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Guide On How To Dispatch Trucks From Home


how to dispatch trucks

How do you dispatch trucks?

Any person who is interested in learning how to dispatch trucks from home can rest assured that this guide will help you to get started on the right track. Understanding how to dispatch trucks from home will lead you into possible lucrative positions within the trucking industry. Most all well organized and knowledgeable truck dispatchers create a lucrative truck dispatch business quite quickly under the right conditions. Below is more information on how you can get started on learning how to dispatch trucks from home.


Step 1. Obtain Proper Truck Dispatch Training

If you are researching truck dispatch training because you are convinced you to want to learn how to dispatch trucks and your goal is to start a truck dispatch business then a trucking dispatcher training course is in your future. To be successful in the truck dispatching business, knowledge is critical. There are key components you will want to learn and each of these is based upon your knowledge and skills when it comes to dispatching trucks and more so on how to build a trucking company's business thru your trucking dispatch services.


Understanding what trucking companies need based upon freight procurement, the guidelines trucking companies operate under the FMCSA Regulations, and freight availability within their regions are just a very few of the many things you need to grasp when it comes to learning how to dispatch trucks from home. There is also the basic need to understand what a trucking company goes thru daily to monetize their trucking equipment and how your truck dispatching skills adversely affect this.


Obtaining the right truck dispatch training course from a company that has been in the truck dispatch business and can offer you the right information based on their skills and services will be your best option. Logistical Forwarding Solutions is situated to not only give you the best truck dispatch training course but also help you with truck dispatching job placement.


Truck Dispatcher Training Course | How To Dispatch Trucks


Step 2. Join A Freight Brokerage And Become A Freight Broker Agent

Title 49 CFR371 Code of Federal Regulations states clearly that anyone who is soliciting Motor Carriers and is involved within the movement of freight load who is receiving compensation must have a Property Brokers License. For this reason, if you plan on learning how to dispatch trucks from home, you are also going to need to be part of a freight broker firm so you fall under compliance with the FMCSA regulations.


Being a truck dispatcher also means you will want to solicit motor carriers for hire, who would be interested in your skills and services as a truck dispatcher. You will also be charging the carrier for your trucking dispatch services and this means you would be receiving compensation for the movement of freight and also part of the arrangement of freight with a motor carrier. These services are considered non-broker services but the FMCSA strictly states that all non-broker services are to be provided by a broker.

You must obtain and understand the right knowledge when it comes to learning how to dispatch trucks from home and this knowledge is derived from the FMCSA regulations.


Here is more information obtained from the FMCSA CFR 371 about working with a motor carrier as a 3rd party individual. As you can see on 371.2 definitions that non-brokerage services which is what a truck dispatcher would be performing, is to be done by brokers. for this reason, when you start off learning how to dispatch trucks, you want to also start with a freight brokerage company and become a freight broker agent. This will allow you to perform non-brokerage services and create your dispatcher business to start legally under the FMCSA guidelines.


§ 371.2 Definitions.

(a) Broker means a person who, for compensation, arranges, or offers to arrange, the transportation of property by an authorized motor carrier. Motor carriers, or persons who are employees or bona fide agents of carriers, are not brokers within the meaning of this section when they arrange or offer to arrange the transportation of shipments that they are authorized to transport and which they have accepted and legally bound themselves to transport.

(b) Bona fide agents are persons who are part of the normal organization of a motor carrier and perform duties under the carrier's directions pursuant to a preexisting agreement that provides for a continuing relationship, precluding the exercise of discretion on the part of the agent in allocating traffic between the carrier and others.

(c) Brokerage or brokerage service is the arranging of transportation or the physical movement of a motor vehicle or of property. It can be performed on behalf of a motor carrier, consignor, or consignee.

(d) Non-brokerage service is all other services performed by a broker on behalf of a motor carrier, consignor, or consignee.


§ 371.3 Records to be kept by brokers.

(a) A broker shall keep a record of each transaction. For purposes of this section, brokers may keep master lists of consignors and the address and registration number of the carrier, rather than repeating this information for each transaction. The record shall show:

(1) The name and address of the consignor;

(2) The name, address, and registration number of the originating motor carrier;

(3) The bill of lading or freight bill number;

(4) The amount of compensation received by the broker for the brokerage service performed and the name of the payer;

(5) A description of any non-brokerage service performed in connection with each shipment or other activity, the amount of compensation received for the service, and the name of the payer; and

(6) The amount of any freight charges collected by the broker and the date of payment to the carrier.

(b) Brokers shall keep the records required by this section for a period of three years.

(c) Each party to a brokered transaction has the right to review the record of the transaction required to be kept by these rules.


§ 371.7 Misrepresentation.

(a) A broker shall not perform or offer to perform any brokerage service (including advertising), in any name other than that in which its registration is issued.

(b) A broker shall not, directly or indirectly, represent its operations to be that of a carrier. Any advertising shall show the broker status of the operation.


§ 371.9 Rebating and compensation.

(a) A broker shall not charge or receive compensation from a motor carrier for brokerage service where:

(1) The broker owns or has a material beneficial interest in the shipment or

(2) The broker is able to exercise control over the shipment because the broker owns the shipper, the shipper owns the broker, or there is common ownership of the two.

(b) A broker shall not give or offer to give anything of value to any shipper, consignor or consignee (or their officers or employees) except inexpensive advertising items given for promotional purposes.


§ 371.10 Duties and obligations of brokers.

Where the broker acts on behalf of a person bound by law or the FMCSA regulation as to the transmittal of bills or payments, the broker must also abide by the law or regulations which apply to that person.


§ 371.13 Accounting

Each broker who engages in any other business shall maintain accounts so that the revenues and expenses relating to the brokerage portion of its business are segregated from its other activities. Expenses that are common shall be allocated on an equitable basis; however, the broker must be prepared to explain the basis for the allocation.1. Get the necessary training: this business is best suited for someone who already has experience in dispatch trucking. If you do not have experience in this field, then you will need to get training.


Step 3. Be Available to know how to dispatch trucks 6 Hours A Day

Many people who are wanting to know how you dispatch trucks sometimes often do not learn that the truck dispatcher business is a full-time job. Most people often think about the "getting their feet wet" attitude and think that possibly they can work part-time and still learn how to dispatch trucks. Unfortunately, this is not possible and I will explain why.


Motor carriers are on the road driving 11 hours a day and can work up to 14 hours daily. For this reason, your availability is mandatory for any arising issues they might face while on the road and having been dispatched by you. A truck dispatcher needs to be on standby and available at any moment. There are times that you might receive a call at 11:00 at night because your motor carrier is at the shipper's dock and for some reason the pickup number of the load is wrong and they can not get loaded. Learning how you dispatch trucks is not just about regulations or freight availability, it is also about you being able to set up a work ethic that is conducive for your motor carrier. Every truck dispatcher knows that in most cases the loads you dispatch out can run smoothly, or in some cases can have major delays due to many factors. Some of these dispatch delays can be from:


  • Wrong Load information

  • Truck Mechanical Failure

  • Delay On Getting Loaded

  • Delay On Being Unloaded

  • Weather Conditions

  • Traffic Conditions

  • Late Delivery


For these reasons when you learn how to dispatch trucks, you're also learning how to adapt to the lifestyle that allows you to be able to be available at any time. This is just part of the trucking dispatch business and you must decide if this is something you can commit to. In most cases, a true truck dispat