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Hotshot dispatch
Hotshot is a real business and a fast way to lose money at the same time. The difference is almost entirely in which loads you refuse.
or $375/week flat
The market
Low barrier to entry, low rates, high turnover
Anyone with a dually and a gooseneck can enter hotshot, which is exactly why the segment is crowded and why posted rates are often terrible. The operators who last are the ones running expedited, time-critical and specialised freight where the customer is paying for speed and availability — not the ones competing on price for a partial that a van could take cheaper.
Hotshot also carries a payload ceiling that catches new operators out. Between your truck, your trailer, fuel and your own weight, the legal payload on most 40' goosenecks is far lower than people assume, and an overweight ticket wipes out the margin on several loads.
How we run a hotshot
- Weight verified before booking. We confirm the actual weight against your stated payload capacity. We don't book you into an overweight ticket.
- Expedite and time-critical first. These are the loads where hotshot has a real advantage and where the rate reflects it. We work the brokers who move them.
- Partials priced as partials. A partial load that leaves you deck space should be priced so a second partial makes the day, or priced as if it's the only load. Not somewhere in between.
- Oilfield and equipment lanes. Where the market supports it, we work energy-sector and equipment freight that pays for the deck rather than the mile.
- Deadhead discipline. Hotshot fuel economy is better than a semi, but the rates are lower, so a long deadhead does proportionally more damage. Outbound density is checked before every inbound.
Straight talk on hotshot economics
If you're grossing under about $3,000 a week, a percentage-based dispatcher is likely to make more sense for you than flat rate, and it's possible neither makes sense yet. Send us three weeks of settlements and we'll tell you honestly. We would rather lose the signup than take a fee off a truck that isn't earning.
Answers
Hotshot dispatch — questions
How much does hotshot dispatch cost?
8% of gross linehaul revenue, or $375 per week flat. For most hotshot operators the percentage model works out cheaper, because weekly gross on a gooseneck is usually lower than on a semi. We'll tell you which side of the break-even you're on after three weeks.
What payload can I legally haul on a hotshot?
It depends on your truck, trailer, fuel and axle configuration, and it is usually less than new operators expect once the tractor and trailer weight are subtracted from the rating. Send us your exact setup at onboarding and we'll record your real payload ceiling, then book inside it. We verify load weight against that number before we bring you a load.
Is hotshot dispatch worth it on one truck?
Sometimes not, and we'll say so. Hotshot gross revenue is lower than semi freight, so a dispatch fee takes a bigger relative bite. If your weekly gross is low and your lanes are simple, self-dispatching may be the better answer until volume builds.
Do you book oilfield hotshot work?
Where the market supports it, yes. Energy-sector freight is regionally concentrated and demand swings with drilling activity, so it's not a year-round plan on its own. We treat it as part of a mix rather than the whole strategy.
Want to see what's moving in your lanes this week?
Send your MC number and your usual lanes. We'll pull live loads you could run and show you the rates before you commit to anything.