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Dispatcher fee calculator

By Fernandez · Updated October 2026

Work out what a dispatcher costs on a load or a week, and what you keep.

$
mi
%

Dispatch fee this week

$300

Net after dispatch

$5,700

Effective rate per mile after the fee

$2.28

Our fee on the same week for one truck with an MC 6 months or older: $300 (5%). 7% while the MC is newer, 4% for two or more trucks. A flat fee is charged in slow weeks too.

On $6,000 a week, our fee would be $300, and nothing on a week you do not haul.

Our dispatchers find and negotiate the loads; you approve each one and sign the rate con. 5% of gross for one truck with an MC 6 months or older, no setup fee.

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How it is calculated

  • Percentage fee = weekly gross x percentage.
  • Flat fee = the weekly amount, whatever you haul.
  • Net after dispatch = gross - fee.
  • Effective rate per mile = net after dispatch / miles.

Worked example

ItemEXAMPLE
Gross for the week$6,000
Miles2,500
Fee at 5% of gross$300
Net after dispatch$5,700
Effective rate per mile$2.28

EXAMPLE week. Our fee is 7% while your MC is under 6 months, 5% for one truck after that and 4% for two or more.

Comparing dispatch offers

Run each offer through the calculator on the same gross. Then check what is not in the headline: setup or onboarding fees, software charges, minimums when the truck sits and the cost of leaving. A low percentage with a setup fee and a long contract can cost more over a year than a higher percentage with none of them.

The fee is only half the question; the other half is what the dispatcher adds. Use the dispatch ROI calculator to weigh rate changes, empty miles and your hours against the fee, and the truck driver pay calculator if you are adding a driver. Financing and tax costs are covered in commercial truck financing rates and the federal excise tax guide.

Mistakes when comparing dispatch fees

  • Comparing percentages on different bases. A percentage of gross and a percentage of linehaul are not the same number; ask what each fee is charged on.
  • Missing the extra charges. Setup, onboarding, software and cancellation fees can outweigh a lower headline rate.
  • Ignoring slow weeks. A flat weekly fee is charged whether the truck runs or sits, so test a slow week in the calculator too.
  • Forgetting who signs. Whatever the fee, the rate con should come to you in your company name, and you should approve every load.
  • Signing a long contract to get a low rate. Month-to-month terms let you leave if the work does not pay.

A fee only when you haul

No setup fee, no minimum, month-to-month. A dispatcher calls you back.

Check my fee tier

YOUR NUMBERS, EXAMPLE

Payment
$1,715 /mo
Our fee
5% of gross
YOU KEEP
the rest

Questions

How much does a truck dispatcher charge?
Most charge a percentage of each load's gross, a flat weekly fee per truck or a flat fee per load. There is no reliable public survey of what dispatchers charge, so compare offers in the calculator on your own gross. Ask what the fee covers and whether there is a setup fee or minimum.
Is a percentage or a flat dispatch fee better?
A percentage rises and falls with what you haul, so a slow week costs less. A flat fee is the same every week, which can be cheaper in strong weeks and expensive in slow ones. Run your typical week and a slow week through both modes to see the difference.
What is the dispatch fee charged on?
Usually gross load revenue, but some dispatchers charge on different bases or add software and setup fees. Ours is a percentage of gross load revenue, with no setup fee, no minimum and nothing on weeks you do not haul. Get any dispatcher's fee basis in writing before signing.
What is an effective rate per mile after dispatch?
It is what you keep per mile once the fee is paid: gross minus the fee, divided by all the miles you ran. Compare it with your cost per mile. If a dispatcher raises your rate or cuts empty miles, the effective rate can end up higher than self-dispatching.
Do you charge a fee on weeks I do not haul?
No. Our fee is a percentage of the loads you haul, so a week at home, in the shop or without loads costs nothing. There is no setup fee and no long contract; you can leave with 30 days notice.
Can the dispatch fee change after I sign up?
With us it moves only with your authority age and your truck count, never with the load or the rig. It steps down on its own as your MC ages, and again when you run a second truck on it. Any other change needs a new written agreement. With any dispatcher, check how the fee can change before you sign.
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