How to Choose a Freight Dispatch Service (Carrier's Guide)

Most dispatch services pitch themselves the same way: "We'll keep your truck loaded, handle the back office, and let you focus on driving." The promise is roughly the same across the industry. The execution is not.

If you're an owner-operator choosing between dispatch services — or thinking about switching from one that isn't working — here's the checklist that actually matters. Most of these questions get glossed over in sales pitches. They're the questions you ask before you sign.

1. Commission structure: what they keep, on what basis

Dispatch commission is usually 5–10% of the load rate. The number is less important than the structure. Ask:

• Is the percentage applied to the gross or the net? 8% of $2,000 gross is $160. 8% of net after fuel surcharge is more like $130. Both are valid; you should know which.
• Is fuel surcharge included in the commissionable base?Some dispatches commission on the FSC. Some don't. The difference adds up.
• Is there a setup fee, monthly minimum, or factoring fee?Hidden costs erode the commission math fast.
• How and when do you get paid? Direct from broker, or through the dispatch as middleman? Net 30 from broker is industry standard; anything longer or routed through dispatch should be scrutinized.

Watch out for "low commission" pitches that pair with mandatory factoring, mandatory ELD subscription through the dispatch, or mandatory Loadlink under their account. The total cost is what matters, not the headline percentage.

2. Broker verification: do they actually do it

This is the single biggest hidden value a good dispatch provides. Freight broker fraud is real, growing, and expensive. A dispatch that skips verification can hand you a load that's already been booked and re-sold by a fake broker — you deliver, they vanish, you eat the loss.

A serious dispatch verifies, for every load:

1. FMCSA SAFER record. Active operating authority, carrier-broker designation, no out-of-service orders.
2. Bond/insurance certificate. Pulled directly from the underwriter, not just a forwarded PDF (which can be photoshopped).
3. Days-to-pay history. Cross-checked on at least one broker-credit service (TransCredit, Compunet, RTS).
4. Cross-check against fraud lists. Industry-shared databases of known fraudulent brokers and identity scams.

Ask: "Walk me through your broker verification process." If the answer is "we work with reputable brokers," that's not a process. If the answer references SAFER lookups, bond verification, and a fraud database, that's a process.

3. Load quality: not just volume

"We'll keep your truck loaded" is meaningless. The question is what kind of loads. Ask the dispatch for their average load:

• Rate per mile across the last 90 days on their book of business.
• Deadhead ratio — what % of total miles are unpaid?
• Average detention exposure — how often does the truck sit at a shipper or receiver more than 2 hours?
• Geographic concentration — do they have a strong home base or are they spreading you across markets you don't want?

A dispatch with mediocre rates but tight lanes can outperform one with higher rates that send you bouncing across the continent. Math what matters: weekly net revenue per home-base day.

4. Equipment match: do they understand what you run

Dispatching a Sprinter van is different from dispatching a 53-foot reefer. The load boards are different, the lanes are different, the rates are different.

A dispatch primarily working dry van might book a Sprinter on loads it can't fit. A dispatch working flatbed might not have the broker relationships to keep a reefer profitable.

Ask: "How many carriers in your network run equipment like mine?" If they have at least 5 other carriers in your equipment class, they have lane experience. If they have one or two, you're going to be the experiment.

5. Communication: how fast is dispatch, really

Dispatch quality is mostly speed and judgment. You're driving; you can't take calls every 20 minutes. You need dispatch to:

• Answer urgent calls within 5 minutes during business hours
• Have a clear after-hours escalation (real human, not voicemail)
• Make small-dollar decisions without checking with you (under $200)
• Communicate by both phone and text — and respect which you prefer

Test this in the sales conversation. If they take 4 hours to return your call when they're trying to win your business, imagine how they'll perform once you've signed.

6. Exit terms: how do you leave

Read the contract for these specifically:

• Notice period. 14–30 days is fair. Anything longer is a red flag.
• Non-compete or non-solicitation. Some dispatches claim you can't work with their broker contacts for a year after leaving. Negotiate this out before signing.
• Final-week handling. Who handles the loads booked in your last week? Does commission still apply?
• Data portability. Can you get your full load history, broker contacts, and earnings records on the way out? Some dispatches refuse.

A confident dispatch lets you leave easily. A bad one builds friction. Choose for the case where it doesn't work out, not the case where it does.

7. The boring stuff that matters

• Do they file your invoices for you, or do you?
• Do they advance fuel/lumper if you need it?
• How do they handle a chargeback or claim from a broker?
• Will they negotiate a load increase mid-trip if conditions change?
• What's their stance on hazmat, oversized, and after-hours work?

None of these matter on day one. All of them matter by day 90.

What TRUCC does

Just so we're upfront: TRUCC is a freight dispatch service based in Mississauga, Ontario. We work primarily with Canadian owner-operators running Ontario, Quebec, and cross-border lanes to the northeastern U.S.

We don't take commission on fuel surcharge. We verify every broker before dispatch (using the four-step process described in section 2). We pay our carriers directly from the broker — there's no middleman in the payment chain. Our notice period is 30 days either way.

If you run a Sprinter, straight truck, or dry van and you're looking for a dispatch partner in the GTA or Ontario-Quebec corridor, we'd be happy to talk. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you who is — we know most of the legitimate operators in this region.