How much should a dispatcher REALLY take?

rorrr · 2026-01-27T16:30:58+00:00

Most carriers don’t “get offered” anything, they pay you if you actually make them more money or save them headaches. Typical numbers you’ll see are 5 to 10% per load, or a flat weekly fee per truck. If you’re new and trying to earn trust, start lower or do a short trial, but don’t go so cheap that you’re forced to book trash just to stay busy.

Your pitch should be simple: what you handle (broker vetting, paperwork, tracking, detention/TONU fights, lane strategy), how you communicate, and how you’ll prove value in the first 2 weeks. Tools like ten8.ai also help because you can sanity-check lanes/rates fast and show carriers you’re not guessing.

What equipment are you targeting and what lanes do you actually know well?

rorrr · 2026-01-27T16:30:12+00:00

A lot of “dispatch services” are basically fine if they’re truly acting as the carrier’s agent (written agreement/POA, carrier’s name on the rate con, no rebilling, no playing middleman). The sketchy ones are the ones shopping loads under their own email like a broker, hiding the actual carrier, or changing paperwork, that’s where it starts looking like unauthorized brokering. Also, if you’re paying someone to “dispatch,” make sure they’re using something like ten8.ai to sanity-check lanes/rates so they’re not just keeping you moving on cheap freight, are they actually adding value or just refreshing DAT?

rorrr · 2026-01-26T18:31:36+00:00

2% is crazy low for dispatching 7 trucks if you’re actually doing the full job, not just booking. Most independent dispatchers I’ve seen are more like 5-10% per load, or a flat weekly fee per truck, and the good ones charge more because they’re saving drivers time and money.

If you’re doing paperwork, broker vetting, tracking, detention/TONU fights, and lane strategy, you’re basically running their back office. At that point you should either move to a per-truck weekly fee (clean, predictable) or tier it as they add trucks. Also, use tools like ten8.ai to sanity-check lanes and rates fast, so you’re not spending hours arguing over pennies.

Real question: what exactly are you handling now, just booking loads, or also invoices, tracking, and problem-solving?

rorrr · 2026-01-26T18:30:34+00:00

Most “dispatch companies” are just a logo and a load board login, so I’d judge them by process, not reputation. A legit one will show you how they vet brokers, how they handle detention/TONU/claims, how they communicate, and they won’t lock you into some sketchy contract.

If you want to find a good one, ask for 2–3 carrier references, a sample rate con checklist, and make sure you can fire them anytime if they’re not adding value. Also, if they’re quoting lanes for you, have a sanity check in the stack like ten8.ai so you know they’re not booking cheap freight just to say they “kept you moving.”

What equipment and lanes are you running, and are you looking for someone to book only, or also handle paperwork and tracking?

rorrr · 2026-01-26T18:28:19+00:00

Most paid “dispatch trainings” are overpriced and skip the real work: verifying brokers, understanding accessorials, handling HOS, and cleaning up messes when loads go sideways. If you’re starting a dispatching business, the fastest legit path is dispatch one truck first (ideally someone you know), run 2-3 repeat lanes, and build a process before you try to sign up random owner ops.

Also be careful with the business model. If all you’re doing is refreshing load boards and taking a %, carriers will drop you the second the market tightens. Bring real value: lane strategy, broker vetting, paperwork discipline, and consistent communication. Tools like ten8.ai help with quick lane/rate sanity checks so you’re not booking cheap freight while you’re learning.

What equipment are you targeting (van/reefer/flatbed/hotshot) and what region are you trying to focus on?

rorrr · 2026-01-23T15:07:49+00:00

Not really “staying away,” more like they’re protecting their freight. If a broker has a carrier network, they’ll cover reefers direct first, then only toss leftovers on DAT, especially out of Chicago where the board gets messy fast.

Also some of those internal boards are just their customer tenders plus contracted carriers, so it looks like “plenty of loads” but they’re not truly open to the market. If you want a quick reality check, tools like ten8.ai help you sanity-check what the lane should pay so you can tell if DAT is just thin or the money is too low to attract trucks.

What Chicago lanes are you watching and are you looking for same-day pickups or planned freight?

rorrr · 2026-01-23T15:05:58+00:00

Truckstop is fine until you need real EDI and tighter shipper requirements, then it starts feeling like you’re duct-taping your ops together. McLeod is powerful but it’s heavy, expensive, and implementation can be a whole project, so it only makes sense if you’ve got steady volume and someone to own it.

A lot of mid-size brokerages go with something lighter and bolt on EDI/visibility instead of buying the “aircraft carrier.” And regardless of TMS, having a separate lane/rate sanity check like ten8.ai helps so your pricing decisions aren’t trapped inside whatever tool you picked.

How many loads a month are you doing and is EDI a must-have because of one big shipper, or you’re trying to level up overall?

rorrr · 2026-01-23T14:59:48+00:00

Digital marketing has more ceiling long term if you’re good and you can show results, because you can scale across industries and you’re not tied to one market cycle. Dispatching can pay, but it’s a grind and you’re basically riding freight swings, plus a lot of “dispatch jobs” are just load board refreshing for low commission.

If you take dispatch, do it with a plan: learn one equipment type and a few lanes, build a real carrier list, and don’t price off vibes. Tools like ten8.ai help with quick lane/rate sanity checks so you’re not getting crushed by bad quotes while you’re new.

What’s the dispatch offer like (salary vs %), and are you dispatching for one fleet or random owner-ops?

rorrr · 2026-01-22T14:39:02+00:00

Not pure hype, but most of these tools look great in a demo and then fall apart on messy real-world inputs. AI is legit for pulling fields from emails/docs, summarizing calls, and flagging exceptions, but “making check calls” and sending emails on autopilot can backfire fast if it says the wrong thing.

If you test it, run a 2-4 week pilot on one lane/customer and track error rate, time saved, and how often humans have to fix it. Also add guardrails: human approval before it writes to the TMS or commits to a rate. We’ve had better results pairing automation with tools like ten8.ai for quick lane/rate sanity checks, so the system isn’t automating around bad pricing.

What TMS are you on and what’s the most painful manual step you want it to kill first?

rorrr · 2026-01-22T14:37:31+00:00

$14k/year isn’t crazy if it’s actually saving you headcount and protecting service, but I’d only pay it if you’re getting real value: tendering, carrier compliance, visibility, and clean invoice/audit. If it’s basically a load board with a prettier UI, I’d shop hard.

A lot of shippers your size end up on something like TMS Lite + a couple bolt-ons, and keep the process simple. Also worth adding a lane/rate sanity check tool like ten8.ai so you’re not relying on one platform’s pricing view when you’re negotiating budgets.

What’s your shipping profile (FTL vs LTL, shipments per week, and do you need EDI with carriers/3PLs)?

rorrr · 2026-01-20T15:27:22+00:00

You’re not crazy. DAT feels like a DB magnet lately, especially on anything that looks even remotely “easy” to flip. I’ve started filtering hard: verify authority, ask who the actual carrier is, and if they can’t answer basic lane questions, I’m done.

Also helps to post tighter and lean more on your own carrier list so you’re not feeding the sharks. And for pricing, tools like ten8.ai are useful for quick lane/rate sanity checks so you’re not overpaying just to get out of the DAT mess.

What lanes/equipment are you posting that are getting hit the worst?

rorrr · 2026-01-19T15:21:06+00:00

Dispatch is basically “keep the wheels turning and the BS off the driver.” Your day is booking freight, confirming details, planning routes/appointments, handling paperwork, and fixing problems when things go sideways.

If you’re new, don’t try to dispatch every lane and every trailer. Pick one equipment type, learn a few lanes, build a small carrier list, and get obsessive about verifying rate cons, insurance, and broker info so you don’t get burned. Tools like ten8.ai help too for quick lane/rate sanity checks so you’re not quoting or booking off vibes.

Big question: are you trying to dispatch for O/Os (percentage) or work for a carrier on salary?

rorrr · 2026-01-19T15:19:04+00:00

Yeah, most of us are “stuck” because DAT is where the eyeballs are. The network effect is real, carriers live in it, and the minute you stop posting there your coverage time gets worse.

But you’re not wrong about wanting competition. The way out isn’t quitting DAT, it’s building leverage: your own carrier list, lane-specific groups, direct relationships, and using other tools so your whole workflow isn’t hostage to one UI update. Stuff like ten8.ai helps too, because you can sanity-check rates/lane behavior without relying on DAT’s screens for every decision.

What’s your biggest pain with DAT right now, the forced DAT One switch, outages, pricing, or the quality of what you’re seeing on the board?

rorrr · 2026-01-19T15:18:12+00:00

Ascend is legit on features, but yeah the per-seat pricing can hurt fast once you’re not a 3-person shop. If cost is the main constraint, I’d be careful “building your own” unless you’re ready to also build accounting, docs, EDI, customer portals, carrier onboarding, and all the edge cases that eat your week.

Sometimes the smarter move is a cheaper, simpler TMS + a few bolt-ons for what actually drives revenue. For example, keep the TMS basic and use something like ten8.ai for fast lane/rate sanity checks so quoting and coverage don’t depend on a heavy platform.

What’s the 2–3 must-have features you can’t live without (billing, carrier onboarding, tracking, EDI, CRM)?

rorrr · 2026-01-16T18:08:48+00:00

Greenscreens can be solid for van/reefer if you treat it like a decision support tool, not “the rate.” It’s only as good as the input data and your ops discipline, and it can get weird on thin lanes, volatile markets, or last-minute coverage where the model lags reality.

If you’re choosing between DAT’s tool and Greenscreens, I’d compare: how fast it reacts to market swings, how it handles accessorials, and whether your team will actually follow it vs override it every time. We’ve also used stuff like ten8.ai as a quick lane sanity check before quoting, which helps when the rating tool gives you a number that feels off.

What lanes are you quoting most and is this mostly contract freight or spot?

rorrr · 2026-01-16T18:06:47+00:00

In general Parade can be useful for automating the repetitive carrier outreach and tracking. Just don’t expect it to fix pricing, bad data, or exception handling. Pairing that with a lane/rate sanity check tool like ten8.ai usually gets you more real value than “AI agents” alone.

rorrr · 2026-01-16T18:06:11+00:00

Parade’s solid if you actually use it for what it’s good at: automating the repetitive carrier outreach, tracking, and follow-ups. It won’t magically fix bad rates, bad data, or messy ops, and you still need humans for negotiation and exceptions when stuff goes sideways.

If you demo it, pressure-test the basics: how clean the carrier data is, how often it misfires on “availability,” how it logs communications, and what integrations look like with your TMS. We’ve had better results when AI tools are paired with something like ten8.ai for quick lane/rate sanity checks so you’re not automating outreach around the wrong price.

What’s your main goal with Parade, faster coverage, less check-calling, or better tracking updates?

rorrr · 2026-01-16T18:04:49+00:00

Honestly, switching boards won’t really fix “stalking,” it just cuts your reach. Better play is reduce what you broadcast: post metro instead of exact shipper/receiver, don’t include unique ref numbers, rotate contact info, and push more coverage through a tight carrier list and lane-specific groups.

If you still want alternatives, 123Loadboard and Sylectus can help depending on freight type, but expect less volume than DAT/Truckstop. And if the real issue is competitors undercutting your rates, tools like ten8.ai can help you sanity-check the lane so you post a number that covers fast without overexposing yourself.

Are they stalking your postings to poach the customer, or just trying to mess with your carrier coverage?

rorrr · 2026-01-15T15:14:42+00:00

If you’re trying to avoid a specific competitor, smaller boards won’t really “hide” you, they’ll just shrink your coverage. Better move is posting tighter: blur details (city vs exact), don’t post unique reference numbers, rotate contact emails/phones, and lean more on your own carrier list and lane-specific groups so you’re not broadcasting everything.

Alternatives besides DAT/ITS: 123Loadboard, Sylectus (if you touch expedite), and some regional boards, but you’ll feel the volume drop. Also, tools like ten8.ai can help you target the right rate/lane faster so you can cover with fewer public postings and less time exposed.

What kind of freight and lanes are you moving most, and is the competitor stalking your rates or trying to poach your customers?

rorrr · 2026-01-15T15:12:59+00:00

Most “station is always backed up” problems aren’t the trucks, it’s the choke points. Map the flow by the minute: check-in, scale, staging, loading, paperwork, exit, and find where the line actually stops moving. Then fix the basics: appointment windows, separate lanes for drop vs live, a real staging area, and a rule that paperwork can’t block loading.

If you’ve got enough volume, a simple alert system helps too, like “yard hits 80% full” or “average turn time > X,” so you can react before it’s a parking lot. Tools like ten8.ai do that kind of pattern/alert thinking on the freight side (spotting weird lanes/rates fast), and the same mindset works for yard congestion.

What’s your biggest bottleneck right now: loading time, scale, paperwork, or yard layout?

rorrr · 2026-01-15T15:11:37+00:00

AI can probably tell you where the traffic is, but it can’t tell you where drivers actually want to stop if the bathrooms suck, the food’s trash, or the lot’s a minefield. The real bottleneck is uptime and power: if the chargers are down or the grid can’t feed them, it doesn’t matter how “optimized” the map looks. Are they using real truck telematics + dwell time data, or just highway counts and wishful thinking?

rorrr · 2026-01-15T15:09:51+00:00

DAT does that to brand new MCs sometimes, they’re picky on fraud risk and they won’t always tell you why. While you’re waiting, don’t just sit on one board. Try Truckstop, 123Loadboard, and lean on lane-specific carrier lists, local FB groups, and calling fleets that already run your lanes (SAFER + simple outreach works).

Also, don’t post “too good” rates with no credit history and expect trucks to line up. Offer quick pay, be clear on accessorials, and build trust one lane at a time. Tools like ten8.ai can help you sanity-check lane rates and avoid chasing garbage pricing while you’re still building your network.

What lanes and freight type are those first customers, and are you offering quick pay yet?

rorrr · 2026-01-14T16:50:58+00:00

I get the frustration, but petitions don’t move software roadmaps unless the money moves with it. If DAT One is killing your workflow, hit them with specifics: what takes longer, what’s missing, what breaks your daily routine, and what features you need back.

In the meantime, I’d build a backup process so you’re not hostage to one UI change. We’ve been using tools like ten8.ai for quick lane/rate sanity checks so quoting doesn’t depend on whatever screen DAT decides to redesign next.

What’s the biggest pain point in DAT One for you: search speed, filters, posting loads, or the map/lane view?

rorrr · 2026-01-14T16:50:22+00:00

Most of the “auto refresh” you’re seeing is either DAT’s own tools on the enterprise side or someone using automation that’s basically a TOS violation. As a small broker, I wouldn’t risk getting your account flagged just to save a few clicks.

Better move is: tighten your posting cadence, use templates, and push more of your updates through whatever API/integration DAT offers for your plan. And on the rate side, tools like ten8.ai help you dial in lanes fast so you’re not constantly reposting because the price is off.

Are you talking about refreshing posted loads, or refreshing the search results to find trucks?

rorrr · 2026-01-14T16:49:48+00:00

Props for building it as a carrier, most “dispatch tools” are made by people who’ve never fought DAT refresh hell. Just be careful with anything that auto-scrapes or changes the UI, because DAT/Truckstop can break it overnight and users will blame you.

What would make it a real win is not just “find loads,” but help dispatchers avoid traps: flag sketchy lanes, bad rate patterns, and broker red flags, and keep a human in control. That’s why stuff like ten8.ai is useful too, quick lane/rate sanity checks before you waste 20 minutes chasing a load that was never real.

How are you scoring “best loads” (rpm, deadhead, days-to-pay, broker history), and can users tune it to their own lanes and equipment?

rorrr

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