Dispatching
How much do truck dispatchers charge?
Most independent dispatchers charge 5% to 10% of linehaul, or a flat $150 to $250 per truck per week. Here is the math on both.
Independent truck dispatchers typically charge carriers 5% to 10% of the linehaul, with 6% to 8% being the common range for a single truck. Flat fee dispatchers usually charge $150 to $250 per truck per week. Percentage is more common because it lines your pay up with the carrier's revenue instead of against it.
The two pricing models
| Model | Typical rate | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of linehaul | 5% to 10%, commonly 6% to 8% | Most carriers, aligns your pay with their gross |
| Flat weekly fee | $150 to $250 per truck | High revenue trucks, predictable billing |
| Flat per load | $50 to $125 per load | Carriers running fewer, larger loads |
| Percentage with a cap | 8% capped at $250/wk | Owner operators worried about a big week costing them |
Percentage is charged on linehaul only, not on fuel surcharge, detention, or accessorials. Charging on the gross including surcharges is how dispatchers get a reputation, and reputation is the whole business when carriers talk to each other.
Worked math, one truck
A truck grossing $5,500 a week in linehaul:
- At 5%, that is $5,500 x 5% = $275 a week, $1,100 a month
- At 6%, $5,500 x 6% = $330 a week, $1,320 a month
- At 8%, $5,500 x 8% = $440 a week, $1,760 a month
- Flat at $200 a week, $800 a month, so the flat fee beats 5% for the carrier only when the truck grosses above $4,000
What that means for your income
Fees stack per truck, so the model scales on truck count, not hours:
| Trucks | Avg weekly linehaul | Rate | Monthly revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $5,500 | 6% | $3,960 |
| 6 | $5,500 | 6% | $7,920 |
| 10 | $5,500 | 6% | $13,200 |
| 10 | $6,500 | 7% | $18,200 |
Assumes 4 weeks a month, every truck loaded every week. Real life has empty weeks, breakdowns, and home time, so haircut those by 10% to 15% and you are closer to the truth.
How to price yourself starting out
Do not lead with the cheapest number in the market. A 4% dispatcher signals to a carrier that nobody else will pay you more, and you will be the first thing they cut.
Price at 6% and be specific about what is included: load sourcing, rate negotiation, paperwork, broker setup packets, and checking in on the load. Then hold it. If a carrier will only move on price, they will churn in six weeks anyway.
Fair terms carriers respect:
- No long term contract, week to week or 30 day notice
- Fee on linehaul only, stated in writing
- No fee on loads the carrier books themselves
- You bill weekly, after the loads are delivered
- No charge on a week you found them nothing
That last one closes more carriers than a discount does.
What not to do
Never take a cut from both sides. Getting paid by the carrier while also collecting from the broker on the same load is how a dispatcher ends up looking like an unlicensed broker, and it is the fastest way to lose every carrier you have.
Common questions
How much do truck dispatchers charge?
Most independent dispatchers charge 5% to 10% of the linehaul, with 6% to 8% typical for a single truck. Flat fee dispatchers usually charge $150 to $250 per truck per week, or $50 to $125 per load for carriers running fewer, larger loads.
Is a dispatcher fee charged on the gross or the linehaul?
Linehaul only. Fuel surcharge, detention, and accessorials belong to the carrier. Charging a percentage of the full gross including surcharges is a common complaint carriers have about dispatchers and it costs you referrals.
What does a dispatcher make per truck per month?
A truck grossing $5,500 a week in linehaul pays about $1,100 a month at 5%, $1,320 at 6%, and $1,760 at 8%. Six trucks at 6% is roughly $7,920 a month before you allow for empty weeks and home time.
Percentage or flat fee, which is better?
Percentage for most carriers, because your pay rises and falls with their revenue. A flat weekly fee suits high revenue trucks, and it only beats a 5% rate for the carrier once the truck grosses more than about $4,000 a week.
What should a new dispatcher charge?
Price at 6% and be specific about what is included rather than undercutting the market. Cutting to 4% signals nobody else would pay you more, and the carriers who buy only on price churn within about six weeks.
Can a dispatcher get paid by the broker too?
No. Taking money from the carrier and the broker on the same load makes you look like an unlicensed broker and destroys your standing with carriers. The carrier is your only customer and your only source of payment.
Want the whole system instead of the summary?
The Dispatch Accelerator walks you through setup, finding carriers, and booking loads that actually pay. 500+ members inside.