DOCK 01DRY VAN DISPATCH
LOAD TYPE: 53 FT DRY VAN
Dry van dispatch service built around round trips, not cheap one-way loads
Dry van is crowded freight, and taking the first posted rate is the easy mistake. We do not chase every van load. We build weeks around lanes that pay and backhauls that make sense, and negotiate every rate on the way. 5% of gross for one van with 6+ months of authority.
DOCK 02THE VAN MARKET
The dry van market problem
- 01
More trucks than good loads
Van freight draws a lot of carriers, so posted rates get pulled toward whoever will haul it cheapest.
- 02
The great headhaul, the awful return
A strong rate into a freight-poor area can leave you deadheading or hauling the return cheap.
- 03
Hours lost at the dock
Live loads without detention terms, lumpers nobody mentioned, appointments that move.
- 04
Taking the first offer
When you are driving, there is no time to counter. The posted rate becomes the booked rate.
DOCK 03LANE SCORECARD
Same headhaul, two different weeks
Five example lanes. Toggle the return leg. The headhaul pays the same either way; the round trip does not.
LANE SCORECARD, ROUND TRIP
| Lane | Headhaul | Return | Round-trip miles | Round-trip $/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA to Orlando, FL | $1,150 | $0 (empty) | 880 | $1.31 |
| Chicago, IL to Columbus, OH | $980 | $0 (empty) | 710 | $1.38 |
| Dallas, TX to Houston, TX | $640 | $0 (empty) | 480 | $1.33 |
| Los Angeles, CA to Phoenix, AZ | $1,050 | $0 (empty) | 740 | $1.42 |
| Charlotte, NC to Philadelphia, PA | $1,350 | $0 (empty) | 1,080 | $1.25 |
Same headhaul either way. The return leg is what moves the week. Example rates, not quotes on these lanes.
That is why a dry van dispatcher who only looks at the load in front of you leaves money behind. We look at where the load delivers and what moves out of there before we say yes.
DOCK 04WHAT WE BOOK
Dry van dispatch: what we book and what we check
| Freight | What we confirm before you accept |
|---|---|
| Retail and consumer goods | Appointment times at distribution centers, unload type, lumper terms |
| Packaged food and beverage | Food-grade trailer requirements, washout or inspection rules, seal handling |
| Paper, packaging and building products | Weight against your legal limit, load bars or straps required |
| Drop and hook | Trailer pool location, empty trailer swap, yard hours |
| Live load and live unload | Free time, detention rate after it, who unloads |
| Multi-stop loads | Number of stops, pay per extra stop, sequence and windows |
Drop and hook vs live loads
| Drop and hook | Live load or unload | |
|---|---|---|
| Time at the dock | Usually shorter: swap trailers and go | You wait while it is loaded or unloaded |
| What can go wrong | Wrong trailer, bad seal, empty trailer not ready | Long waits, unpaid hours, lumper surprises |
| What protects you | Trailer details and yard hours on the rate con | Detention terms and free time on the rate con |
Neither is better on its own. A live load with fair detention terms can pay well; a drop and hook across town from the freight can cost more than it saves.
Food-grade dry van loads
Food shippers have to use trailers that are cleanable and kept sanitary for the food they ship, under FDA rules for sanitary transportation. In practice that means a clean, dry, odor-free trailer, often inspected at the dock, and sometimes a washout record. We confirm what each shipper requires before you accept, so you are not turned away at the door.
SOURCE:eCFR, 21 CFR 1.906 (FDA), OCT 2026
DOCK 05WEIGHT AND FLOOR
Weight, cube and the 53 ft van
A van load runs out of room in one of two ways: it weighs out or it cubes out. On the Interstate, a tractor-trailer can gross up to 80,000 lb, with no more than 20,000 lb on a single axle and 34,000 lb on a tandem, and the bridge formula can lower that for your axle spacing. Light, bulky freight fills the trailer before it gets near the weight limit; dense freight hits the scale first.
Floor space is simple geometry: a 53 ft van takes about 26 standard 48x40 pallets single-stacked, more if the pallets are turned, depending on its inside length and width. We check both pallet count and weight against your truck before you accept, so a load does not get refused at the shipper or pulled in at the scale.
SOURCE:eCFR, 23 CFR 658.17, OCT 2026
Know your floor before the rate
A dry van dispatch service is only as good as the floor it works from. Before anyone negotiates for you, you need your own cost per mile: fuel, payments, insurance, maintenance and your pay. Your break-even rate is that number, and every round trip should clear it with room to spare. Tell us your floor on the first call; offers start above it.
Three questions for any dry van dispatcher
- Do they price the round trip, or only the headhaul in front of them?
- Do they get detention terms and lumper payment in writing before you accept?
- Will they skip a high-paying load that strands you, and tell you why?
DOCK 06FEE
What dry van dispatch costs
5% of gross for one van with 6+ months of authority. 7% while your MC is under 6 months old. 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Charged only on loads you haul.
All dispatch fees · Rate per mile calculator · How we negotiate
Running without your own trailer? Power only dispatch. Weighing a van against a straight truck? Straight truck vs tractor-trailer.
DRY VAN RATE CONFIRMATION
Q-01How much do dry van dispatchers charge?
We charge 5% of gross for one van with 6+ months of authority, 7% while your MC is under 6 months old, and 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Charged only on loads you haul. No setup fee, no minimum, month-to-month, cancel with 30 days notice.
Q-02Can you find drop and hook dry van loads?
Yes, where shippers and brokers run trailer pools near your lanes. We weigh the drop and hook against the live loads on offer, because a quick swap far from the next freight can cost more than a fair live load nearby.
Q-03Do you book food-grade dry van loads?
Yes, if your trailer meets the shipper's requirements. Food shippers must use clean, sanitary trailers under FDA rules, and many inspect at the dock. We confirm what each shipper asks for before you accept the load.
Q-04What rate per mile should a dry van take?
There is no single number. It depends on the lane, the return, your costs and the season. Know your cost per mile and your break-even rate first, then judge loads on the round trip, not the headhaul alone. Our calculators help you find both.
Q-05How do you avoid cheap dry van freight?
We check the round trip before the headhaul, negotiate every posted rate, and skip loads that strand the truck in a freight-poor area unless the return is already lined up. You set the lowest rate you will run for, and offers start above it.
Q-06Can I choose my home time?
Yes. Tell us the days and nights you need at home and we plan loads that get you there. You can also turn down any load that does not fit.
Q-07How many pallets fit in a 53 ft dry van?
About 26 standard 48x40 pallets single-stacked, more if the pallets are turned to use the trailer's width, depending on its inside length and width. Weight can limit you before space does: dense freight reaches the legal weight limit with floor space left over.
Q-08Do you dispatch dry van fleets?
Yes. Two or more trucks on one authority with 6+ months of history pay 4% of gross (limited-time rate), whatever the mix of vans and other equipment. Each van still gets its own lanes, home time and backhaul plan, so your trucks do not chase the same loads.
Q-09What does a dry van dispatcher do?
A dry van dispatcher finds van loads that fit your lanes and rate floor, negotiates the rate, checks appointments, unload terms and detention, books what you approve, handles broker calls and check calls, and plans the backhaul so the truck does not run home empty.
Price the round trip, not just the headhaul
About 2 minutes to apply. Tell us your home base and the lanes you like.