How much does a truck dispatcher charge? Most US dispatchers take 5% to 10% of the gross load rate. Some charge a flat weekly fee instead, usually around $250 a week for a semi and about $350 for a box truck or hotshot. Averaging the ranges published by six sources puts the typical percentage at about 7%.
That’s the short answer. What really changes your bill is what the percentage is calculated on, how many trucks you run, and whether a flat fee suits your weekly gross. This guide walks through all of it with real numbers, so you can check any quote against the market before you sign anything.
How Much Does a Truck Dispatcher Charge in 2026?
| Pricing model | Typical range | Average |
| Percentage of each load | 5%–10% | about 7% |
| Flat weekly fee, semi (dry van, reefer, flatbed) | 150–400 per week | about 250–275 per week |
| Flat weekly fee, box truck or hotshot | 200–500 per week | about $350 per week |
| App-based or budget service | 3%–5%, or 300–800 per month | varies, usually less hands-on support |
Figures come from published pricing pages and guides as of November 2026. Every company sets its own price, so treat these as a benchmark, not a quote.
The Three Ways Dispatchers Charge
1. Percentage of the load (the most common)
The dispatcher keeps a set percentage of what the load pays. Book a $2,500 load at 7% and the fee is $175. A slow week costs you less, a strong week costs you more, and the dispatcher only earns when you do. That’s why this is the usual choice for new carriers and anyone whose weekly gross swings around.
2. Flat weekly fee
You pay the same dollar amount every week no matter how much you gross. Published flat rates run from about $150 to $400 a week for semis and $200 to $500 for box trucks and hotshots, with $250 and $350 being the most commonly advertised numbers. Flat pricing gets more attractive the more you gross, and less attractive in a slow week, since the fee doesn’t shrink when your revenue does.
3. Hybrid, per-load or subscription pricing
Some services mix a small weekly base with a lower percentage. One comparison lists MaxTruckers at $49 a week plus 3% of gross, for example. App-based services often run 3% to 5% or a monthly subscription. Very low fees are worth a question: ask what support, negotiation and paperwork are left out.
What Other Dispatch Companies Charge
| Company | Model | Reported fee | Where it comes from |
| O Trucking | Flat weekly | $250 per week (semi), $350 per week (box truck, hotshot) | Company pricing page |
| Truck Dispatch Experts | Percentage or flat | 6% per load, or $250 per week for semis | Company FAQ |
| MaxTruckers | Hybrid | $49 per week plus 3% of gross | Third-party comparison |
| Freight Girlz | Percentage, tiered | 5%–10% of gross, depending on volume | Third-party comparison |
| Logity Dispatch | Percentage | 5%–10% of gross | Third-party comparison |
| Dispatch America | Percentage | 10% | Directory listing |
| OiG Dispatch | Percentage | Typically 5%–10% of the gross load rate | oigdispatch.com |
Some of these figures are the companies’ own, others come from third-party comparisons and may be out of date. Confirm any number directly with the company before you decide.
How We Got the 7% Average
We collected eight published percentage ranges from six sources (a freight-tech blog, DAT, an owner-operator resource site, a dispatch company’s own guides, TrueNorth and a dispatch pricing guide). Their ranges were 5–10%, 5–10%, 5–10%, 5–10%, 3–10%, 4–10%, 4–8% and 3–8%. Taking the midpoint of each range and averaging them gives about 6.9%.
That’s a simple average of published ranges, not a survey of what every carrier actually pays. It does line up with what most sources say a single-truck owner operator typically sees: somewhere between 6% and 8%. Carriers with several trucks sometimes negotiate closer to 5% or 6%.
What That Looks Like in Dollars
The percentage sounds small until you multiply it by a full week of freight.
| Weekly gross | At 5% | At 7% | At 10% |
| $3,000 | $150 | $210 | $300 |
| $5,000 | $250 | $350 | $500 |
| $7,500 | $375 | $525 | $750 |
| $10,000 | $500 | $700 | $1,000 |
On $5,000 a week at 7%, you’d pay about $18,200 over a full year of 52 weeks. The point of paying it is that the dispatcher should earn that back through better rates, fewer empty miles and time you’re not spending on the phone.
Gross vs Linehaul: The Detail That Changes Your Fee
This is the part most owner operators miss. “8% of the load” can mean two different amounts.
- Linehaul is the base rate for moving the freight from pickup to delivery.
- Gross (the total invoice) is linehaul plus the fuel surcharge and any accessorial charges such as detention, layover or truck-ordered-not-used pay.
Here’s a worked example on a single load:
| Item | Amount |
| Linehaul | $2,000 |
| Fuel surcharge | $250 |
| Detention | $100 |
| Total invoice (gross) | $2,350 |
| 8% of linehaul only | $160 |
| 8% of the full invoice | $188 |
That’s $28 more on one load for the same “8%.” Across 15 or 20 loads a month, the base your dispatcher uses adds up. Ask for it in writing: percentage of linehaul, or percentage of the full invoice? Also check whether reimbursed costs such as lumper fees are excluded.
Flat Fee vs Percentage: Where the Break-Even Sits
Take a flat fee of $250 a week for a semi. Here’s the weekly gross where the flat fee and a percentage cost exactly the same:
| Percentage fee | Break-even weekly gross vs. $250 flat |
| 5% | $5,000 |
| 7% | about $3,571 |
| 10% | $2,500 |
Above those numbers, the flat fee is cheaper. Grossing $10,000 a week, for instance, 7% costs $700 against a $250 flat fee. Below them, or in a slow or short week, the percentage costs less.
The math isn’t the whole story, though. A percentage keeps your dispatcher’s income tied to yours, so they have a reason to push for every extra dollar on the rate. A flat fee is predictable but doesn’t change if the rate goes up or down. If you’re new, still building volume or running irregular weeks, a percentage is usually the safer fit. If you’re consistently grossing high and want a fixed cost, ask for a flat quote and compare it with the same weeks on a percentage.
What Moves the Price Up or Down
- Equipment. Box truck and hotshot loads often pay less per load and take more booking effort, so you’ll commonly see the upper end of the percentage range or a higher flat fee than for a semi.
- Number of trucks. One published guide puts single-truck owner operators at about 6–8% and multi-truck carriers nearer 5–6%, since the dispatcher earns more across the account. Fleet owners running 2–10 trucks should ask about volume pricing.
- What’s included. A dispatcher who only finds the load can reasonably charge less than one who also handles billing, paperwork, broker setup packets and follow-up.
- Experience and market data. Dispatchers who track lane rates daily and negotiate every load usually cost more than a booking service that takes the first offer. They can also earn it back.
- New authority. Carriers with a brand-new MC number generally fall in the same 5–10% range. Be cautious of anyone adding a premium just because you’re new. Our new MC dispatch page covers what to expect.
Fees and Terms That Cost More Than the Percentage
The headline number isn’t always the full price. Watch for:
- Setup or onboarding fees. Reputable dispatchers generally earn from performance, not an upfront charge.
- Software, admin or “platform” fees added on top of a low advertised percentage.
- Long lock-in contracts. Commitments of 6–12 months with early-exit penalties in the 1,000–5,000 range are a red flag.
- Guaranteed income promises. Nobody can guarantee a weekly gross, because rates move daily with lanes, season and fuel.
- Booking under their MC number or exclusive rights to all your loads. Your authority should stay yours.
- Too many trucks per dispatcher. One guide treats 5–8 trucks per dispatcher as healthy and 15–20 or more as a warning sign, since each truck gets less attention.
Is a Dispatcher Worth the Fee?
Some dispatch companies claim they raise an owner operator’s gross by 15–25%. Treat that as an upper-end marketing figure, not a promise. The better way to find out is to test it. Run a trial of about four weeks and compare your net revenue per mile, your empty miles and how often your dispatcher communicates against what you’d manage booking loads on your own. If the fee isn’t paying for itself in higher rates and less downtime, switch.
Five Questions to Ask Before You Sign
- Is your percentage calculated on linehaul or on the full invoice?
- Are there any setup, software, administrative or monthly fees?
- How long is the commitment, and what does it cost to leave?
- How many trucks does each dispatcher handle, and will I get the same dispatcher every week?
- Do I approve each load before it’s booked, and does everything go under my own authority?
Any honest dispatcher answers all five in plain language.
How OiG Dispatch Pricing Works
We charge a percentage of the gross load rate, typically 5% to 10%. Where you land in that range depends on your equipment, load volume, routes and the level of support you need. There are no monthly retainers, no hidden charges and no long-term contracts. Every load is presented to you before it’s booked, so you see the rate before you approve it, and we never book a load without your say-so.
We dispatch flatbed, dry van, reefer, hotshot and box truck freight across all 48 states, for solo owner operators, new MC carriers and small fleets.
Ready to see what your lanes could pay? Onboard your truck and a dispatcher will walk you through the numbers.
How much does a truck dispatcher charge per load?
Most charge 5% to 10% of the gross load rate, with an average around 7%. On a $2,500 load, that’s roughly $125 at 5%, $175 at 7% and $250 at 10%.
Is 10% too much for a truck dispatcher?
10% is the top of the normal range. It can be fair if the dispatcher also handles billing, paperwork and broker setup and negotiates every load. It’s harder to justify if they only find loads. Check what’s included and what the percentage is calculated on.
Do dispatchers charge on gross or linehaul?
It varies by company. Some charge on linehaul only and others on the full invoice including fuel surcharge and accessorials. On a $2,000 linehaul with $350 in extras, 8% is $160 versus $188, so ask for the base in writing.
Is a flat fee or a percentage better?
It depends on your weekly gross. Against a $250 flat fee, a 7% fee costs more once you gross above roughly $3,600 a week. A percentage is usually safer for new carriers and uneven weeks, and a flat fee can save money if you consistently gross high.
How much do dispatchers charge for hotshot and box trucks?
These usually sit at the upper end of the percentage range, or around $350 a week on a flat plan, with published flat rates running from about $200 to $500 a week.
Do new MC authority carriers pay more for dispatch?
Not as a rule. Most dispatchers charge new carriers within the same 5% to 10% range. Watch out for setup fees or a “new authority” surcharge.