Onboarding
How dry van dispatch works, from application to first load
Here's exactly how dry van dispatch works with us: six steps from the application to your first booked load, the documents to have ready, how we talk during the week and how you'd leave if it isn't working. No surprises at any exit.
Want the short version first? Here's what a dry van dispatcher does for you and what it costs.
Six exits
From application to your first booked load
- EXIT 1
Apply
About 2 minutes
Tell us your trailer, how many trucks, your MC or DOT number and how to reach you. Lanes and home time are optional on the form; we'll cover them on the call.
- EXIT 2
Talk to your dispatcher
A short phone call
Before we call, we look up your authority on the FMCSA register. On the call we cover where you like to run, when you need to be home, the lowest rate per mile you'll take, and whether you want load offers by text or a call.
- EXIT 3
Sign the agreement
Month-to-month
A short dispatch agreement: the fee (6% of gross, 5% for 2+ trucks), that you approve every load, and 30 days notice to cancel. No setup fee, nothing to pay until you haul. You pay our fee by ACH after you've been paid for each load.
- EXIT 4
Broker packets
Hours to a few days per broker
We fill out carrier packets for the brokers your lanes need, using your authority, W-9 and certificate of insurance. Some brokers approve the same day; others take longer, especially for new authorities.
- EXIT 5
Set your rules
Done on the call, changed anytime
Your minimum rate, maximum deadhead, weight limit for your tractor and van, door type, states or cities you won't go to, and your home-time days. These are the filters every load goes through before it reaches you.
- EXIT 6
Approve your first load
When a load fits
We send you the load with the full numbers: pickup and delivery times, loaded miles, deadhead, weight, rate and the terms on detention. You say yes, we book it, and the rate confirmation goes to you before you roll.
Documents you need
Have these ready and setup goes fast
Every broker packet asks for the same core paperwork. Tick off what you have; your checklist stays in this browser.
Not sure what to list for your trailer? Our guide to types of dry van trailers covers plate, vented, liftgate and the rest, and what counts as a dry van covers the basics.
0 of 4 ready
Missing something? Apply anyway; we'll help on the call.
Your preferences
Lanes, home time and your minimum rate
These three settings do most of the work. Lanes tell us which loads to look at. Home time tells us which load has to end the week. Your minimum rate tells us which loads never reach you.
We'll help you set the minimum from your real costs if you haven't figured it before: fuel, insurance, truck and trailer payments, maintenance and what you need to pay yourself, divided by the miles you run.
Running the same lanes every week? Read how dedicated dry van lanes get built for small carriers.
You approve every load
Nothing gets booked under your MC without a yes
A load offer from us always has the same parts, so you can decide in a minute from the cab:
Dispatch, today 06:42
Load offer Example
- Pickup
- Tue 08:00, live load, dock
- Delivery
- Wed 14:00 appointment, drop and hook
- Loaded / deadhead
- 742 mi / 31 mi
- Weight
- 37,800 lb, 22 pallets
- Rate
- $1,950 all-in ($2.63 loaded mi)
- Detention
- $50/hr after 2 hours
- Reload at delivery
- Good outbound volume that day
Rate con sent to you before pickup
Day to day
How we stay in touch on the road
- 01
Load offers
By text or a call, whichever works for you, always with the full numbers. Reply yes or no, or call to talk it over.
- 02
Check calls
We answer the broker's check calls and send delivery updates, so you're not on the phone while you drive.
- 03
Problems
Late appointment, detention, a load that cancels: tell us once and we take it up with the broker.
- 04
Nights and weekends
Dispatchers are available outside office hours, because freight doesn't stop at 5 p.m.
Weekly report
What lands in your inbox every week
Every load, loaded and empty miles, gross and rate per mile, plus the fee charged. Check the fee math anytime with the dispatch fee calculator.
| # | Load | Loaded | Empty | Gross | $/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Load 1 | 742 | 31 | $1,950 | 2.63 |
| 2 | Load 2 | 512 | 44 | $1,380 | 2.70 |
| 3 | Load 3, toward home | 688 | 26 | $1,720 | 2.50 |
| Week total | 1,942 | 101 | $5,050 | 2.47 all-in | |
| Dispatch fee (6%) | -$303.00 | ||||
If it isn't working
How to cancel
Give us 30 days notice. Loads already booked get finished and invoiced as normal, and the fee is only on loads you actually hauled. You keep your broker setups: they're in your company's name, not ours.
Getting started
Onboarding questions
How long does it take to start with a dispatcher?
The application and call can happen the same day. What takes longer is broker approval: some brokers set up a carrier in hours, others take days, and new authorities often wait longer. We send packets in parallel so you aren't stuck waiting on one broker.
What documents does a dry van dispatcher need from me?
Your MC and DOT numbers, a W-9, a certificate of insurance, your truck and trailer details, and a notice of assignment if you use a factoring company. That's what broker carrier packets ask for.
Do you work with carriers who use factoring?
Yes. Send us your notice of assignment and we include it in every broker packet so payment goes where it should.
What happens if a load goes wrong?
Tell us once. If you're held past free time we claim detention, if a load is cancelled after you're dispatched we go after TONU, and if an appointment slips we call the broker and the receiver. You keep driving.
Can I change my lanes or minimum rate later?
Anytime. Text or call your dispatcher and the new rules apply to the next load we look for. Many carriers adjust their minimum with the seasons.
Apply in about 2 minutes
Exit 1 is two minutes away
Send the application now and a dispatcher calls to set your lanes, home time and minimum rate.
6% of gross for one truck, 5% for 2+ trucks (limited-time). No haul, no pay.
Prefer the full form? Open the application