TQL
CH Robinson
Redwood Multimodal
ST Freight LLC
Hub Group Inc
DSV Road Inc
USA Truck
ATS Logistics / Sureway
Blue Marlin Logistics
Fitzmark
Roar Logistics
RTT Carriers
BM2 Freight
D&L Transport
First Call Logistics
A Plus Warehousing and Logistics
Add some in the comments if you know any other companies
So I'm an independent dispatcher, been working for this guy that has a couple of trucks, dispatched for two of the trucks and have made $1300 in a week and half as my commission, but right now he seems to have all sorts of excuses for why he hasn't paid me for last weeks $675. Right now I'm so afraid, cos he sends all these clearly AI screenshots, has one story about his bank flagging his wire transfers. And to make it worse, I feel the guy we are leasing the MC from is also in on it and they're both just scamming me at this point. Doesn't also help to search his full name on the Internet and find out he is an excon. Convicted of grand lacerny. With this info I'm really thinking of getting the police and a lawyer involved. Need advice on what to do.
Ok so this has been bugging me for a while and I want to know how other people actually handle it in practice.
We have 7 trucks and our deadhead is honestly embarrassing some weeks. Like I'll have a driver drop in Laredo and the next available load back is 90 miles away and I just eat it because I didn't plan the lane properly. It adds up FAST. At $0.50+ per mile in fuel and wear that's real money just... gone.
I've talked to other small carriers and most of them are doing the same thing as us, just searching for the best available load near wherever the truck dropped, not really thinking about it as a network. Which works fine when rates are great and you can afford to be sloppy. But right now every mile matters.
I've been experimenting with planning lanes a week out instead of day by day. Trying to build circular routes, Midwest to Southeast, Southeast to Northeast, Northeast back to Midwest. It's helped but it's also really hard to do manually when load availability is constantly changing.
Saw that some dispatch tools are starting to score loads on deadhead automatically, not just rate per mile but actual net profitability after you factor in empty miles. Found online numeo.ai that does this apparently, it weights loads based on deadhead, lane fit, broker score, all of it together. Haven't fully tested it yet but the concept makes sense to me. A $3.20/mi load with 80mi deadhead can easily lose to a $2.90/mi load that picks up 5 miles from the drop.
Curious what systems people have actually built around this. Spreadsheet? Software? Just experience and gut feel? What's actually working?
We're a small carrier, been growing slowly over the last couple years. Started with 3 trucks, now at 9, probably adding 2-3 more this year if things keep going.
For a while I was dispatching everything myself. At 3-4 trucks it was fine, stressful but manageable. At 6 it started getting sloppy, missed a check call once, had a driver sitting for almost 2 hours because I was tied up with something else. Not acceptable.
Now I've got one other dispatcher helping but we're both feeling it again as we've grown. The question is, do we hire a third person or do we get smarter about how we're doing things?
I've seen some carriers run way more trucks per dispatcher than we do. Saw one case study where they had something like 150 trucks and 15 dispatchers which is a 10:1 ratio. We're nowhere near that efficient. Makes me think we're either doing something very wrong or they're using tools that are doing a lot of the work for them.
So what's realistic? What's your trucks-per-dispatcher ratio and do you feel like it's sustainable? And if you've found ways to stretch that ratio without burning people out, genuinely curious what changed.
Serious question because I feel like the answer is completely different depending on who you work with.
We've got some brokers we've been working with for years, they never ask for a check call, they just ping the driver directly if they need something, or they pull from our ELD. Cool, no problem. Then we've got newer brokers or like mid-tier brokers who still want calls every 4 hours. Driver is moving. Driver doesn't want to pull over. I'm trying to run the rest of the operation. It becomes this whole thing.
I've started telling some brokers upfront that we do automated updates via our tracking system and if they need more than that we might not be the right fit. Which feels bold but also I'm tired of my drivers answering the phone while they're trying to make miles.
The other thing that nobody talks about, check calls aren't just an annoyance, they're a liability. Driver's got his phone out, broker's asking where he is, and you've got a situation. It's dumb.
I looked at a few tools that automate status updates, send the broker a text or email at set intervals without anyone having to do anything. One that I found has something like this built in where an AI assistant handles outbound broker updates automatically. Seemed useful. Not sure how brokers receive it when an AI is the one sending the "driver is on schedule, ETA 4pm" message but honestly if the info is accurate who cares.
What are you all doing? Still doing manual check calls? Pushed back on brokers about it? Found something that handles it automatically? Want to know what's actually working in real operations.
I’m starting a dispatch service focused on keeping trucks moving and reducing deadtime for owner operators and small fleets.
Currently looking to work with:
Services include:
I’m focused on building long-term relationships, consistent lanes, and better RPM instead of forcing cheap freight.
If you’re tired of sitting empty searching load boards all day, send me a message with:
I’m currently taking on a few carriers at startup rates while building my network.
I use a laptop and my phone. I do all the dispatching. Booking, tracking, signing paperwork and try to solve issues involving the loads/brokers.
What apps and accessories do you use to improve your work?
I'm currently looking into DataTruck, Alvys TMS, and something called DispatchMVP, which are all AI enabled systems. I am also thinking to have like Gemini or ChatGPT organize a lot of the mundane executive functions that I have trouble managing and organizing. Has anyone else done this or do you use any software or AI to dispatch?
Hi everyone!
I recently finished a Freight VA course and I’m currently looking for an internship or entry-level job in freight brokerage, dispatching, or logistics support.
Here are some of the skills I was trained in:
• Load Tracking & Scheduling
• Quoting & Rate Negotiation
• Carrier & Shipper Communication
• TMS Navigation & Data Entry
• Load Board Research & Posting
• Freight Class Calculation
• Customer Support & Problem Solving
I’m eager to learn more, gain real-world experience, and grow in the freight/logistics industry.
If anyone is hiring or knows opportunities for interns or beginners, I’d really appreciate it. Thank you!