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Fresh MC welcome

Dispatch services for new trucking companies, planned for the first 180 days

Your MC is active and half the brokers say "come back in six months." We know which ones won't, send clean carrier packets, and build your history load by load. You still approve every load, and the rate con still comes to you.
7% of gross while your MC is under 6 months, then the standard rate for your equipment, automatically.
Start with my new MC
Day 1Month 6

  1. Authority active

    AROUND DAY 0

    MC active, insurance filed, BOC-3 and UCR done. Your first call with the desk.

  2. Carrier packets out

    AROUND DAY 3

    Packets go to brokers that onboard new authorities. Many want proof of insurance from your agent first.

  3. First loads

    AROUND DAY 10

    Often shorter runs with brokers who take new MCs. Every one still comes to you for a yes.

  4. History building

    AROUND DAY 60

    Clean deliveries, on-time appointments and paperwork that matches. This is what brokers check.

  5. More brokers open up

    AROUND DAY 120

    Some brokers want 3 to 6 months of authority before they set you up. We start those packets as you reach their bar.

  6. Rate drops to 5%

    AROUND DAY 182

    Automatic from the next load. No paperwork from you.

Timeline is a plan, not a promise. Broker requirements vary, and approval speed depends on your paperwork and history.

What new MCs face

Why your first months feel harder than they should

Nothing is wrong with your truck or your driving. New authorities hit the same four walls, and knowing them in advance saves weeks of frustration. Use the planner above to see where you are on the road to month 6.

  • Authority age filters

    Many brokers won't set up a carrier until the authority is a few months old, and some want a year. Load boards let you filter by it too, so a fresh MC simply sees fewer loads it can actually book.

  • Setup paperwork

    Every new broker wants a carrier packet: W-9, insurance certificate, authority letter, sometimes a phone verification. One missing page can stall a good load for a day.

  • Insurance scrutiny

    Brokers check your certificate and often want higher limits than the federal minimum. A wrong name on the certificate or a missing additional insured is one of the most common setup delays.

  • Rate pressure

    Brokers know a new carrier needs loads. Some offer less because they can. Having someone counter on every load, and walk away from bad ones, matters most in month one.

None of these walls is permanent. Each clean delivery, on-time appointment and matching set of paperwork makes the next broker easier. The first 6 months are about stacking that history without burning cash on cheap freight.

It also helps to know what brokers look at when they decide. Most check that your authority is active, your insurance is on file with FMCSA and on the certificate, your safety record has no red flags, and the paperwork in your packet matches. A dispatcher can't change your record, but we can make sure nothing in your packet gives a broker a reason to say no.

Your setup checklist

What we need from you before the first load

Tap through the checklist. Most of it you already have from getting your authority. The items brokers ask about most are insurance and the testing program, so start those early.

New MC setup

1/7 CHECKED

  1. Your authority must show active on FMCSA before brokers can book you. If it's pending, we can prepare packets so you're ready the day it activates.

More detail: DOT drug testing consortiums explained and Clearinghouse registration.

Source: FMCSA, 49 CFR 387.9, October 2026

New MC dispatch

How we get a new MC its first loads

There is no trick, just order. These are the steps we follow with every new authority, and the reason the first month looks different from month five.

  • Start with brokers that onboard new carriers

    We keep track of which brokers are open to new authorities and which want months of history. Packets go to the first group right away so you aren't waiting on the second.

  • Shorter runs early, chosen on purpose

    A few shorter, cleaner loads build delivery history faster than one long load. We still hold your floor rate. Short doesn't mean cheap.

  • Paperwork that matches, every time

    Rate con, bill of lading and invoice that agree with each other. Clean paperwork is how brokers decide you're easy to work with.

  • Widen the list as you qualify

    As your authority ages, we open packets with brokers who wanted more history, which usually means more lanes and better freight.

  • Lanes that bring you home

    Early on it's tempting to chase any load anywhere. We still plan around your home base so a good first week doesn't strand you two states away with nothing back.

  • Every load is still your call

    New doesn't mean desperate. You see the details first, say yes or no, and the broker emails the rate con to you.

Your first rate con

Your first rate con, line by line

The rate confirmation is the contract for one load, and it lands in your inbox, not ours. New carriers sign them in a hurry at a truck stop. Read these lines every time, and don't sign if one doesn't match what we told you.

RATE CONFIRMATION

Broker load confirmation

EXAMPLE
1
Broker and MC
Example Logistics, MC 000000
2
Pickup / delivery
Tue 07:00-09:00 / Wed 14:00 appt
3
Rate
$1,850 all-in
4
Detention
$50/hr after 2 hrs
5
Lumper
Reimbursed with receipt
6
TONU
$150
7
Payment terms
Net 30, quick pay 2%
8
Fines and charges
Late fee $250

Carrier signature: ____________

  1. 1

    Broker and MC. Check the broker's name and MC match the company we set you up with. If they don't, stop and call the desk.

  2. 2

    Pickup / delivery. Times, windows and whether delivery is an appointment or first-come. A missed appointment can cost you the load or a fine.

  3. 3

    Rate. The number our fee is based on. All-in means fuel is included; a separate fuel line means it isn't.

  4. 4

    Detention. If this line is missing, waiting time is usually unpaid. We ask for it before you accept.

  5. 5

    Lumper. Who pays the unloading fee and how you get it back. Keep every receipt.

  6. 6

    TONU. Truck ordered, not used: what you get if the load cancels after you've rolled to the shipper.

  7. 7

    Payment terms. When the broker pays, and the cost of paying faster. Compare it with factoring if cash is tight.

  8. 8

    Fines and charges. Small print some brokers add. We flag unusual charges before you say yes.

Avoid these

Five mistakes that slow a new MC down

  • The wrong name on the insurance certificate

    If your company name or MC on the certificate doesn't match FMCSA exactly, brokers reject the packet. Check it with your agent before the first setup.

  • Hauling cheap freight to build history

    History comes from clean deliveries, not low rates. A month of loads under your costs can sink a new company before month six.

  • Signing rate cons without reading them

    Missing detention terms, short payment windows or surprise fines are all on the page. Two minutes of reading saves real money.

  • Losing paperwork

    Unsigned bills of lading and lost lumper receipts delay payment and kill claims. Snap a photo at every stop.

  • Letting anyone book loads for you

    Any dispatcher who accepts loads without your yes is using your authority on their terms. With us, every load waits for your answer.

EXAMPLE

What a solid first month can look like

This is an illustration, not a forecast. Every new authority is different, but a good first month usually has the same shape.

  1. Week 1

    Packets out to brokers that onboard new carriers. Insurance certificates sent. First load offer once a broker approves you.

  2. Week 2

    Two or three clean loads, all on time, paperwork matching. First detention claim filed if a dock runs long.

  3. Week 3

    More approvals come back. Loads start to line up so the reload is planned before you deliver.

  4. Week 4

    A repeat load from a broker who liked the first run. Your weekly report shows what each lane paid.

Price

7% now, 5% at month 6

New authorities pay 7% of gross on loads hauled while the MC is under 6 months old. That covers the extra broker setups and calls a new carrier needs. From the next load after month 6, semi equipment moves to 5% automatically. 26 ft box trucks and hotshots stay at 7%, because that rate comes from the equipment. Run two or more trucks and every truck pays 4%.

7%

Under 6 months

5%

After 6 months, semi

4%

2+ trucks

No setup fee, no minimum and no contract. A slow week while you wait on broker approvals costs you nothing from us.

EXAMPLE: a dry van grossing $5,000 in a week during month two pays $350 at 7%. The same week in month seven pays $250 at 5%. You never have to ask for the change. It shows up on the first weekly report after the switch.

Cash flow

Factoring as a new carrier

Brokers commonly pay 30 days or more after delivery, while fuel, insurance and the truck payment come due now. That gap is why many new carriers factor: a factoring company pays you soon after delivery and collects from the broker, for a fee. It is optional. If you want a quote, we refer carriers to RTS Financial, and we may be paid for that referral.

Before you sign anything, compare factoring with the broker's own quick pay. Quick pay is often a percentage taken from one load when you need it; factoring usually covers all your invoices under one agreement with its own fees, reserve and term. Read the length of the contract and the termination notice closely. Short and simple is better for a new company.

Get my factoring quote Factoring for new authorities

Best dispatcher for new authority? Straight answers

Q01Can a dispatcher get loads for a brand new MC?
Yes, but not from every broker on day one. Many brokers set a minimum authority age before they'll onboard a carrier. We focus your first weeks on brokers and freight that take new authorities, get your paperwork clean, and widen the list as your history builds. Every load still comes to you to approve first.
Q02Do brokers work with new authorities?
Some do right away, others won't until your authority is a few months old, and some want a year. Requirements are set broker by broker and change over time. A dispatcher's job is knowing which ones are open to you now and sending clean carrier packets so you don't get stuck in setup.
Q03When does the 7% rate change?
New authorities pay 7% until the MC is 6 months old. From the next load after that, semi equipment moves to the standard 5% automatically, with nothing for you to request. 26 ft box trucks and hotshots stay at 7%, because that rate is set by the equipment, not the authority age.
Q04What insurance do brokers ask a new carrier for?
At minimum, auto liability that meets federal filing requirements and cargo coverage, shown on a certificate from your agent. Many brokers ask for higher limits than the federal minimum, and some equipment adds asks, like reefer breakdown coverage or trailer interchange for power only. Confirm limits with your agent before you sign up.
Q05What is the first load like for a new authority?
Often shorter, simpler and with a broker who onboards new carriers regularly. Expect more paperwork than usual: a carrier packet, insurance verification and sometimes a phone check. We walk you through the rate con, the appointment and the paperwork after delivery so the first load becomes clean history.
Q06Do I need factoring as a new carrier?
You don't need it, but many new carriers use it because brokers often pay 30 days or more after delivery while fuel and insurance come due now. A factor pays you sooner for a fee. If you want a quote, we can refer you to RTS Financial. Dispatch works the same either way.
Q07How much is dispatch for a new trucking company?
7% of gross load revenue while your MC is under 6 months old, with no setup fee, no minimum and no contract. Once you run two or more trucks, every truck drops to the 4% fleet rate regardless of authority age. You only pay on loads you actually haul.

Keep reading: dispatch fees, how a load reaches you, and insurance for reefer carriers.

Fresh MC? Let's get your first load on the books.

Apply in about 2 minutes. We'll plan your first 180 days on the call.

Load offer · 53 ft dry van

Joliet, IL Columbus, OH

EXAMPLE
RATE
$1,050
MILES
352+18
ALL-IN RPM
$2.84
  • Freight: Paper goods, 38,500 lb
  • Pickup: Tue 07:00-09:00 · Deliver: Tue 17:00 appt
  • Detention $50/hr after 2 hrs
  • Lumper reimbursed with receipt
Decline: no penalty Accept: start with my MC