listing service that shows posted freight; a dispatch service is a person who works those listings for you — negotiating rates, screening broker credit, handling setups and paperwork, and planning your next load. Most carriers use both. The real question is what your own time on the board is worth.
Read the full answer Getting startedDo I need MC authority to use a dispatch service?
Yes. A dispatch service operates under the carrier's own authority and has no MC number of its own, so you need active operating authority before a dispatcher can book freight for you. You will also need a certificate of insurance meeting standard broker requirements, a W-9 and a signed dispatch agreement.
Read the full answer Owner operatorIs a dispatch service worth it for one truck?
For a one-truck operation, a dispatch service pays for itself when the rate improvement, deadhead reduction and recovered accessorial revenue together exceed the fee. The hours matter too: self-dispatching means working the board during the same hours you are driving, which is why most owner operators end up booking tired.
Read the full answer ComplianceWhat is a CSA score in trucking?
A CSA score is a safety percentile the FMCSA assigns your motor carrier under its Compliance, Safety, Accountability programme. It is calculated from roadside inspections, violations and crashes over a rolling 24-month window and grouped into seven BASIC categories. Scores run 0 to 100 and higher is worse.
Read the full answer ComplianceHow do I check my CSA score?
Check your CSA score free in FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System at ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS. Search by USDOT number or company name to see your BASIC percentiles. Some detail is public; the full record for your own carrier requires a USDOT PIN, which FMCSA issues to the registered contact.
Read the full answer EquipmentWhat is an RGN trailer in trucking?
In trucking, an RGN is a removable gooseneck trailer — a heavy-haul trailer whose front section detaches and lowers to the ground, forming a ramp so wheeled or tracked machinery can be driven straight on. It carries taller, heavier freight than a flatbed or step deck, and usually requires permits.
Read the full answer RatesWhat do RGN loads pay per mile?
RGN and lowboy loads pay among the highest rates per mile in trucking, because the equipment, permitting and risk are all greater than flatbed. The headline rate is misleading on its own — permits, escorts, route surveys and deadhead decide what the load actually nets you.
Read the full answer EquipmentWhat are power only loads, and how do carriers get them?
A power only load is freight where the carrier supplies the tractor and driver, and the shipper, broker or leasing pool supplies the trailer — usually preloaded for drop and hook. Carriers find these loads through broker and shipper trailer programs and on load boards that list power only as an equipment type.
Read the full answer EquipmentWhat is a Conestoga trailer?
A Conestoga trailer is a flatbed or step deck fitted with a rolling tarp system — a fabric cover on a sliding frame that retracts like an accordion. It loads from the side, top or rear like a flatbed, but travels covered like a van, so freight stays dry without manual tarping.
Read the full answer EquipmentWhat is a step deck trailer, and how tall a load can it carry?
A step deck — also called a drop deck — is a flatbed trailer with a short upper deck over the tractor and a lower main deck behind it. The lower deck sits closer to the road, so it can carry freight roughly 10 feet tall within a 13 ft 6 in height limit, without an oversize permit.
Read the full answer ComparisonFlatbed vs step deck: which pays more?
A step deck usually earns more per load, because it carries taller freight that fewer trailers can take legally. A flatbed usually sees more loads, because more freight fits it and more shippers ask for it. The better choice depends on your lanes: where tall freight is common, step deck wins; elsewhere, flatbed’s volume usually does.
Read the full answer ComparisonDry van vs reefer: which is more profitable for an owner operator?
Reefer usually pays more per mile than dry van, but costs more to run: the refrigeration unit burns its own fuel and needs its own maintenance, the trailer costs more, and temperature claims are a real risk. Dry van has the largest freight pool and simpler loads. Which earns more depends on your lanes and costs.
Read the full answer Getting paidWhat is a TONU fee in trucking, and how much should you get?
TONU stands for truck ordered not used: a payment to the carrier when a broker or shipper cancels a load after the truck has been dispatched or has arrived. There is no standard amount — it is whatever the rate confirmation says. If the rate confirmation is silent, you are negotiating after the fact, from a weak position.
Read the full answer Getting paidHow do detention and layover pay work in trucking?
Detention is pay for time a truck is held at a shipper or receiver beyond the free time in the contract — typically two hours, according to the US DOT Inspector General. Layover is pay when the truck is held overnight or a day is lost. Both depend on terms written on the rate confirmation.
Read the full answer Getting startedHow do I choose a truck dispatch service? Questions to ask before you sign
Choose a truck dispatch service on its written terms, not its promises. Ask what the fee is charged on, whether accessorials are included, how you cancel, whether you approve every load, whether you see the full rate confirmation, and who your dispatcher is. Then ask for references from carriers running your equipment.
Read the full answerStill deciding
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