A hot shot dispatch service for the pickup, the gooseneck and the driver who owns both
Hotshot is one of the most common first businesses for drivers who leave a company truck: a dually, a gooseneck and your own authority. The trucks are simple. Finding loads that fit your deck and payload, at a rate worth the fuel, is the hard part. That's what our hotshot dispatcher does, while you keep the yes or no on every load.
Hotshot dispatcher questions, straight answers
The questions drivers ask before they hand over the phone: cost, CDL, non-CDL hotshot dispatch, pay, new authorities and control over loads. If yours isn't here, call the desk.
New to the term? Our guide on what non-CDL means covers which trucks and jobs fall under it.
One thing every hotshot learns fast: the load out is rarely the problem. The trip back is. Short, well-paid runs turn into a bad week when the reload is three hours away or doesn't exist. We look at where you'll be empty before we counter the first load, so the week is planned as a loop instead of one good run and a long drive home.
How much does hot shot dispatch cost?
7% of the gross on each load while your MC is under 6 months, then 5%. Two or more trucks pay the 4% fleet rate (limited time). Hotshot pays the same percentage as any other equipment. No setup fee, no minimum, month-to-month, and nothing in weeks you don't haul.
Do I need a CDL to hotshot?
It depends on the weight ratings of your pickup and trailer, not on the load. If the combined rating is 26,001 lb or more and the trailer is rated over 10,000 lb, it's a Class A vehicle. A one-ton dually with a 40 ft gooseneck usually lands there. Run your numbers in the license line below and check your state DMV.
What is non-CDL hotshot?
A pickup and trailer combination rated under 26,001 lb combined, so no CDL is needed (as long as you don't haul placarded hazmat). It means lighter trailers and smaller payloads, which narrows the loads you can take, but it's a lower-cost way in. You still need a USDOT number, authority for for-hire interstate work, insurance and a medical card.
How much do hotshot drivers make?
There's no reliable public survey of hotshot owner-operator earnings, so be wary of anyone quoting one number. What you keep depends on loads per week, deadhead, fuel, your truck note and how often your trailer runs full. Build your own week from real costs; the max payload calculator tells you what your rig can legally carry.
Can you dispatch a new MC hotshot?
Yes. While your authority is under 6 months the fee is 7%, and we start with brokers who load new carriers. Expect fewer brokers to approve you in the first 30 to 90 days; that's normal, and it improves as your MC ages.
Will you force me to take loads?
No. Every load is offered to you first with pickup, delivery, weight, dimensions and rate. You confirm or pass, and if you confirm, the broker sends the rate confirmation straight to you. There's no penalty for passing.
What loads does a hotshot dispatcher book?
Time-sensitive and partial flatbed freight: oilfield and construction equipment, machinery parts, steel and pipe in smaller quantities, farm equipment, vehicles, and expedited loads that can't wait for a full 48 ft flatbed. We match each load to your deck length, payload, securement gear and ramps.
Do non-CDL hotshot drivers need a medical card?
If you drive a commercial vehicle or combination over 10,000 lb in interstate commerce, yes, even without a CDL. A pickup and trailer rated over 10,000 lb combined running across state lines for hire falls under those rules. A certified medical examiner can tell you what applies to your health.
Is hotshot dispatch different from flatbed dispatch?
The freight overlaps, but hotshot loads are smaller, more time-sensitive and often shorter. Payload limits are tighter, so weight matters on every load. Hotshot dispatching services also lean more on expedited and partial freight, where a fast pickup and a straight run beat a full 48 ft trailer.
What should I ask hotshot dispatch companies?
Whether you approve every load, whether the rate con comes to you from the broker, what the fee is and whether it changes by equipment, whether there's a setup fee or contract, and who answers at night. Ours: yes, yes, a percentage that's the same for every truck, no and no, and a dispatcher on nights and weekends.
Where your rig sits on the CDL line
Many hotshot setups sit right at the line, which is why the same pickup can be non-CDL with one trailer and Class A with another. The rules use weight ratings from the labels, not the scale ticket. Enter both ratings to see which license the combination usually needs.
- Class A: Combination vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001 lb or more, towing a unit over 10,000 lb GVWR.
- Class B: Single vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 lb or more, or towing a unit of 10,000 lb GVWR or less.
- No CDL: under those lines and no placarded hazmat.
Dispatch for hotshot loads also depends on payload: the heavier your rig, the less freight it can legally carry. Check yours with the max payload calculator before you buy a trailer or chase a heavy load.
Class A
Combined rating 29,000 lb is 26,001 or more, and the trailer is rated over 10,000 lb.
Uses the weight ratings, not what you actually loaded. States can set extra rules; your DMV has the final word. For more cases, try the Do I need a CDL checker.
Source: 49 CFR 383.91 · checked Oct 2026
| Setup | Truck | Trailer | Usually |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light single-rear-wheel pickup, bumper-pull | 11,500 | 14,000 | No CDL (25,500 combined) |
| One-ton dually, 40 ft gooseneck | 14,000 | 24,000 | Class A |
| Medium-duty truck, gooseneck | 19,500 | 24,000 | Class A |
Made-up ratings for illustration. Always use the numbers on your own labels.
Paperwork beyond the license
- For-hire across state lines, CDL or not: a USDOT number and MC authority, plus insurance filed with FMCSA.
- IRP apportioned plates and an IFTA fuel tax license from your base state when an interstate truck is over 26,000 lb or has 3 or more axles. Many gooseneck combinations cross that weight.
- A current medical examiner's certificate from an examiner on FMCSA's National Registry, kept on file for each driver.
- CDL rigs only: a drug and alcohol testing program before your first load.
Source: IFTA Articles of Agreement R245; IRP · checked Oct 2026
Hotshot dispatching services at the same rate as every truck
Some dispatchers charge hotshots more because loads are smaller and the phone work is heavier. We don't. Your fee follows your authority age and fleet size, nothing else. It's a percentage of loads you haul, with no setup fee and no contract beyond 30 days notice. Full pricing and terms.
What we need to know about your rig
Deck length and whether it has a dovetail and ramps, your real payload after fuel and gear, how many straps, chains and binders you carry, tarps, and any winch. Hotshot loads are won or lost on fit: a load that's 2 ft too long or 1,500 lb too heavy is a wasted call for everyone. With the specs on file, every offer we bring you already fits the deck, and you aren't sorting through loads you can't legally haul.
- 7%
- MC under 6 months
- 5%
- 1 truck, 6+ months
- 4%
- 2+ trucks, limited time
Book hotshot loads without living on the phone
Tell us your truck, trailer, deck length and payload. We find the loads, negotiate them, and send each one to you to confirm or pass. The rate con comes straight from the broker.