Dispatch services for new trucking companies, built for the first 180 days
A new MC hears no a lot. Brokers want history, insurance limits, safety records and packets that are complete the first time. Our dispatch services for new trucking companies focus on the brokers that do set up new authorities, get your paperwork through vetting, and book clean first loads that build the record you need.
7% of gross until month 6, then the standard rate for your equipment automatically. No contract, and every load is your call.
What do you run?
Your startup drawing set: six sheets brokers check
Tick each sheet you have ready. These are the things brokers and shippers check before they load a new carrier. Every open sheet is a question you'll be asked on a setup call, so it's worth closing them before your first one.
Title block / startup set
0/6
sheets ready
Open sheets are what brokers will ask about first. Close them before your first setup call.
Source:49 CFR 385.308, new entrant safety audit · checked 2026-10(FMCSA schedules new entrants for a safety audit as soon as practicable)
Why brokers turn down new MCs, and what works instead
Understanding the no is how you get to yes faster.
Brokers carry the risk when a carrier fails: a load stolen through a fake carrier, a claim with no insurance behind it, a truck that never shows. A new MC has no record to judge, so many brokers set a minimum authority age, or ask for more documentation from new carriers. Some won't budge at all.
What works: going to the brokers that do take new authorities, with complete packets and an insurance agent who answers fast; booking first loads that are simple to run well; and building a clean record of on-time pickups and deliveries. Each clean load makes the next broker more likely to say yes.
- Incomplete packets
- Missing documents stall setups for days. We check every packet before it goes out.
- Slow certificates
- Brokers won't load you until your insurance certificate arrives. A fast agent is worth a lot in month one.
- Identity checks
- Many brokers verify new carriers directly to prevent fraud. Answer those calls and emails quickly.
- Authority age rules
- Some brokers have them. We don't waste your time on those until you qualify.
You still approve every load, even the first one
New carriers often feel they have to take whatever a broker offers. You don't. Every load reaches you as an offer with the lane, miles, rate and extras. You say yes or no. If you book it, the broker sends the rate confirmation straight to you, so you learn what loads really pay from day one.
Load offer / First load
Columbus, OH to Indianapolis, IN
- Miles
- 175
- Rate
- $600
- Per mile
- $3.43
On the rate con: broker sets up new MCs, drop-and-hook
Pickup: Tue 09:00
Nothing is booked until you say so. You see the lane, the miles, the rate and every extra before anyone commits your truck.
The first 180 days, month by month
No two new authorities run the same way, but most follow this arc. We plan with you against it.
- Month 1Packets out to brokers that take new MCs. First loads chosen for being simple to run well, not for the highest rate.
- Months 2-3More brokers approve you as your record builds. Lanes start to settle around home and the freight you like.
- Months 4-5Some brokers with authority-age rules start to open up. Rates improve as you can be choosier.
- Month 6Your fee drops from 7% to the standard rate for your equipment, automatically.
This is a typical shape, not a promise. Your equipment, lanes, insurance and how your first loads go all change the timing. We'll give you our honest read on the first call.
Money in month one
A new authority usually runs short on cash before it runs short on loads. Plan for it.
Startup costs land before the first load pays: insurance down payments, plates, permits, the authority itself, and fuel for the first trips. Then brokers often pay on terms of 30 days or more, which means the first weeks of loads pay out weeks later. Run your numbers with the trucking startup cost calculator before you commit.
Factoring is one way to close the gap: a factoring company pays your invoices in days and collects from the broker later. Factors look mostly at your brokers' credit, which helps a new MC. Read about factoring for new authorities before you sign anything.
Compliance comes first, though. If you run with a CDL, get your testing program and Clearinghouse registration done before the first load. Our page on the DOT drug testing consortium explains the options.
Protect a new MC from fraud
New authorities are a favorite target for fraud. Scammers impersonate carriers to steal loads, and they impersonate brokers to get a carrier to haul freight that never gets paid for. A new MC with no history is easier to impersonate and easier to fool.
A few habits protect you. Keep your FMCSA and email logins private and secured. Answer broker verification calls, because they protect you too. Be suspicious of a broker you can't find a phone number for, or one who wants you to pick up a load and deliver it somewhere other than the rate con says. We check brokers before we offer their loads, and if something looks off on a load you've accepted, call us before you move.
7% to month 6, then it drops
New authorities pay 7% of gross on loads hauled until the MC is 6 months old. The first months take more desk work: fewer brokers, more setup calls, more documents. At month 6, one semi truck moves to 5% and fleets of 2 or more semi trucks to 4%. 26 ft box trucks and hotshots stay at 7%.
No setup fee, no minimums, month-to-month with 30 days notice. The full breakdown is on the dispatch pricing page.
- Months 0-6
- 7%
- Month 6+, 1 semi
- 5%
- Month 6+, 2+ semis
- 4%
- Box truck / hotshot
- 7%
New authority dispatch questions
Note 01Can a new MC get loads?
Yes. Some brokers won't load an authority under a certain age, but many will, especially for the right equipment and lanes. The first weeks focus on those brokers: getting your carrier packets approved, booking clean first loads, and building the history that opens the rest of the market over time.
Note 02How long do brokers make new authorities wait?
It depends on the broker. Some set up a brand new MC, some want a few months of history, and some want more. There's no single rule. We keep track of which brokers in your freight take new authorities, so your first offers come from people who will actually load you.
Note 03What does dispatch cost for a new MC?
7% of the load's gross until your MC is 6 months old, charged only on loads you haul. No setup fee, no minimums, month-to-month with 30 days notice. At month 6 the rate drops to the standard rate for your equipment on its own.
Note 04When do I move to the standard rate?
Automatically when your MC turns 6 months old. One semi truck moves to 5%, fleets of 2 or more semi trucks to 4%. 26 ft box trucks and hotshots stay at 7% at any age. You don't need to call or sign anything; the next weekly report shows the new rate.
Note 05Do I approve every load?
Every one, from the first load on. New carriers sometimes feel they have to take whatever comes. You don't. We send each load as an offer, you say yes or no, and the rate confirmation comes from the broker straight to you. A clean first load matters more than a fast one.
Note 06Do I need a drug testing consortium?
If you or your drivers need a CDL, yes: you need a DOT drug and alcohol testing program, and an owner-operator with their own authority must be in a random testing pool, which is what a consortium provides. Non-CDL 26 ft box trucks and non-CDL hotshots aren't under these rules.
Note 07What's the best dispatcher for a new authority?
One that tells you which brokers will actually load a new MC, lets you turn down any load, sends the rate con to you, charges a clear percentage with no long contract, and helps you build a clean record instead of chasing the highest rate. Ask any dispatcher about each of those before you sign.