Truck Dispatch FAQ: Straight Answers
A truck dispatcher acts as the carrier's agent: sourcing loads, negotiating rates, vetting brokers, handling packets and rate confirmations, and running check calls. JackRick Logistics charges a flat 10% per load, invoiced Fridays, with 30 days' notice to cancel — no retainer. Dispatch fits carriers whose freight-hunting hours cost more than the fee.
This is the no-spin version of the truck dispatch conversation: what a dispatcher actually does all day, what the service costs, how it differs from a freight broker and from doing it yourself on load boards, and when you should not hire one. Every answer reflects how JackRick Logistics actually operates — flat 10% per load, invoiced every Friday, 30 days' written notice to leave — because a FAQ that hedges on its own business model isn't answering anything.
New to dispatch? Start with the first two sections. Comparing options? Jump to the dispatch-vs-broker and dispatch-vs-DIY sections. And if your question isn't answered here, call (757) 744-2484 — a straight question gets a straight answer, and "this isn't a fit for you" is one we give regularly.
What Dispatch Is (and Isn't)
A truck dispatcher is your agent in the freight market. The daily work: sourcing loads, negotiating rates and accessorials, vetting the broker on the other side of the phone, handling carrier setup packets and rate confirmations, and running check calls and tracking updates. At JackRick that work is planned around revenue per day, not rate per mile — because two loads at the same rate per mile can produce very different weeks once deadhead and dwell are counted.
What dispatch isn't: it isn't freight brokering — the dispatcher works under your authority as your agent and never contracts with shippers — it isn't employment in either direction, and it isn't a machine that prints high rates. No honest dispatcher promises revenue outcomes, because rates are set by a market no single person controls.
Fees, Contracts, and What's Included
JackRick charges a flat 10% per load — the same for box trucks and semis, no retainer, no weekly minimum, invoiced every Friday. The industry also uses flat weekly fees and tiered percentages, sometimes with add-on charges for packets or check calls. When you compare dispatchers, compare the whole picture: the fee number plus everything it does or doesn't include.
The 10% covers the full back office: load sourcing and negotiation, broker vetting, setup packets, rate confirmations, check calls, tracking, invoicing support, and revenue-per-day planning. There is no long-term lock-in — 30 days' written notice ends it. Red flags anywhere else: vague cancellation language, percentages on gross with unclear deductions, or clauses letting a dispatcher accept loads in your name without approval.
Dispatch vs. Freight Brokers
The difference is legal, not just wording. A freight broker holds FMCSA broker authority and contracts with both sides — shipper and carrier — earning margin on the spread between the two contracts. A dispatcher holds no broker authority, contracts with nobody on the freight itself, and works under the carrier's operating authority as the carrier's agent. A dispatcher who starts brokering freight to other carriers is operating outside their lane.
The distinction also changes incentives: a broker's revenue grows when the carrier's rate shrinks, while a percentage-based dispatcher's fee grows when the carrier's rate grows. And a dispatcher who vets brokers — checking credit, authority history, and payment reputation before you roll — is partly defending you against double-brokering, where your load gets re-brokered without disclosure and your payment turns murky.
Dispatch vs. Load Boards and DIY
Load boards work, and plenty of experienced carriers run profitably on them alone. DIY means full control — you see every posted load, negotiate every rate, build every broker relationship — and nobody takes a percentage. For a carrier who enjoys the commercial side and has the hours for it, DIY is a legitimate strategy, not a phase you're supposed to outgrow.
Dispatch earns its fee when the math says so: every hour spent hunting freight and chasing paperwork is an hour not driving or resting. If those hours cost more revenue than 10% of the freight, the dispatcher pays for themselves. And the candid part most dispatch companies won't print: you don't need dispatch if you have steady direct customers, genuinely enjoy negotiating, or your back office fits in your spare hours.
Getting Started With Dispatch
Starting is mostly paperwork, and good dispatchers make it boring on purpose: your MC and DOT numbers, certificate of insurance, W-9, equipment details, preferred lanes, and availability. The dispatcher turns it into carrier setup packets — the broker onboarding documents that must be right before anyone tenders you a load.
Treat the first week as a mutual trial. The dispatcher is learning how you run; you're learning how they communicate, how fast they respond, and whether rates match promises. Judge month one on communication and process, not just week-one revenue — systems take a few weeks to calibrate. To test the fit, call (757) 744-2484 and ask the hard questions first: fee, inclusions, broker vetting, exit terms.
Key takeaways
- A dispatcher is your agent under your authority — legally distinct from a freight broker, with incentives aligned to your rates.
- JackRick's model: flat 10% per load, no retainer or minimum, invoiced Fridays, cancellable with 30 days' written notice.
- Compare dispatchers on total cost and inclusions, not the headline percentage — packets, check calls, and vetting should be in the fee.
- DIY on load boards is legitimate for experienced carriers; dispatch pays when your freight-hunting hours cost more than 10%.
- Judge month one on communication and process — and ask the hard questions before you sign anything.
Questions carriers ask
What does a truck dispatcher actually do?
Sources loads, negotiates rates, plans routes and revenue, vets brokers, handles carrier packets and rate confirmations, and runs check calls and tracking. JackRick also plans around revenue per day rather than rate per mile, and keeps compliance and insurance documents organized so nothing lapses mid-load.
How much do truck dispatchers charge?
JackRick charges a flat 10% per load for box trucks and semis alike — no retainer, no weekly minimum, invoiced every Friday. Elsewhere you'll find flat weekly fees and tiered percentages, sometimes with add-ons for packets or check calls. Compare total cost against the revenue and time the service returns.
Is a dispatcher the same as a freight broker?
No. A dispatcher works under the carrier's authority as the carrier's agent and never contracts with shippers. A freight broker is a licensed intermediary between shippers and carriers, contracting with both sides. It's a legal distinction with real consequences for what each party may do with your freight.
Do I need a dispatcher if I have a load board?
Not necessarily. Load boards suit experienced carriers who enjoy negotiating and have hours for the back office. Dispatch earns its fee when the time you spend finding and negotiating freight costs you more than 10% of it — and when a professional negotiator beats what you'd get yourself.
What equipment does JackRick dispatch?
Box trucks and semis — dry van, reefer, power-only, and intermodal lanes. The 10% flat rate is identical regardless of equipment type, so there's no pricing surprise when you add a trailer type or switch what you run.
How do I cancel dispatch service?
With JackRick, 30 days' written notice — no long-term contract to unwind, no exit fee. Before signing with any dispatcher, get the cancellation terms in writing; vague or missing exit language is one of the clearest red flags in the business.
How do dispatchers find loads?
A mix of load boards, direct broker relationships, and repeat lanes built over time. The relationship part matters most: a dispatcher who has delivered clean for a broker before gets first call on the good freight — the loads that never reach a public board.
Will a dispatcher get me dedicated lanes?
A good dispatcher works toward them, but nobody honest guarantees them. Dedicated freight goes to carriers with a reliability record on the lane, which takes time to build. Dispatch positions you on the right freight mix so that record — and then the dedicated conversations — develop faster.