Dispatcher / Load Planner for Midwest Trucking Company (Remote)
ConfidentialDispatcher / Load Planner - Apex Logistics Services (Remote) Full-time, W2 - 100% remote Must currently reside in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Iowa. This role requires working knowledge of Midwest roads, geography, and seasonal weather because load-planning and driver-safety decisions depend on it. Excellent written and verbal English communication skills required. Start time: 6:30 a.m. CT, Monday-Friday Weekly performance bonus. Average performers earn approximately $52,000 total compensation, while top performers can reach $100,000 as the fleet grows to 20 trucks. After training, occasional after-hours/weekend availability is required. Do you like puzzles? Load planning is a live puzzle every day: a handful of trucks, dozens of possible loads, Hours-of-Service clocks ticking, appointment windows, deadhead miles, rates, weather, and unexpected changes. Your job is to make all the pieces fit so every truck runs the most profitable miles possible while operating safely, legally, and on schedule. We've got the tools to help - load boards, custom-built software, GPS tracking, TMS and ELD technology. You bring the pattern-matching brain, judgment, attention to detail, and ability to make good decisions under pressure. The purpose of this position is to find, negotiate, and book freight that keeps the fleet running profitable miles while managing day-to-day dispatch, driver communication, broker updates, and maintenance coordination. What You'll Do Be the primary point of contact for drivers and manage daily fleet dispatch. Find, evaluate, negotiate, and book loads that fit each driver's available hours and schedule. Start by load planning 1-2 trucks, expanding to the full fleet as you demonstrate proficiency with Apex's process. Evaluate potential loads using loaded miles, deadhead, load/unload time, appointment windows, time zones, HOS availability, and overall revenue potential. Make fast, accurate calculations to determine whether a load makes financial and operational sense. Negotiate freight rates directly with brokers. Communicate accurate load and driver-status updates to freight brokers throughout the day. Apply Hours-of-Service rules in real time to determine whether loads can legally and realistically be completed as scheduled. Review rate confirmations closely and catch discrepancies before signing. Screen freight for scheduling problems, HOS issues, fraud red flags, and other potential risks. Coordinate maintenance stops and schedule adjustments when required. Recognize situations that require owner involvement before they become bigger problems. When escalating an issue, be prepared to explain the problem clearly, provide realistic options, and recommend what you think should be done. Other responsibilities as needed - we're a small team, and everyone pitches in where it counts. What We're Looking For Required: Minimum 3 years of truck freight dispatching and load-planning experience, including: Hands-on experience using DAT, Truckstop, or a similar load board to find and price loads. Personal experience negotiating freight rates directly with freight brokers. Working knowledge of Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations. Working knowledge of Midwest roads, geography, and seasonal weather. Strong mathematical skills - you can quickly calculate whether a load actually works when considering deadhead, loaded miles, time, appointments, and driver hours. Strong attention to detail. Small mistakes in trucking can become expensive problems. Ability to multitask by phone, text, email, load board, TMS, and ELD throughout the day. Ability to keep track of multiple trucks, drivers, schedules, and personalities simultaneously. Ability to make sound decisions when you don't have perfect information and recover quickly when circumstances change. Professional written communication skills. Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office. Your dispatch experience must spe…