Dispatch Fee Calculator

Use it when you have two or three dispatch quotes on the table, or when you want to check what your current setup really costs. Those are the three common ways truck dispatchers charge, and the factoring box shows the combined bite if you also sell your invoices.

Dispatch quotes are hard to compare because they're charged on different amounts. A 6% fee and an 8% fee can cost the same, or not, depending on what each one is a percentage of. Put real numbers in and the gap shows up.

How to use the dispatch fee calculator

1. Enter a normal week. Add up the linehaul, fuel surcharge and accessorials from last week's rate confirmations. Leave out lumper money you were only reimbursed for.
2. Enter each quote's terms. Read the dispatch agreement, not the ad. Look for the words "gross", "linehaul", "per load" or "per week". If a quote is per load, multiply by your usual loads per week and enter it as the flat weekly fee.
3. Add factoring if you use it. Enter the factor's percentage from your factoring agreement. Leave it at zero if brokers pay you directly.
4. Run a slow week too. Change the loads to a week when the truck was in the shop or you took time off. Flat fees don't shrink when your revenue does.

The formulas

These match how dispatch agreements are usually written. Whichever model you choose, a dispatch fee is a business expense. The IRS small business and self-employed tax center covers how business expenses are reported, and your accountant can tell you how it applies to you. The factoring line is a simple flat-rate estimate. Many factors charge tiered rates by how long the broker takes to pay, plus transfer fees, so check your own agreement.

Worked examples

The calculator's example is a strong week: $9,150 in gross. Here the flat $400 fee comes out lowest, 6% of gross costs $549 and 8% of linehaul costs $600. Now see what happens in two other weeks with the same quotes. Example numbers only.

Over three normal-looking weeks, the flat fee costs the most, because it doesn't drop when the truck doesn't earn. That isn't always true. A carrier who runs full weeks every week, with no breakdowns and no time off, can come out ahead on a flat fee. The point is to test your real pattern, not a perfect week.

The linehaul-only quote at 8% also shows a common surprise. It sounds higher than 6% of gross, and it is here. But when diesel prices climb, fuel surcharge becomes a bigger share of the load, and a linehaul-only fee grows more slowly. Run both at the fuel prices you expect.

How to read your result

Our guide to how much truck dispatchers charge covers the normal range, hidden fees and how fees are collected. For the factoring side, read freight factoring explained before you compare factors.

Common mistakes when comparing dispatch fees

• Comparing percentages without the base. Always ask, "a percentage of what?"
• Forgetting the weeks you don't run. Holidays, repairs and home time are where flat fees cost the most.
• Ignoring who holds the money. If a dispatcher wants the broker to pay them first, you can't see what the load paid. FMCSA explains on its page about broker registration who needs broker authority, and a dispatcher handling load money can cross that line.
• Skipping the fine print on fuel. Some agreements charge on linehaul in the ad and on gross in the contract.
• Counting the fee but not the result. A dispatcher who adds $150 to a load's rate can be worth a higher percentage. Compare your all-in rate per mile and empty miles after a few weeks with the rate per mile calculator.
• Leaving fees out of your cost per mile. Dispatch and factoring fees are real per-mile costs. Add them to the cost per mile calculator so your rate floor covers them.

Where our fee fits

We charge a flat 6% of weekly gross for dry van, reefer, flatbed and power only, and 8% for box truck and hotshot.

Gross includes linehaul, fuel surcharge, detention, layover and TONU, but not lumper reimbursements. If a broker never pays for a load, you owe nothing for it. Loads picked up in your first 3 days with us carry no fee at all. The full terms are on our pricing page, and the plain-English version of the contract is on the dispatch agreement page.

Broker money goes straight to you or your factor, never through us. If you want faster pay, we can connect you with factoring through partner companies, and you can enter their rate above to see the combined cost. Before you hire anyone, run their quote through this calculator and through our list of questions to ask a truck dispatcher.