1.1
Who is actually involved in one load?
Tap each role. Learn the job in one sentence before you learn the vocabulary.
Start with the shipper. Tap the roles from left to right.
FREE · SELF-PACED · NO LOGIN
Truck dispatching starts here.
Learn online with one truck and one simulated load — from finding freight to delivery and paperwork. Start with the visual introduction, then make the dispatch decisions yourself.
Your previous lesson marks are retained as reviewed. Exercise completion is tracked separately; no old progress has been erased.
HOW IT WORKS
Read less. Decide more.
Every lesson has one job: show you a real dispatch situation, explain only what you need, then make you choose what happens next.
01
The situation
A truck, load, broker call, document or problem — something a dispatcher actually sees.
02
What matters
Short explanation. No textbook chapter. Only the information needed for this decision.
03
Your turn
Choose, calculate, spot a red flag, read a document or answer the broker.
04
Why
Immediate feedback explains the real-world consequence, not just “right” or “wrong.”
COURSE MAP
One truck. One complete cycle.
The course follows the order a dispatcher actually works in — from knowing the truck to closing the delivered load.
1
How U.S. Trucking Works
Who moves the freight, who pays whom, and where the dispatcher fits.
~15 min
2
Know the Truck
Availability, equipment, capacity, driver restrictions.
~20 min
3
HOS, Time & Route
Can the driver legally and realistically run this load?
~30 min
4
Think in a Week
Deadhead, all-mile RPM, positioning and weekly planning.
~25 min
5
Load Boards
Search smarter, compare loads and choose who to call first.
~35 min
6
Broker: Check · Call · Negotiate
Verification, call flow, questions and real negotiation decisions.
~45 min
7
Book & Read the Rate Confirmation
Carrier setup, RC terms and what to catch before signing.
~35 min
8
Dispatch & Run the Load
Pickup, tracking, ETA, driver communication and delivery.
~35 min
9
When Things Go Wrong
TONU, detention, layover, breakdown, OS&D and more.
~45 min
10
Close the Load
POD, accessorials, invoice, factoring and file closeout.
~20 min
★
Final Simulation: Dispatch Alex Yourself
Choose loads, call, negotiate, read the RC, solve a problem and close the load.
~45 min
◎
No login required. Progress can be saved in the browser on this device. The full version can keep the course free without collecting an email.
Made by Nadia Chicago
15 years in U.S. trucking
Practical dispatcher training built around the way the work actually happens.
START / MODULE 1
How U.S. trucking actually works
Before you search for a load, learn who is involved, what moves between them, and where your job begins and ends.
ALEX
MEET YOUR DRIVER
You will dispatch this truck through the course.
TruckVolvo + 53' Dry Van
LocationJoliet, IL
AvailableMonday 7:15 AM
Home requestChicago Friday
THE RULE
We will not teach you random facts. We will give you a truck and make you work.
Alex is not a real person and this is not a real shipment. The course uses a fictional carrier, fictional brokers and recreated documents so you can practice without exposing anyone's private information.
Your goal by the end: move Alex from empty → booked → picked up → delivered → paid, while catching the problems before they become expensive.
✓ Completed
1.2
Where does the dispatcher fit?
A company dispatcher and an independent dispatch service may do similar daily work, but the relationship to the carrier is not the same.
Works inside the carrier's operation.
The dispatcher coordinates the carrier's own trucks and drivers: availability, load planning, broker communication, appointments, updates and paperwork.
!
Important boundary: A dispatcher is not automatically a freight broker. In later lessons, business-model and authority issues will be separated from the daily dispatch workflow instead of mixed together.
1.3
Three things move through every load
Freight, money and documents do not travel in the same direction. Tap each flow.
Shipper
→
Carrier / Driver
→
Receiver
→
POD
The physical freight moves from the shipper, on the carrier's truck, to the receiver. The POD proves the delivery happened.
1.4
MC, DOT and authority — only what you need right now
A dispatcher does not need to become a compliance manager on day one. But you must know which carrier you are representing and whether its operating status makes sense for the load.
MOCK CARRIER PROFILE
Prairie Line Transport LLC
USDOT3984217
MC1498821
OperationFor-Hire Carrier
Equipment53' Dry Van
TAP THE THREE FACTS A DISPATCHER SHOULD CONFIRM
1.5
Broker or dispatcher? Don't mix the jobs.
Choose the role that best matches each simple scenario. This is a concept check, not legal advice.
You work for one carrier. Its truck is empty in Joliet. You search loads for that carrier, call brokers and coordinate the driver's week.
This describes ordinary dispatch work for the carrier's truck.
A customer gives you freight to arrange, and you select an unrelated motor carrier to transport it under your own brokerage arrangement.
This is brokerage-type activity, not ordinary dispatching for one carrier's truck.
Your carrier already accepted a load. You send the pickup details to the driver, track ETA and update the broker.
This is core dispatch coordination.
MODULE 2
Know the truck before you search
A load can pay well and still be wrong for the truck, trailer or driver. Before you open a load board, build a clean availability picture.
2.1
Build the availability card
A dispatcher should be able to answer the basic truck questions before calling on a single load.
TRUCK AVAILABILITY
Alex · Unit 214
Current locationJoliet, IL
Empty timeMon · 7:15 AM CT
Equipment53' Dry Van
Trailer statusEmpty · ready
Home requestChicago area Friday
Special limitsNo hazmat · No TWIC
TAP WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE SEARCHING
Rule of thumb: Don't make the load board tell you what truck you have. Know the truck first, then build the search around it.
2.2
Trailer type changes the freight you can take
Learn the four common categories at recognition level. This course will train most examples on 53' dry van, with reefer notes where the workflow changes.
Reference photos: Wikimedia Commons — Eric Polk (Dry Van, CC BY-SA 4.0), Penske Truck Leasing (Reefer, CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikideas1 (Flatbed, CC0), Greg Gjerdingen (tractor, CC BY 2.0).
2.3
Weight: payload is not one magic number
A common five-axle tractor-semitrailer may be limited to 80,000 lb gross on the Interstate, but axle limits, bridge formula, state rules and the truck's actual empty weight still matter.
FEDERAL INTERSTATE BASICS
Gross is only the first check
20,000 lb single axle34,000 lb tandem80,000 lb gross
A legal gross weight can still be overweight on an axle. State/route rules and permits can also change the answer.
QUICK PAYLOAD CHECK
45,400 lb
Theoretical weight remaining before 80,000 lb gross — not an automatic guarantee that every load at this weight is legal.
Good to know → Why dispatchers still ask about weight
Weight affects whether the truck can legally scale the load, fuel planning, routing and sometimes whether a particular trailer/tractor combination can take the freight at all. If the answer is close, verify before booking instead of guessing.
Source: FHWA Commercial Vehicle Size and Weight Program — federal Interstate maximums for single axle, tandem axle and gross vehicle weight.
2.4
The driver is part of the load fit
A truck may physically fit the freight while the driver cannot or should not take that load. Keep real restrictions visible.
AlexTraining driver · Unit 214
CDL / ExperienceCDL-A · 5 yrs
HazmatNo endorsement
TWICNot available
Home requestChicago Friday
Equipment53' Dry Van
HOSCheck before every plan
Dispatcher habit: Don't keep important restrictions only in your head. Put them where you see them before every search and booking.
Before accepting a load, whose constraints matter?
2.5
Can Alex take this load?
Use only what you know right now. HOS and schedule come in the next module.
Joliet, IL → Columbus, OH
At this stage, nothing in the equipment/driver profile rules it out. You still must check HOS, schedule, broker and rate before booking.
Chicago, IL → Memphis, TN
Reject. Alex has a dry van, not a temperature-controlled reefer.
Gary, IN → Harrisburg, PA
Do not book from this information. With the training truck's 34,600 lb tare, 47,800 lb would put gross weight above 80,000 lb before axle distribution is even considered.
Chicago Port → Detroit, MI
Reject for Alex as currently profiled: the posting requires TWIC and Alex does not have it.
MODULE 3
HOS, time and route: can the load actually work?
A rate means nothing if the driver cannot legally or realistically make the pickup and delivery. Here you learn to read the clock before you read the money.
3.1
Read the driver's basic HOS clock
For a standard property-carrying driver, start with four numbers. Exceptions exist, but the dispatcher must understand the normal rule before learning exceptions.
One day. Two different jobs.
ELD / logbook
Records the driver’s duty statuses.
HOS
Sets the limits on when the driver may drive.
Choose a status to see what it means. This explanation does not change the log below.
ELD / logbook
HOS
Try it with Alex
Build the driver’s day
Current duty status
Driving left
11:00Driving window
14:00Driving until a break
08:00Cycle remaining
70:00 / 8The smallest of the four limits.
08:0024-hour duty log
A horizontal line records time in one status. A vertical line marks a status change. Blank time has not happened yet.
OFFOff DutySBSleeper BerthDDrivingONOn Duty Not Driving
Your action history
Cycle and recap: where do hours come back?
Recap releases an older day’s on-duty hours at the carrier’s day boundary. It does not reset the daily clocks. This exercise uses fixed 24-hour days starting at 00:00 at the home terminal; it does not model time-zone or daylight-saving changes.
30 minutes without Driving
OFF, SB, ON or a consecutive combination qualifies. The 8-hour break counter resets; the 14-hour window keeps running.
10 consecutive hours of rest
OFF and/or SB renew the daily driving allowance. The new 14-hour window starts with the next ON or D. Cycle history remains.
34 consecutive hours of rest
A qualifying OFF/SB restart renews the cycle. This is different from a 10-hour rest or recap.
A driving limit is not a work ban
The exercise blocks additional Driving at a limit. ON work can continue and still consumes cycle hours. This is not an enforcement Out of Service order.
Scope, exceptions and warning colors
Standard federal interstate property-carrying rules only. The carrier determines the applicable 60/7 or 70/8 cycle. The 70/8 option is available when the carrier operates CMVs every day; it is not mandatory for every daily-operating carrier. Changing the cycle or example resets this exercise, not your course progress.
The model does not calculate split-sleeper arrangements, adverse-driving extensions, short-haul exceptions or special/state rules. A real load plan must use the driver’s actual records and applicable rules. Manual training buttons are not instructions for editing an ELD.
Amber means one hour or less remains in this exercise; red means no Driving is available under that clock. These are teaching cues, not a vendor alert setting. No countdown runs in real time.
Rules: FMCSA · Hours of Service · 49 CFR § 395.3
3.2
600 miles is not just '600 miles'
Dispatch planning needs a conservative travel assumption, not a map app's perfect-world ETA. For this training exercise only, use 55 mph as an average planning speed.
TRAINING ROUTE
600 miles
600 mi
At 55 mph, pure driving time is about 10 h 55 min — before loading, fuel, traffic, parking or other delays.
WHICH PLANNING STATEMENT IS BEST?
The dispatcher plans the whole timeline, not only road miles. A route that barely fits on paper can fail with one slow shipper or traffic delay.
3.3
Appointment and FCFS are not the same promise
A dispatcher needs the exact pickup and delivery rules before deciding whether a route fits.
07:00Driver starts
09:00Pickup appointment
10:30Loaded
16:00ETA
16:30Delivery appointment
The rate confirmation says: PU 09:00 APPT. Which interpretation is safer?
If the document says appointment, plan around that appointment unless the facility/broker confirms a different window.
The posting says FCFS 09:00–15:00. What does that give you?
FCFS generally gives a window rather than one exact appointment, but you still need the facility's real hours and rules.
3.4
Appointments belong to the facility's local time
A dispatcher may sit in Chicago while the truck crosses multiple time zones. Never let your own clock silently replace the facility's clock.
PTPacific
MTMountain
CTCentral
ETEastern
A delivery in Columbus, Ohio is scheduled for 3:00 PM ET. You are dispatching from Chicago on CT. What time is that on your Chicago clock?
Correct: Eastern Time is one hour ahead of Central Time. Keep appointment times labeled with the facility's time zone in your notes.
3.5
Final check: can Alex legally and realistically deliver it?
Training assumption: Alex starts a fresh property-carrying clock at 06:00 CT after 10 consecutive hours off. Use 55 mph as the planning speed. Real dispatch still requires live HOS and road conditions.
Joliet → Louisville
Loaded by 08:00 CT · 310 mi · delivery 15:00 ET same day. Training drive estimate ≈ 5 h 38 min.
Possible on the simplified numbers: estimated arrival is about 14:38 ET. But the margin is thin — a real dispatcher must account for traffic, loading, fuel and current HOS.
Joliet → Atlanta
Loaded by 08:00 CT · 720 mi · delivery 18:00 ET same day. Training drive estimate ≈ 13 h 05 min.
No under the basic clock. The driving estimate alone exceeds the standard 11-hour driving limit.
Joliet → Nashville
Shipper finishes loading at 13:00 CT · 500 mi · delivery 21:00 CT. Training drive estimate ≈ 9 h 05 min, plus a qualifying break.
No on this basic timeline. The 14-hour driving window from a 06:00 start ends at 20:00 CT, and the load cannot be completed inside it after the late shipper release.
The dispatcher question is not: “Can Google Maps get there?” It is: “Can this driver, on this clock, make these facilities on this schedule without depending on an HOS violation?”
MODULE 4
Think in a week, not one load
A high rate can still be a weak move. Learn to count every mile, look at where the truck lands, and think one load ahead.
4.1
Deadhead is still mileage
Loaded RPM answers one question. All-mile RPM answers a better one: what did the truck earn across every mile it had to move for this load?
Loaded RPM$3.14
All-mile RPM$2.68
Total miles820
Deadhead share14.6%
Dispatcher habit: when two loads look close, recalculate both on total miles before you decide.
4.2
$3.00 per loaded mile can lose to $2.80
Compare the whole move, not the number in the rate box.
LOAD A · Joliet → Dallas
$2,100
Loaded700
DH150
All-mile RPM$2.47
The loaded RPM looks like $3.00, but the 150-mile deadhead pulls the all-mile RPM down to about $2.47.
LOAD B · Romeoville → Nashville
$1,680
Loaded600
DH20
All-mile RPM$2.71
On these simplified numbers, Load B pays less gross but earns more per total mile because the truck is already close to pickup.
Fuel, tolls, driver pay, maintenance, insurance, fixed costs and time still matter. This metric is a fast dispatch comparison tool, not a profit-and-loss statement.
4.3
Gross is not the same thing as a good move
Dispatchers do not need to run the carrier's full accounting, but they should understand why distance, tolls, waiting and time can change the value of a load.
Rate$2,500
Time tied up2 days
Tolls / accessHigh
Two loads have almost the same all-mile RPM. One delivers tomorrow morning; the other holds the truck until late the following evening. What extra question matters now?
Exactly. Revenue per mile matters, but so does revenue per unit of time and what the next reload opportunity looks like.
4.4
Where does the load leave the truck?
A destination is not just an address. It becomes tomorrow's origin. These market labels are fictional for training so you can practice the logic without pretending they are today's live rates.
Indianapolis, IN
TRAINING: balanced reload optionsModerate rate in, but several next-day options in our fictional board.
Columbus, OH
TRAINING: strong reload optionsSlightly lower inbound rate, but the truck lands near several well-timed reloads.
Rural WV
TRAINING: thin reload optionsThe inbound rate is highest, but our fictional next-day board shows long deadhead to reload.
Choose a destination. The point is not to memorize cities — it is to ask what the truck can do next.
4.5
Monday changes Friday
Alex wants to be back near Chicago Friday. A dispatcher should start protecting that goal before Thursday afternoon.
MONChicago
TUE?
WED?
THU?
FRIChicago
Path A
Chicago → Nashville → Cincinnati → Chicago. Moderate rates, short deadhead, Friday return is built into the plan.
This is the stronger training plan because it protects both revenue and the driver's Friday home request.
Path B
Chicago → Miami on a great Monday rate. By Thursday the truck is still deep in Florida and every Chicago return option is expensive or badly timed.
The Monday rate was attractive, but the week ignored the driver's Friday constraint. One load should not be planned in isolation.
MODULE 5
Load boards: find the load that fits
Screens change. The dispatch logic does not. Learn what to look at first, how to build a useful search and which postings deserve a phone call.
DAT exampleA real DAT results screen: live filters, load list, company column and board rhythm.
Truckstop exampleAnother real board layout. Different interface, same dispatcher logic: lane, rate, RPM, equipment, timing and broker information.
Why show real screens? So the student first sees real board screens from actual workflow — and then learns the same logic inside a cleaner training version below.
5.1
Read a posting before you call
Tap the fields on this recreated posting. You should know what each one changes before the broker picks up.
This is what a real results slice looks like on a board: compact, abbreviated and fast to scan. Below, I slow the logic down into a cleaner training posting.
Joliet, IL → Nashville, TN
Tap a field. A useful posting tells you enough to decide whether the load is worth a call — but the call still has to confirm the missing details.
5.2
Build the search around the truck
Alex is empty Monday in Joliet with a 53' dry van. Build a sensible first search instead of opening the radius so wide that the board fills with noise.
A real DAT search usually starts with origin, destination, DH radius, equipment type and date range.
YOUR SEARCH
Joliet + 100 mi · 53' Dry Van · Monday
Good first pass: close enough to control deadhead, broad enough to see options.
5.3
Don't chase the biggest rate
The board is a filter, not a scoreboard. Decide which of these three deserves your attention first.
Lane
Rate
Loaded
DH
PU
Posted
Elwood → Louisville
$1,280
330
18
10:00
4m
Rockford → Atlanta
$2,350
810
96
13:00
19m
Gary → Columbus
$1,390
410
52
FCFS
7m
Elwood → LouisvilleLow DH · fresh post · easy pickup fit
Rockford → AtlantaBig gross · 96 mi DH · older post
Gary → ColumbusReasonable fit · moderate DH
Choose one. There can be more than one usable load; the exercise is about call priority.
5.4
Compare the finalists side by side
Once a few loads fit, stop scrolling and compare the same fields for each one.
A · Louisville
All-mile RPM$3.68
Delivery18:00
Next dayGood
B · Columbus
All-mile RPM$3.01
Delivery08:00 Tue
Next dayStrong
Important: you still do not know enough to book either load. The board helps you choose whom to call; the broker call fills in commodity, exact appointments, requirements, tracking, accessorial terms and anything the posting omitted.
Which posting should make you slow down and verify?
5.5
You have 60 seconds. Who do you call first?
Freight moves fast. Build a call queue instead of staring at the board until every good posting disappears.
Chicago → DetroitRate $1,050 · DH 35 · posted 3m
Joliet → LouisvilleRate $1,300 · DH 12 · posted 2m
Rockford → MemphisRate $1,900 · DH 94 · posted 22m
Choose a first call. A good dispatcher keeps backup options ready while dialing.
Free practice: Guided Start
One truck, four fictional postings, broker checks, trip planning and RPM. Review your first decisions, then return here.
MODULE 6
Check the broker. Make the call. Negotiate.
The goal is not to sound clever. The goal is to confirm the load, protect the carrier and leave the call with clear terms.
6.1
Before the rate: verify who you are talking to
A familiar company name is not enough. Fraudsters can impersonate legitimate brokers and carriers.
Northline Freight LLC
AUTHORIZEDTraining company · MC 654321
Official phone on record(312) 555-0148
Phone in load email(312) 555-9821
Email domainnorthline-freight.co
Known company domainnorthlinefreight.com
YOUR MOVE
The phone and domain do not match.
dispatch@northline-freight.co
Call: (312) 555-9821
Call: (312) 555-9821
FMCSA specifically advises confirming broker/carrier phone numbers using SAFER and calling the number on record when the number you were given does not match.
Source: FMCSA — Broker and Carrier Fraud and Identity Theft. A broker's authority and financial responsibility should also be checked in official FMCSA records; brokers must maintain $75,000 in financial security.
6.2
Fraud usually looks like small inconsistencies first
Tap the details that should slow you down. One odd detail may have an innocent explanation; several together are a reason to stop and verify.
Tap the suspicious details.
6.3
The broker call: get the load before you negotiate it
A rate without commodity, weight, appointments and requirements is not enough information to make a decision.
Northline FreightTraining broker call
Northline Freight, this is Mike.
A clean opening does three things: who you are calling about, the lane, and whether the load is still available. Then move into commodity, weight, pickup, delivery and special requirements.
6.4
Negotiate with a reason and a number
Before you call, know your target. Then make a clear counter instead of asking the broker to negotiate against themselves.
BROKER OFFER
$1,650
Your target based on the truck, deadhead and next-day position: $1,850.
Choose a counteroffer.
6.5
Know when to walk away
Not every load has to be saved. If the timing, terms, identity or rate no longer works, declining it can be the correct dispatch decision.
Broker confirms delivery at 07:00 tomorrow. Alex's current HOS cannot legally make it, and the broker says the appointment cannot move.
Walk away. The plan should never depend on an HOS violation.
Broker is verified, appointments work, terms are clear, and you agree at $1,825 — inside your acceptable range.
Booking can be reasonable here. Negotiation has a purpose; it is not a contest you have to win by the last dollar.
MODULE 7
You booked it. Now read before you sign.
The phone call is not the final agreement. The Rate Confirmation is where pickup, delivery, rate, requirements and penalties become written terms you need to catch before the truck rolls.
7.1
Carrier setup: what usually happens after “book it”
If the carrier is new to the brokerage, the broker may require a setup packet before issuing or finalizing the Rate Confirmation.
No. Requirements vary by brokerage and by the carrier's payment/factoring setup. The lesson is to recognize the common categories and never send sensitive company information through an unverified contact.
Continuing shipment NC-2087. This first RC contains differences to find in the next lesson.
7.2
Read the Rate Confirmation like a dispatcher
Tap the important sections. This document is recreated for training and does not represent any real brokerage.
Northline Freight — Training
RATE CONFIRMATION · Load #NC-2087$1,825.00
53' VAN
53' VAN
Pickup / Delivery
PU: Joliet, IL
Date/Time: 09/28 · 12:00–14:00
PU #: JL-40821
DEL: Nashville, TN
Date/Time: 09/29 · 08:00 APPT
Reference: 99314
Load
Commodity: Packaged food
Weight: 42,500 lb
Terms — tap to inspect
Start with the pickup and delivery. Then tap each written term — the small print can change how the load must be run and what paperwork you need.
7.3
Find what changed from the phone call
On the phone, the broker said delivery was FCFS 07:00–12:00 and detention started after 2 hours. The RC says something else. What needs to be fixed before signing?
PHONE NOTES
Delivery: FCFS 07:00–12:00Detention after 2 hours
RATE CONFIRMATION
Delivery: 08:00 APPTDetention after 3 hours
If the written terms do not match what you agreed to, clarify the discrepancy and get the corrected terms in writing before you rely on them.
7.4
Revised Rate Confirmation: check the revision, not just the rate
A revised RC may change money, appointments, accessorials or instructions. Compare it against the version you already reviewed.
V1
Rate: $1,825Delivery: 08:00 APPT
Detention: after 3 hrs
V2 · REVISED
Rate: $1,875Delivery: FCFS 07:00–12:00 ✓
Detention: after 2 hrs ✓
What changed? Rate +$50, delivery changed from a fixed 08:00 appointment to FCFS 07:00–12:00, and detention free time changed from 3 hours to 2.
Which terms apply after the accepted revision?
7.5
Final check before the truck moves
Tap every item you have confirmed. The truck should not be dispatched on a half-read agreement.
0 / 6 confirmed. Read first, dispatch second.
MODULE 8
Dispatch the driver and run the load
Booking is only the handoff. Now the dispatcher has to give the driver clean instructions, confirm pickup, watch ETA and finish with usable delivery paperwork.
Continue shipment NC-2087 using revised RC V2: $1,875, delivery FCFS 07:00–12:00 CT, 2 free detention hours.
8.1
Build a dispatch the driver can actually use
The driver should not have to dig through a rate confirmation while driving. Give the operational information in one clean place.
LOAD #NC-2087 · Joliet, IL → Nashville, TNTraining dispatch card
53' Dry VanPickupMon · 12:00–14:00
PU #JL-40821
CommodityPackaged food
Weight42,500 lb
DeliveryTue · FCFS 07:00–12:00 CT
TrackingRequired
Select what belongs in the driver's dispatch.
8.2
Pickup: collect proof, not just 'loaded'
A clean pickup sequence gives the dispatcher timestamps and documents if a problem appears later.
Real-world habit: Save check-in and release times. If detention is later requested, memory is not evidence.
8.3
Read the BOL before the truck leaves
The BOL is not the rate confirmation. It is freight paperwork from the shipping side. The dispatcher should know what to look for and what to preserve.
STRAIGHT BILL OF LADINGORIGINAL — NOT NEGOTIABLE
BOL No.PF-662910
Shipper No.JL-40821
Shipper / FromPrairie Foods LLC
2450 Logistics Pkwy
Joliet, IL 60436
2450 Logistics Pkwy
Joliet, IL 60436
Consignee / ToMusic City Distribution Center
870 Commerce Dr
Nashville, TN 37210
870 Commerce Dr
Nashville, TN 37210
CarrierPrairie Route Transport — Training
Pickup Date09/28/26
Trailer No.DV-5317
Seal No.881204
PO / ReferencePO-845201
Freight Charge TermsPrepaid
Route / Special Ref.Joliet, IL → Nashville, TN
Customer Order Information
| Customer Order No. | # Packages | Weight | Pallet / Slip | Additional Shipper Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 845201 | 24 pallets | 42,500 lb | 24 | Shipper Load & Count |
| Grand Total | 42,500 lb | 24 | ||
Carrier Information
| Handling Units | Package Type | HM | Commodity Description | NMFC / Class | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Pallets | ☐ | Packaged food products | — | 42,500 lb |
Special InstructionsKeep freight dry. Driver must verify seal number before departure. Report visible damage or count discrepancy before leaving shipper.
Shipper CertificationThis shipment is properly described and packaged for transportation.
Shipper signature / date
Carrier PickupFreight received in apparent good order except as noted.
Driver signature / pickup date
Consignee / Receiver CertificationProperty received as described, except as noted below.
—
—
—
—
Receiver signature / exception note
Delivery—
Awaiting delivery
Awaiting delivery
Date / time / receiver name
This is the type of full document a dispatcher should be comfortable looking at. The exact layout changes by shipper, but the same practical questions repeat: who shipped it, who receives it, BOL/PO numbers, commodity, count, weight, seal, notes and signatures.
BILL OF LADING
Tap the key fields below after looking at the full document above
Click a BOL field. The goal is not to become a shipping clerk — it is to notice mismatches before they turn into a delivery problem.
Never casually alter freight paperwork. If something important does not match the booked load, document it and contact the appropriate party before continuing.
8.4
In transit: update before the broker has to chase you
Good communication is short: current status, new ETA, reason if needed, and what action has already been taken.
LIVE STATUS
ETA 12:42
Revised RC: FCFS 07:00–12:00 CT. Traffic delay puts ETA at 12:42, beyond the receiving window. Driver is still 92 miles away.
Choose the action you would take.
The receiver accepted the delayed arrival after broker confirmation. Keep that confirmation with the 13:10 POD and its exception note.
8.5
Delivery: do not leave without usable proof
A delivery document should be readable and show what happened at the receiver. If there is an exception, preserve it rather than hiding it.
BILL OF LADING / POD
Training example of a delivered BOL with receiver notes
ShipperPrairie Foods LLC
ReceiverMusic City Distribution Center
Delivery date / timeTue · 13:10 CT
Received byJ. Martin
Receiver signature / notes
J. Martin09/29/26 · 1:10 PM CT1 pallet shiftedThis is good because the full page is readable: signature, receiver name, date/time and the exception note are all visible. If the note says damage / shortage / shifted pallet, keep that note — do not crop it out.
A usable delivery document should show the whole story — especially if there is a handwritten exception note like '1 pallet shifted'.
MODULE 9
When the load stops going according to plan
The dispatcher cannot prevent every problem. The skill is to document the facts, communicate early, protect the carrier's position and avoid making the situation worse.
Separate practice scenario — not an additional event on shipment NC-2087.
9.1
TONU: the truck arrived, but the load disappeared
A TONU is not a magic automatic payment. The amount and eligibility depend on the deal and the broker/carrier terms. Your job is to preserve the facts immediately.
1. Arrival proofCheck-in time, tracking, facility message or other available proof.
2. Broker confirmationGet the cancellation / TONU discussion in writing when possible.
3. Rate confirmationKeep the booked terms that sent the truck to the facility.
4. Revised paperworkIf the broker approves TONU, request written documentation of the approved amount.
The strongest file is built while the facts are fresh.
Separate practice scenario — not an additional event on shipment NC-2087.
9.2
Detention and layover: use the contract, the clock and the proof
These accessorials are commonly controlled by the rate confirmation or other agreed terms. In this training example, the RC gives 2 free hours, then $50/hour.
TRAINING CALCULATION
$125.00
4.5h on site − 2.0h free = 2.5h × $50.
Still need proof: timestamps and whatever the agreed terms require.
Before detention startsIf the RC is unclear, ask the broker what they pay, when detention starts and what documents they require. Get that answer in writing — ideally by email.
While the truck is waitingKeep check-in / release times and preserve any facility proof. If the delay is long, update the broker while the detention is happening — not only after it ends.
Detention vs layover
Detention usually refers to excess waiting during a pickup or delivery event. Layover is commonly used when the truck is held over to a later day or materially delayed beyond the planned service window. Exact definitions and payment rules depend on the agreement.
9.3
Lumper: receipt first, reimbursement second
If unloading involves a lumper fee, the dispatcher needs to know who approved it, how it was paid and what document proves the amount.
WAREHOUSE UNLOADING SERVICE
Load: NC-2087
Dock: 14
Service: Unload 24 pallets
Payment: Driver / carrier advance
TOTAL $185.00
1
Ask the broker to pay firstBest case: the broker issues a code / EFS / comcheck or pays the lumper directly. That avoids reimbursement problems later.2
If the broker asks the driver/carrier to payGet written confirmation that the expense will be reimbursed, and ask whether the broker deducts any fee from that reimbursement.3
Then keep the receiptSend the receipt exactly the way the broker/accounting process requires. 'Driver said he paid' is not enough.The clean order is: ask the broker to pay first. If they want the carrier/driver to pay, confirm reimbursement in writing, ask about any fee, then save and submit the receipt.
Separate practice scenario — not an additional event on shipment NC-2087.
9.4
Breakdown or late appointment: communicate in the right order
The dispatcher does not diagnose the truck. The job is to get a safe status, a realistic ETA and the right people informed early.
Driver: warning light, truck safely parked at a rest area.
Maintenance is contacted; no reliable restart time yet.
Delivery appointment is 10:00, 180 miles away.
Early notice gives the broker and receiver time to react. Do not invent an ETA you do not have.
Separate practice scenario — not an additional event on shipment NC-2087.
9.5
OS&D / refused freight: preserve evidence before anyone improvises
Over, short and damaged freight can turn into a formal cargo-claim issue. The dispatcher should preserve evidence and escalate — not tell the driver to dispose of, rework or move freight without instructions.
Receiver reports 2 damaged cases
The freight is still at the receiver. No disposition instructions yet.
Formal loss/damage claims have their own rules. The dispatcher’s immediate job is evidence, communication and no unauthorized disposition.
Source: FMCSA regulations index · 49 CFR Part 370 covers processing of loss and damage claims.
MODULE 10
Close the load so it can actually get paid
Delivered is not the same as finished. The dispatcher still has to collect clean documents, support accessorials, hand the file to billing and make the truck available again.
10.1
Audit the POD before you file it
Readable names, dates, signatures and exceptions matter. Fix a bad photo while the driver is still at the receiver whenever possible.
POD A
Full page · signed · date/time and exception note visible.
POD B
Bottom half cut off. Receiver note is not visible.
Choose the document you would send to billing.
10.2
Build the accessorial packet
Extra charges are easier to collect when every amount has the documents that support it.
Build the packet before billing has to chase the driver for missing paperwork.
10.3
Know the three common payment paths
The dispatcher does not need to become an accountant, but should understand where the load file goes next.
Direct billingCarrier invoices the broker/customer and waits under the agreed payment terms.
Quick PaySome brokers offer faster payment for a fee or discount.
FactoringThe carrier assigns/sells eligible invoices under its factoring agreement. Procedures vary by factor.
Dispatcher takeaway: clean documents and correct broker/load data make every payment path easier.
What does the dispatcher send to the agreed billing channel?
10.4
Close the digital load file
A good folder tells the story of the load without relying on someone's memory.
Keep the file organized enough that another person can understand what happened.
10.5
The cycle ends where the next one begins
The moment delivery is complete and the truck is truly empty, the dispatcher updates availability and starts planning the next move.
ALEX · NASHVILLE, TN
Status: DELIVERED · paperwork pending
Do not post the truck as empty until you know the driver is actually released.
You just completed the full operating cycle: Truck → Search → Broker → RC → Pickup → Transit → Delivery → Documents → Empty again.
FINAL SIMULATION
Dispatch Alex yourself
No new theory. Make the decisions in order. Each step unlocks the next one, and the final report shows what you caught and what you missed.
One load · seven decisions
Your score only counts the first answer on each step.
0 / 7
1. Which load do you call first?
Use the same logic from Modules 4–5: deadhead, timing and position — not gross alone.
Joliet → Nashville is the training choice: very low deadhead, fresh posting and a clean fit for Alex.
2. The email signature has a different phone number. What now?
The load looks good, but identity comes before rate.
Do not let urgency replace identity verification.
3. Broker opens at $1,650. Your target is around $1,800.
Choose the counter that keeps the conversation alive.
Training outcome: broker meets at $1,750. Specific counter + useful truck position keeps the negotiation realistic.
4. The RC says delivery 07:00. The broker told you 08:00.
The signed document should match the deal you intend to run.
Fix the written term before the truck runs under it.
5. Alex is loaded. What do you need before he leaves?
The shipper gives the driver a BOL and seal number.
Pickup proof makes later problems easier to reconstruct.
6. Receiver says the appointment is tomorrow, not today.
Alex is already there. Do not invent a solution for the freight or promise a payment amount.
Preserve the carrier's position and wait for authorized instructions.
7. Delivery is complete. Which file goes to billing?
The receiver signed cleanly and the broker approved one night of layover in writing.
That is the complete operational file. The truck can now be closed and made available again.
YOUR DISPATCH REPORT
7 / 7 decisions
Gross$1,750
Loaded500 mi
Deadhead18 mi
All-mile RPM$3.38
Nadia Chicago
You can run the load. Now organize the hiring side.
If your company hires CDL-A drivers, Nadia Chicago has ready-to-use systems for:
1099 · W-2 · Owner-Operator