I’m not gonna lie – when I heard about dispatch services, I thought it was a way to take a cut of money I’m already working hard for. No, man, thank you. I can find my own loads.
That’s what I told myself for eight months straight while I was barely clearing $2,100 a week. Some weeks it was $1,800. One really bad week in March, I made $1,400 and was ready to sell my truck.
I’m Jerry. I run a single Freightliner Cascadia. I’m writing this because I wish someone had told me what I’m about to tell you when I was sitting in that Flying J parking lot at 11 PM, scrolling through DAT for the hundredth time that week.
The Reality Of Trucking
Everybody acts like you just buy a truck and the money rolls in. Like it’s that simple.
Well, that’s not how it works: You’re not just a driver. You’re dispatch, accounting, route planning, customer service, collections, and maintenance coordinator. You’re doing five jobs and getting paid for one.
I’d finish a 10-hour drive and spend another 3-4 hours trying to book loads when I should’ve been sleeping. Then the next day I’m exhausted – and the rate I got wasn’t even that good.
That was my life. Every single day.
The Numbers That Made Me Sick
Let me break down a typical week for me:
- Gross revenue: $2,100 (on a good week)
- Fuel: $700
- Truck payment: $800
- Insurance: $350
- Maintenance fund: $200
I was netting maybe $50-100 after expenses. Sometimes zero. And that’s before I even paid myself.
I remember calling my wife from a rest area in Ohio, telling her I didn’t know if this was gonna work.
Why I Finally Made the Call
I found this dispatch service on Reddit. Some owner-op was saying he went from $1.85/mile to $2.60/mile with them. I rolled my eyes – nobody’s pulling numbers like that every week. But one comment stuck with me: ‘…you’re losing more than 5% by spending half your day chasing freight. Do the math on your time.’ And that hit a little too close.
I was spending 25 hours a week on load planning. That’s almost an entire extra working day. If I could drive those hours instead? Even at my crappy rates, I’d come out ahead.
So I called them. Figured I’d just ask some questions.
The Surprising Part
The rep didn’t try to sell me. Like, at all. First thing she said was: “Let’s look at your current averages and see if this makes sense for your operation.”
We spent 45 minutes going through my rate history. She didn’t sugarcoat it – told me my rates were low because I was booking last-minute and taking whatever was available.
I was at $1.78 average. She didn’t have to tell me I was leaving money on the table – I already knew.
The First Week Was Weird
I’m used to controlling everything, and suddenly someone else is finding my loads.
Monday morning, my phone rings at 6 AM. It’s my dispatcher, Maria. She’s got a load from Atlanta to Chicago, $2.30/mile, picking up in 4 hours. By Wednesday, I had my whole week mapped out. Not scrambling, not sitting at truck stops for 6 hours trying to find something. Just… driving. Making money.
It felt weird not to stress about it.
The Part Where Everything Changed
End of week two, I did my math. My gross was $3,400. Nearly $1,300 more than my average.
The dispatch service’s cut? $170.
I made an extra $1,130 that week. More than I’d made in any single week in the last six months.
And here’s the thing that really got me – I only drove 200 miles more than usual. It wasn’t that I was working harder. The loads just paid better.
Here’s What I learned
Good dispatch isn’t just about finding loads. It’s about the loads they DON’T book you on.
My dispatcher turned down a $1.60/mile load because she knew she could get me $2.20 two hours later. Old me would’ve taken the $1.60 because I was desperate. That decision alone made me an extra $400 that week.
They also know which brokers actually pay on time. I used to have $5,000 in outstanding receivables at any time. Now? I’m usually paid within 7 days.
The Week I Hit $4,800
Month three. My dispatcher calls Tuesday morning.
“Jerry, I’ve got a solid week lined up for you. Three well-routed loads, strong rates, and almost no deadhead. You interested?“
Hell yes, I’m interested.
That week I ran three loads that actually made sense together – no sitting around, no chasing freight, and no panic booking. Rates averaged just over $2.25 a mile, and I stayed moving the entire week.
Hell yes, I’m interested. That’s three loads, perfectly routed, zero deadhead, and I’m not sitting anywhere for more than 4 hours.
That week I grossed $4,800. After fuel and the 5% commission, I cleared about $3,600. In ONE week.
I called my wife from that same rest area in Ohio where I’d almost quit. Told her we were gonna be okay.
She cried. I cried. The trucker parked next to me probably thought I was crazy.
The Part That Finally Made Sense to Me
Let’s talk about that 5% everyone gets hung up on.
If you’re making $2,000/week, 5% is $100. If paying someone $100 gets you to $3,500/week, you just made an extra $1,400 for a $100 investment. That’s not a cost – that’s a 1,300% return.
But here’s what sealed it for me: I’m home more. I’m sleeping better. I’m not angry all the time.
My wife says I’m easier to be around. My kids actually want to talk to me when I call because I’m not stressed and irritated.
You can’t put a price on that. But if you could, it’s worth way more than 5%.
What I’d Tell My Past Self
If I could go back to that parking lot in March, here’s what I’d say:
Stop being stubborn. Your pride is costing you money.
That 5% you’re worried about? You’re already losing 30% by being bad at dispatch. You’re a great driver. You’re not a great dispatcher. That’s okay. Nobody is good at everything.
The math works. The stress goes down. Your bank account goes up. Just make the call.
The Bottom Line
I’m not saying dispatch services are magic. They can’t turn bad freight markets into gold. But a good one can find the best available freight, negotiate better rates, and keep your truck moving.
I went from barely surviving at $2,100/week to regularly hitting $4,000–$4,800 weeks. Even after the 5% dispatch commission, my annual gross before operating expenses lands comfortably in the six-figure range.
That’s life-changing money for a one-truck operation.
Is It Right For You?
If you’re already crushing it at $3/mile and loving your current setup, you probably don’t need dispatch services.
But if you’re like I was – stressed, underpaid, spending your 34-hour reset looking for loads instead of resting – it’s worth exploring your options.
I was skeptical too. I get it. But skepticism doesn’t pay your truck note.
Results do.
Jerry operates one truck out of Atlanta and joined Logity Dispatch in March 2024. We appreciate Jerry’s openness in sharing his journey and his commitment to the road.
See the difference professional dispatch can make for your operation. Start Your Free Onboarding with Logity Dispatch→
