Track 01 · Beginner
Truck dispatcher training for beginners.
Learn how a U.S. freight desk really runs: who does what, how loads are found and booked, and how to keep a truck moving and paid. Starts from zero.
Who this course is for
Complete beginners, career changers and anyone who wants to work as a dispatcher for U.S. carriers, from inside the U.S. or remotely. You need working English. You don't need trucking experience.
What you'll be able to do
- Explain the roles of shipper, broker, carrier and dispatcher, and where the legal line sits
- Match equipment to freight and check weight and dimension limits
- Plan a load around the driver's hours-of-service clock
- Search a load board, call a broker and negotiate a counter-offer
- Read and check a rate confirmation before the carrier signs it
- Handle the paperwork trail from BOL to invoice, and the day-to-day problems in between
Curriculum
Module 1: The freight world and where the dispatcher sits
- What a dispatcher actually does (and what they don't)
- Dispatcher vs broker vs carrier vs shipper
- The legal line: acting for the carrier, and when it becomes brokering
- How dispatchers are paid: percentage vs flat fee, plainly explained
Module 2: Equipment and freight types
- Dry van, reefer, flatbed, step deck, power only, LTL and partials
- What each equipment type changes about booking and rates
- Reading capacity: weight, dimensions, axle limits
Module 3: Compliance foundations (FMCSA)
- Hours of service and how the clock shapes every load plan
- The 11-hour, 14-hour and 60/70-hour limits in plain terms
- ELDs, detention, deadhead and lumper fees
- Carrier insurance and safety basics, and what to verify
Module 4: Load boards: the dispatcher's desk
- How the major load boards work (DAT, Truckstop, 123Loadboard)
- Searching by equipment, origin, destination and miles
- Reading market rates and broker credit and days-to-pay
- Posting trucks; where direct broker portals fit
Module 5: Booking a load, start to finish
- Calling the broker: what to ask and how to sound professional
- Negotiating the rate: market rate vs offer, making the counter
- The broker setup packet and carrier packet
- Rate confirmation: reading it, checking it, signing it
Module 6: The paperwork trail
- Bill of lading (BOL) and proof of delivery (POD)
- Accessorials: detention, TONU, layover, lumper
- Invoicing, getting paid and an introduction to factoring
- Staying organized: records, folders, follow-up
Module 7: Managing the move
- Check calls and tracking through the day
- Handling problems: breakdowns, delays, reschedules
- Building a repeatable daily routine
Capstone: Book a load end to end on the practice board
- A guided, practical exercise that proves the skill. Finish it to earn the operator's seal.
How it's taught
Every lesson follows the order a real desk runs in. Documents are taught by watching them filled in, step by step. Load-board practice happens on our own practice board with realistic loads, so you can make mistakes without costing a carrier money. Rules are taught from the regulation itself, with the source linked.
Basic Dispatch course FAQ
How long does the Basic Dispatch course take?
It is self-paced. Most students can work through the seven modules and the capstone in a few weeks of evenings. The founding cohort covers it live over four weeks.
Do I need a load board subscription to take this course?
No. You practise on our own practice load board. When you start working, the carrier you dispatch for usually pays for the load board account.
Is this enough to start working as a dispatcher?
It covers the full core of the job: finding, booking, managing and getting paid for a load. Most students then add real hours under supervision or take the Advanced track and mentorship. We don't promise jobs or income.