How to Start a Truck/Freight Dispatching Business?

Hi sare, OMG, you won't find much love for dispatchers here, me included. 1st, you have to have a big hole where your heart would normally be, it's an incredibly stressful job, get woken up at all hours of the night, responsible for the very living of your drivers, and many times, they can get downright ugly about. There is a huge turnover rate for dispatchers, as you'll hear every excuse in the book why someone can't take that load, or has to get home for whatever reason. We always had a saying, if we were running empty, we'd say we had a "load of dispatcher brains on". Best of luck with that.

 

If you want to start a dispatching service it would be helpful to you and any potential clients that you have some actual driving experience, preferably at least 1-2 years. You will need to subscribe to several loadboards and be a good negotiator. Starting with no experience puts you and your clients at a disadvantage. You need to learn the better freight lanes and average rates for specific lanes for specific types of freight. It is absolutely mandatory that you have excellent people skills. If you don't want to drive for a time, you may see if you can become an in-house dispatcher for a carrier or broker.

 

Freight Broker Training

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Very good post.....I fell the same way I put someone in my office that never drove but worked for a trucking outfit before me but she never used a load board or new lanes that was the big struggle I had it takes time to know lanes, I remember telling her don't load my trucks with anything under $2/mi what did she do? First load over $2/mi she would book it, if a broker would ask a price first $2/mi. After a year I had to let her go because my business was struggling when I was in the office the trucks would gross $2,k more a week easy running less miles.

I can tell how long it will take a place to load by what I'm hauling and there's lots of loads I won't haul just because a pipe load pays $3/ mi don't make it a good load when it takes 7-10hours to load and 4-7 to live offload....

When I get pushed out my truck I'm going to start dispatching but more than lickly I'll just lease trucks on under my numbers I just can't see doing a Sevice for a driver getting 10% of his money.

 

Loading trucks up at consistent solid rates is not a problem after learning some lanes and making connections. The main problem with dispatching as I see it is I know I'm going to do exactly what I agreed to do with no excuses and no headaches. Therefore people that work with me know what they're getting and don't lose any sleep. That's what they're buying. You have no idea what you're dealing with in the beginning with some drivers. They want the world but they can't or won't take care of business. So when YOU book that load on their truck for them that is YOUR reputation on the line. And most drivers only care about dollars per mile - if it's 30 minutes late they couldn't help it, not their fault, blah, blah. They don't understand the freight with rates won't come if they have habits of not delivering. Me personally I would not dispatch anyone I didn't know for that reason. Some drivers I know on the other hand, I would not hesitate to dispatch and find loads for, but they already know what they're doing.

 

ok.. need some advice... had over 25 years in the trucking industry had/have my own truck ( forsale in yard) had my own business ( Authority) for 2.5 yrs and had to stop due to taking care of elderly parents. Thought about dispatching ( since I did my own) hooked up with a company as an independent contractor and not happy about the way this guy does business... Looking to start my own...again any advice..GO!

 

What do you want to do? You can reinstate your authority for $80 as long as you have insurance. You could also lease to a carrier and save the money. Freight is down and rates are not very good, for the most part. I am sure you can find something as a dispatcher or even start your own dispatch service, if that is the direction you want to pursue. If you still have your truck you could be back on the road in a week or two, whether you lease to a carrier or reinstate your authority.

 

Can't go back on the road.. that's not an option.. already cancelled all my authority etc.. doing a fair bit of business dispatching for this company but not happy about how this guy pays... i have the contacts.. thought about putting truck on the road again.. but no one takes care of your equipment like you do and then there is all the new regulations coming down the pike with elogs etc. Just wanted to know how difficult it would be.. if I reinstated mc and usdot #'s but would i have to have a broker license even tho I'm technically not brokering ( pulling off load boards) not hooking up with companies for contract bids... just didn't know the laws regarding it and you know how the government is... can't get a straight answer ...

 

I agree! Dealing with drivers who I know say there going to be there, they are! But then others that have no realistic expectations in that field.. they only haul min amounts ( Hotshot drivers) then they want to be home every week and make 2.00+ a mile.. afraid those days are over.. you want to run? you make money..Fuel surcharges and rates are in the toliet... unless you work with military loads or priority loads... otherwise it's piece meal and 1.00 mile... just twice the work... and it is YOUR reputation on the line..especially if you've personally hauled freight for their companies... no sure what to do..