Dispatcher fee calculator
Enter your weekly gross and a dispatcher's fee, as a percentage or a flat weekly amount. You see the fee, what you keep and the effective rate.
By Gustavo · Updated October 2026
FEE THIS WEEK
- Effective %
- 5%
- Net after fee
- $4,750
- Net per mile
- $2.16
- At 10%
- $500
Our rates are 7%, 5% or 4% of gross, with no setup fee and no fee on loads you turn down.
How it is calculated
- Percentage: fee = weekly gross x fee %.
- Flat: fee = the weekly amount.
- You keep = gross - fee.
- Effective % = fee / gross.
- Net per mile = what you keep / miles.
The ticket also shows what a 10% fee would cost on the same gross, for comparison.
Worked example
EXAMPLE
- Gross this week
- $5,000
- Fee 5% of gross
- -$250
- Net per mile, 2,200 mi
- $2.16
- At 10% instead
- -$500
Now try a flat $300 a week. In a $5,000 week it's 6%. In a $2,500 week it's 12%. In a week the truck is down for repairs, it's $300 for nothing hauled.
Our rates
| Who | Fee |
|---|---|
| New authority, MC under 6 months, any equipment | 7% |
| 26 ft box trucks and hotshots | 7% |
| Single truck, 6+ months authority, other equipment | 5% |
| Fleet of 2+ trucks, 6+ months authority | 4% |
No setup fee, no minimums, month to month with 30 days notice. The fee is only on loads you haul. Full details are on rates and fees.
Questions to ask any dispatcher
- Is the fee on gross or net?
- Is there a setup, onboarding or admin fee?
- Is there a fee on loads I turn down, or weeks I don't run?
- How long is the contract, and how do I cancel?
- Do I approve every load, and does the rate con come to me?
Good and bad results
A lower fee isn't always the better deal. A dispatcher who gets 10 cents a mile more and plans tighter reloads can be worth more than a cheaper one who books whatever is posted. Weigh the fee against what it buys with the dispatch ROI calculator.
Slow weeks test a fee
Run the calculator twice: once with a strong week's gross and once with a slow one. A percentage fee shrinks with a slow week, and is zero in a week you don't haul. A flat fee stays the same, so its effective percent climbs exactly when money is tight. If a dispatcher offers a flat fee, ask what happens in a week the truck is in the shop or you take time off. Also ask what the fee covers: load search alone, or negotiation, broker checks, paperwork and check calls too.
Fee and fuel together
The fee is a small share of the load compared with fuel. Run the trip fuel cost calculator on the same trip to see both side by side.
You approve every load
We find, check and negotiate each load and bring it to you. Nothing is booked until you say yes, and the broker sends the rate confirmation straight to you. You can pass on any load with no penalty.
Questions about this calculator
Q01How much do truck dispatchers charge?
Many charge a percentage of gross per load, commonly somewhere between 5% and 10%. Some charge a flat weekly fee. Ours is published: 7% for new authorities, hotshots and 26 ft box trucks, 5% standard, and 4% for fleets of two or more trucks with 6+ months of authority.
Q02Is a percentage or a flat fee better?
A percentage costs more in good weeks and less in slow ones, and nothing in a week you don't haul. A flat fee is the same every week, even if you sit. Compare both on a slow week and a busy one.
Q03What does effective percent mean?
The fee as a share of your gross. For a flat fee, it changes every week with your gross.
Q04Are there fees on top of the dispatch fee?
Some services add setup, admin or per-load charges. Ask for every fee in writing. We charge no setup fee and no monthly minimum.
Q05Is the fee on gross or net?
Most percentage fees are on gross load revenue. Ask, because it changes the math. Ours is on gross load revenue for loads you haul.