Truck Dispatch Rates & Rate-per-Mile Guide
Clear percentage pricing for OTR carriers, plus a rough guide to what loads are paying by equipment type.
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What are truck dispatch rates in 2026?
Independent truck dispatchers usually charge a percentage of weekly gross. Texas Solutions charges 5% for OTR semi trucks and 7% for hotshots and 8% for OTR box trucks and straight trucks, with no flat rate. As a rough guide to freight rates, flatbed and step deck loads often pay $5-7 a mile, reefer $4-6, hotshot $4-5, dry van and power only $3-5, and box trucks $1.80-3.20.
Percentage of weekly gross. No flat rate.
Semi trucks
Dry Van, Reefer, Flatbed, Step Deck, Power Only
- Example: $8,000 - $10,000 weekly gross (hypothetical)
- Fee on that example: $400 - $500 per week
- OTR (over-the-road) operations
- No flat rate, no setup fee, no subscription
- You approve every load
Hotshot
Hotshot trucks, Gooseneck and flatbed trailers
- Example: $7,000 - $9,000 weekly gross (hypothetical)
- Fee on that example: $490 - $630 per week
- OTR (over-the-road) operations
- No flat rate, no setup fee, no subscription
- You approve every load
Box trucks
Box Truck, Straight Truck
- Example: $7,000 - $9,000 weekly gross (hypothetical)
- Fee on that example: $560 - $720 per week
- OTR (over-the-road) operations
- No flat rate, no setup fee, no subscription
- You approve every load
Rates apply to OTR (over-the-road) operations. Local and regional work is quoted separately. Rough estimate only. Your percentage is confirmed in your signed dispatch agreement. First load dispatched free. No flat rate, no setup fee, no monthly subscription, no long-term contract. Weekly gross is the revenue a truck books before fuel, insurance, maintenance and other costs. It is not profit.
Rough freight rates per mile
Rates move with lane, season, fuel and market. These are rough estimates, not offers of freight.
| Lane | Equipment | Example rate |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA → Phoenix, AZ | Dry Van | $3.40/mi |
| Chicago, IL → Atlanta, GA | Dry Van | $3.20/mi |
| Philadelphia, PA → Atlanta, GA | Dry Van | $3.10/mi |
| Ontario, CA → Dallas, TX | Reefer | $4.10/mi |
| Jacksonville, FL → Atlanta, GA | Reefer | $4.50/mi |
| Columbus, OH → Nashville, TN | Reefer | $4.30/mi |
| Pittsburgh, PA → Chicago, IL | Flatbed | $5.40/mi |
| Ontario, CA → Las Vegas, NV | Flatbed | $5.90/mi |
| Dallas, TX → Oklahoma City, OK | Step Deck | $5.80/mi |
| Savannah, GA → Nashville, TN | Power Only | $3.30/mi |
| Chicago, IL → Indianapolis, IN | Power Only | $3.60/mi |
| Allentown, PA → Columbus, OH | Power Only | $3.20/mi |
| Cleveland, OH → Pittsburgh, PA | Hotshot | $4.60/mi |
| Houston, TX → Baton Rouge, LA | Hotshot | $4.70/mi |
| Fresno, CA → Reno, NV | Hotshot | $4.40/mi |
| Atlanta, GA → Charlotte, NC | Box Truck | $2.80/mi |
| Joliet, IL → Columbus, OH | Box Truck | $2.70/mi |
| Miami, FL → Orlando, FL | Box Truck | $2.40/mi |
| Dallas, TX → Houston, TX | Box Truck | $2.90/mi |
Illustrative lane examples—not available loads or current rate quotes. They show how loads are priced per mile across different regions. Texas Solutions does not guarantee any load volume, rate, revenue or earnings.
Planning ranges per mile by equipment
Planning ranges our dispatchers use, October 2026. Not a market index, available loads or rate quotes; real rates depend on lane, distance, season, freight type and local or OTR work.
Rate per mile by equipment
Local vs OTR dry van rates
Dry van freight has the widest range, roughly $3 to $5 a mile. Short local and regional loads often pay more per mile because the load is short, while long OTR runs pay less per mile but more per load. Our published dispatch percentages apply to OTR operations.
Example: what dispatch costs in a hypothetical week
- Semi truck grossing $8,000-$10,000: fee about $400-$500 a week at 5%.
- Box truck or hotshot grossing $7,000-$9,000: fee about $490-$630 a week for a hotshot at 7%, $560-$720 for a box truck at 8%.
- No setup fee, no monthly subscription, no flat weekly charge.
How much do truck dispatchers charge?
Most independent truck dispatchers charge a percentage of the truck's weekly gross; commonly quoted ranges run from about 3% to 10%, depending on equipment and what is included. Some charge a flat weekly rate or a fee per load instead. Truck dispatch pricing at Texas Solutions is a percentage only: 5% for semis, 7% for hotshots, 8% for box trucks.
Flat rate vs percentage dispatch
A flat rate truck dispatch fee is charged every week whether your truck runs or not. A percentage is only paid on what the truck actually grosses, so a slow week costs less. That is why we do not offer flat rate dispatch. Pay per load works out much the same as a percentage: you pay on each load that is hauled, and nothing when the truck sits.
Low fee dispatch without the catches
Cheap truck dispatch services can cost more if the low rate comes with a setup fee, a long contract, forced loads or extra charges for paperwork. Ours: a 5 percent dispatch service for semis, no upfront fee, no long-term contract, no forced dispatch, and a free trial: your first load is dispatched free. Broker packets, rate confirmations and invoicing are included.
Dispatch fee percentage vs weekly dispatch fee
A weekly dispatch fee is the same dollar amount every week, so it costs most in the weeks you earn least. A dispatch fee percentage moves with your gross. Before you pick the cheapest truck dispatch service, add up the real cost: percentage or weekly fee, plus any setup fee, minimum, contract term or paperwork charge. See the real cost of the cheapest truck dispatch service.
Dispatcher vs self-dispatch
Self-dispatch saves the fee but costs hours on load boards and broker calls. A dispatcher earns the fee when better rates, fewer deadhead miles and the hours you get back add up to more than the percentage. Compare both in load board vs dispatcher.
Dispatch rate questions
How much does a truck dispatcher cost?
At Texas Solutions, semi trucks pay 5% of weekly gross, hotshots 7%, and box trucks and straight trucks 8%, for OTR operations. There is no flat rate, no setup fee and no monthly subscription. On a typical semi grossing $8,000-$10,000 a week, that is about $400-$500 a week.
Is there a flat weekly fee?
No. Texas Solutions charges a percentage of weekly gross only, so you pay when your truck earns and nothing in a week it sits. There is no flat rate, no setup fee and no monthly subscription, and your first load is dispatched free.
Do you dispatch local routes or only OTR?
Our published rates apply to OTR (over-the-road) operations. Local and regional work is quoted separately, so call or message us with your lanes.
Do you guarantee rates or earnings?
No. Freight volume, rates, operating costs and market conditions vary. Texas Solutions does not guarantee any specific load volume, rate, revenue or earnings.
How much should I pay a truck dispatcher?
Most owner-operators pay a percentage of weekly gross, commonly somewhere around 3-10% depending on equipment and services. At Texas Solutions it is 5% for semis, 7% for hotshots and 8% for box trucks, with broker setups, rate confirmations and invoicing included.
Do you offer a dispatch service with no long-term contract?
Yes. There is no long-term contract. The dispatch agreement sets the terms and the notice period for ending service.
Is there an upfront fee or a free trial?
There is no upfront fee and no setup fee, and your first load is dispatched free as a trial.
Do you charge per load?
We charge a percentage of weekly gross, which works like paying per load: you pay on loads your truck hauls and nothing when it sits. There is no flat weekly rate.
Ready to keep your truck loaded?
Semi trucks 5%, hotshots 7%, box trucks 8% of weekly gross. First load free. 24/7 dispatchers. No long-term contract, no setup fee.
Calculate your dispatch fee · Call · Text · WhatsApp · Request a callback