Onboarding
How flatbed dispatch works, from application to your first load
Here is how flatbed dispatch works on our desk: you tell us your setup and your limits, we handle the paperwork and broker setup, and you approve every load before it is booked. Six steps get you to the first rate con, and most of them are on us.
Below: the steps, the documents to gather, how we talk day to day and how to leave if it is not working.
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Six stops
Application to first booked load
Step 1: Apply
Quick apply in the header or the three-step form. It takes about a minute.
Step 2: The call
A dispatcher calls you. We talk about your truck, your gear, where you like to run, when you need to be home and the lowest rate per mile you will move for.
Step 3: Agreement
You sign a month-to-month dispatch agreement. 6% of gross for one truck, 5% for 2+, 30 days notice to cancel.
Step 4: Documents
You send MC/DOT, W-9 and your certificate of insurance, plus the notice of assignment if you factor.
Step 5: Broker setup
We fill out carrier packets with brokers that move open-deck freight on your lanes, so a good load is not lost to paperwork.
Step 6: First load
We negotiate, send you the full numbers and wait for your yes. Then the rate con, the pickup details and the check calls are on us.
Your preferences
Lanes, home time and your minimum rate
Three answers shape every load we bring you. We write them down on the first call and you can change them any day.
- Lanes
- Where you like to run, where you will not go, and states you avoid in winter. Flatbed freight is regional, so lanes matter more than for a van.
- Home time
- Every weekend, every other weekend, or out three weeks. We plan the last load of the run to land you near home.
- Minimum rate
- The lowest all-in rate per mile you will accept, figured from your own costs. We do not bring you loads under it unless you ask us to, for example to get out of a dead area.
Not sure where your minimum should sit? Run a load through the flatbed rate and profit calculator with your fuel and truck costs.
Day to day
How you approve loads and how we talk
Every offer comes to you with the same facts: shipper and receiver cities, pickup window, weight and dimensions, tarps and securement needed, loaded and empty miles, the rate, and the accessorial terms. You answer yes or no. A yes gets booked; a no costs you nothing.
Calls and texts go both ways, all day. While you drive we handle the broker check calls and delivery updates, and if a shipper holds you past free time, we start the detention claim.
Each week you get a report like the EXAMPLE here: loads, loaded and empty miles, gross, our fee and rate per mile. If you are new to open deck, our guide on what flatbed trucking involves and the load securement rules are good reading before your first week.
EXAMPLE weekly report: truck 1
| Day | Load | Mi | DH | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Lumber, tarped | 330 | 40 | $1,350 |
| Tue | Steel beams, tarped | 445 | 25 | $1,825 |
| Thu | Roofing materials | 120 | 15 | $725 |
| Fri | Pipe, home direction | 380 | 60 | $1,300 |
- Gross
- $5,200
- Dispatch fee (6%)
- $312
- Loaded / empty mi
- 1275 / 140
- All-in rate per mile
- $3.67
Leaving
How to cancel
Send us 30 days notice in writing. We finish the loads already booked and send a final weekly report. No contract to buy out. The full fee terms are on the pricing page, and if you are still setting up your company, start with how to start a flatbed trucking business.
Ready for step one?
Pick what you pull. Three short steps, about a minute.
6% of gross for one truck, 5% for 2+ trucks. No haul, no pay.
Onboarding FAQ
Before you apply
How soon can I get my first load?
As soon as your agreement is signed and the first broker packets clear. The biggest thing that speeds it up is sending a complete set of documents on day one: MC and DOT numbers, W-9, certificate of insurance and, if you factor, your notice of assignment.
Do I need a load board subscription or a special app?
No. We search the boards and work our broker contacts on our side. You get load offers by phone or text with the details in writing, and you answer yes or no.
Can I turn down a load you found?
Always. You approve every load before it is booked. If a load does not fit your gear, your hours or your home time, say no and we keep looking.
What if I want a week off?
Tell us the dates and we plan your last load to get you home. There is no fee on weeks you do not haul.
How do I cancel?
Give us 30 days notice in writing. The agreement is month-to-month, so there is nothing to buy out.
Step one takes about a minute
Apply now and a dispatcher calls you to set up lanes, home time and your minimum. Questions first? Our flatbed dispatch service page covers the basics.