The two ways dispatchers charge
| Percentage of each load | Flat fee per truck | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | 5% to 10% of the load's gross | A fixed amount every week |
| Slow week | You pay less | You pay the same |
| Dispatcher's incentive | Bigger gross | Keep you as a customer |
| Watch out for | Chasing big checks over good rate per mile | Paying for weeks the truck sat |
On a percentage, a $6,000 week at 7% is $420. On a flat fee you pay the same whether the truck grossed $6,000 or $2,000.
What the fee should cover
- Finding loads on your lanes at or above your minimum rate
- Negotiating with brokers and booking the load
- Broker setup packets and checking every rate con before you roll
- Load details to your driver, check calls and broker updates
- Detention tracked and claimed when the rate con pays it
- Paperwork to you or your factoring company when you deliver
- A weekly statement that lists every load and what it paid
Is a dispatcher worth it?
Do the math on rate per mile, not on the fee. If a dispatcher gets you $0.20 more per loaded mile on 2,200 loaded miles a week, that's $440, which covers a 7% fee on a $6,000 week by itself. Add fewer empty miles, detention that gets paid and hours you don't spend on the phone, and a good dispatcher pays for themselves.
A bad one costs you twice: the fee, and the cheap freight they book to keep the truck moving. Use our cost per mile calculator to know your number before anyone books for you.
Red flags
- Upfront or setup fees before a single load is booked.
- Forced dispatch: you can't turn down a load, or you get charged when you do.
- They want your freight money paid to them first, or your factoring company told to pay them.
- They ask for your FMCSA, bank or load board logins. Nobody needs those to dispatch your truck.
- No written agreement, or one you can't get out of.
- They can't prove who they are: no registered company, no real address, a free email account.
- Rate cons you never see. You should get every rate con with the broker's name and terms.
What TenFour charges
5% of each load for your first 30 days, 7% after that. Fleets with 5 or more trucks can ask for a flat weekly rate. No setup fee, no contract, and you only pay on loads we book. Brokers pay you directly. We never touch your freight money. You get a statement every Monday with every load and rate con, and the fee comes out by ACH on Wednesday.
Questions
What percentage do truck dispatchers charge?
Most charge between 5% and 10% of the gross on each load they book. Some charge a flat fee per truck per week instead. TenFour charges 5% for your first 30 days and 7% after that.
Is it better to pay a percentage or a flat fee?
A percentage only costs you when the truck runs and earns. A flat weekly fee costs the same in a slow week. If you pay a flat fee, make sure the dispatcher is keeping you loaded every week.
Do I pay the dispatcher or does the broker?
You should. A real dispatcher works for the carrier and is paid only by the carrier. If a dispatcher is getting paid by brokers, ask who they really work for.
Should a dispatcher ever touch my freight money?
No. Brokers should pay you or your factoring company directly. A dispatcher who wants your freight payments routed through them is a red flag.
Can I cancel a dispatch agreement?
With a fair dispatcher, yes, any time. TenFour's agreement is week to week. You only owe fees on loads already booked.
Want a dispatcher who works for your margin?
Every truck gets its own dispatcher. We judge every load on rate per total mile, deadhead included, and never book under your minimum. Brokers pay you directly.