Guides for Owner-Operators
Practical guides for owner-operators on dispatch fees, new authority, checking brokers, rates and getting paid.
Jump to: Choosing a dispatcher · New authority · Running the numbers and getting paid · Starting out and equipment guides · Protect your business
Choosing a dispatcher
What a dispatcher does, what it should cost, and whether you need one.
What Does a Truck Dispatcher Do? Day-to-Day Duties Explained
A dispatcher's day hour by hour, what they handle, and what a dispatcher should never do.
5 min readTruck Dispatcher vs. Freight Broker: Who Works for You?
Who each one works for, how each gets paid, and where a dispatcher crosses into brokering.
5 min readHow Much Do Truck Dispatchers Charge? Fees Explained
The normal range, fee models compared, the math on a real load, and the hidden fees to watch for.
6 min readSelf-Dispatch vs. Hiring a Truck Dispatcher: The Real Math
A two-week time audit, cost per mile, and an honest look at when each option wins.
6 min read12 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Truck Dispatcher
Good answers, bad answers and a scorecard to compare dispatchers side by side.
5 min readNew authority
Getting through your first months with a new MC.
New Authority Trucking Guide: Your First 90 Days With an MC
Insurance brokers expect, the compliance checklist, the safety audit and getting brokers to say yes.
9 min readHow to Get Loads With a New MC Authority
Brokers that work with new authority, load board tips, a call script and your first 10 loads.
4 min readNew Authority Insurance in 2026: What Brokers Require
The federal minimum vs what brokers expect, every coverage explained, filings and what drives the cost.
5 min readNew Entrant Safety Audit: How to Pass the First Time
The documents to have ready, the 16 automatic-failure violations and what happens if you fail.
4 min readThe Owner-Operator Compliance Calendar
Every recurring deadline in one place: IFTA, UCR, 2290, MCS-150, medical card and more.
6 min readHours of Service for Owner-Operators
The 11 and 14-hour rules, sleeper splits and exceptions, explained for planning loads.
5 min readMC Number vs USDOT Number, and What Motus Changed
What each number is, which ones you need, and whether MC numbers are going away.
5 min readLease On vs Your Own Authority: Which Pays More?
Pay, insurance and control compared, plus your Truth-in-Leasing rights.
4 min readEnglish Language Proficiency Enforcement: What to Know
The rule, out-of-service enforcement since 2025 and the proposed federal rule.
5 min readRunning the numbers and getting paid
Rate cons, costs, detention, deadhead and factoring. To run the math on your own loads, use our free trucking tools.
Detention Pay and TONU: How to Actually Collect
What goes on the rate con, how to document it at the dock, and how to file a claim that gets paid.
5 min readFreight Factoring Explained: Recourse vs Non-Recourse
How factoring works, what it really costs, and the contract terms that matter more than the rate.
5 min readWhat Is a Rate Confirmation? A Line-by-Line Guide
Every line on a rate con, the fine print, and red flags before you sign.
5 min readHow to Calculate Your Cost Per Mile
A worksheet, a worked example and how to set your rate floor.
5 min readHow to Cut Deadhead Miles
How dispatchers plan reloads and judge loads by all-in rate per mile.
5 min readHow to Negotiate Freight Rates With Brokers
How brokers price loads, the numbers to know before you call, and what to say.
5 min readSpot vs Contract Freight: Which Should an Owner-Operator Chase?
How each is priced, how the market cycle changes the answer, and how to mix them.
5 min readHow to Build Broker Relationships That Turn Into Repeat Freight
What brokers want, which ones are worth it, and turning one load into a lane.
5 min readFuel Surcharge Explained: How It's Calculated
The EIA diesel index, the standard formula, and all-in vs linehaul rates.
5 min readLumper Fees: Who Pays and How to Get Reimbursed
What to confirm before you book, the receipt you need, and getting paid back.
5 min readStarting out and equipment guides
Rules and know-how for the equipment you run.
Hotshot CDL Requirements: The 26,001 lb Rule Explained
Why trailer length doesn't matter, GVWR vs GCWR, and five example rigs.
6 min readHow to Start a Box Truck Business
The truck, CDL or not, authority, insurance, compliance and your first loads.
5 min readHow to Start Hotshot Trucking
Truck and trailer choice, CDL decisions, authority, gear and finding freight.
5 min readWhat Is Power Only Trucking? How to Get Power Only Loads
Trailer pools, the insurance programs require, and how to get approved.
5 min readReefer vs Dry Van: Which Pays Better for an Owner-Operator?
Current DAT rates, the extra costs of a reefer, and the net math.
4 min readWhat Trailer Should You Buy for Your First Authority?
Van, reefer, flatbed or power only compared on cost, rates and workload.
5 min readFlatbed Securement Basics Every New Flatbedder Needs
Working load limits, tiedown counts, commodity rules and en route checks.
5 min readSeasonal Freight Calendar for Owner-Operators
When freight peaks and slows through the year, by trailer type.
5 min readProtect your business
Spotting scams, fraud and brokers who don't pay.
Truck Dispatcher Scams: 9 Red Flags to Check Before You Sign
The warning signs, the question to ask for each one, and what to do if you've been scammed.
5 min readHow to Check a Broker Before You Haul a Load
Six checks to run before you accept a load, plus the red flags of double brokering.
5 min readDouble Brokering: How It Happens and How to Protect Yourself
Three common setups, warning signs at booking and pickup, and what to do if you don't get paid.
5 min readCarrier Identity Theft: Signs Your MC Was Cloned and What to Do
Warning signs, securing your FMCSA account in Motus, and what to do next.
5 min readYour Right to See the Broker's Records and the Transparency Rule
49 CFR 371.3, waiver clauses, and where FMCSA's proposal stands.
4 min readWant a dispatcher to handle all this? See the six equipment types we dispatch and who we work with.
New to a term? Our trucking glossary defines 81 of them in plain English, from rate con and TONU to GCWR and BOC-3.
About these guides
How often do you publish new guides?▾
About once a month. We also update our truck rates page every month with the latest market numbers.
Can I suggest a topic I'd like covered?▾
Yes, reach out through our contact page with any topic you'd like us to write about.
Are these guides written for a specific equipment type?▾
Most guides apply broadly to all owner-operators, though some focus on specific situations like new authority carriers.
Ready to get your truck loaded?
Talk to a dispatcher today. Your first 3 days are free, with no upfront dispatch fees.