The 4 Best Truck Dispatch Software Solutions

Manual dispatch operations involve juggling spreadsheets, losing track of loads and wasting hours on phone calls, all of which eat up time and limit growth. The result? Missed profitable loads, costly empty miles and compliance headaches that put your business at risk.

The right truck dispatch software automates load assignment, cuts down on endless check calls and gives you the visibility you need. This guide breaks down the top software options, helping you choose the perfect fit to modernize your trucking operations, stay compliant and boost customer satisfaction.

What Is Truck Dispatch Software?

Truck dispatch software simplifies and automates the complex process of managing loads, drivers and deliveries. Instead of relying on whiteboards, spreadsheets and constant phone calls, you get a centralized digital hub that handles everything, from driver assignment and load scheduling to real-time shipment tracking and communication between dispatchers, drivers and customers.

Moreover, modern trucking dispatch software connects with other essential technologies to create a complete fleet management system. You’ll typically connect it to ELDs for compliance, GPS systems for live location data, and accounting software for better invoicing and driver settlements.

Key features to consider

Certain features make the difference between software solutions that bring real improvements and those that are just another system to manage.

Real-time GPS tracking and communication

Good software provides live visibility into your fleet’s location and enables instant two-way communication with drivers through a dedicated app. This eliminates disruptive check calls and lets you give customers proactive, real-time updates on their shipments.

Load management and route optimization

Look for systems that can automate load creation, often by processing rate confirmations directly. Additionally, advanced platforms utilize AI and smart algorithms for route optimization, which reduces deadhead miles, lowers fuel costs and accounts for driver hours.

Driver settlements and payroll integration

Streamlining driver settlements keeps your drivers happy. The best systems automatically calculate pay based on completed loads, factoring in rates, miles and extra charges. Direct integration with popular accounting software like QuickBooks is a big plus.

Compliance and documentation management

Modern dispatch software helps you maintain Department of Transportation (DOT) compliance. This includes automated Hours of Service (HOS) tracking via ELD integration, digital scanning for bills of lading and secure cloud storage for all essential documents, though some specialized operations may qualify for ELD exemptions.

Be aware of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Split Duty Period and Sleeper Berth pilot programs, which are set to launch in the near future. If your fleet participates, your dispatch software must support these flexible HOS logging rules. Also, look for platforms that support digital ELD manuals, as the FMCSA has proposed removing the requirement to carry physical manuals in the cab.

Freight fraud prevention and financial security

Dispatch software is your first line of defense against double-brokering and fuel theft.

• AI-powered asset protection: Leading platforms now use “Vehicle Proximity” checks. If a driver’s fuel card is swiped at a gas station, but the truck’s GPS shows it is 50 miles away, the transaction is auto-declined.
• Carrier identity verification: For freight brokers, modern software integrates with services like Highway or Carrier411 to automatically vet carriers, preventing identity theft rings from booking your loads.
• Fuel siphoning alerts: Advanced IoT sensors (like those from Samsara) can now detect sudden drops in fuel levels while a vehicle is stationary, alerting dispatchers to theft in real-time.

Top Truck Dispatch Software Solutions

We’ve analyzed the top solutions on the market, pulling data from our research to help you compare the providers best suited for US trucking operations. These are all great solutions; the right choice will depend on your specific business needs.

1. Motive

Formerly known as KeepTruckin, Motive has grown from an ELD compliance tool into a comprehensive, AI-powered platform for physical operations.

Today, it has repositioned itself as a “Physical Operations Platform” with a heavy focus on financial security and fraud prevention, as well as vehicle/equipment tracking, driver safety, regulatory compliance and spend management. For fleets tired of fuel theft and double-brokering, Motive is now a primary defensive tool.

Motive’s native dispatch features (formerly “Fleet View”) have matured into a robust workflow system. Dispatchers can assign loads directly to a specific vehicle or driver, and the Motive Driver App handles the rest, providing turn-by-turn navigation, document scanning and automated “Geofence Arrival” updates that trigger customer notifications.

Why it wins today: Motive is currently the leader in financial operations (FinOps). Its new AI-powered fuel card integration prevents “buddy fueling” (drivers filling personal cars) by cross-referencing the truck’s GPS location with the gas station terminal. If the truck isn’t at the pump, the card is automatically declined.

Key features:

• Fleet tracking: Real-time GPS locations and dynamic ETAs.
• Financial fraud defense: New “Fuel Tank Threshold” alerts (detects if more fuel is pumped than the tank holds) and “Vehicle Proximity” auto-declines.
• AI-powered safety: The AI dash cam now includes “drowsiness detection” and live in-cab audio alerts to correct behavior before an accident happens.
• Automated dispatch: “Smart Load Matching” suggests the best driver for a load based on current HOS (Hours of Service) status and location.
• Marketplace integrations: For fleets needing a full-blown transportation management systems (TMS), Motive integrates deeply with partners like NinjaTMS and Truckbase to sync dispatch data instantly.
• Mobile app: Motive Driver App for ELD, dispatch, and driver communication.

Best for: Small-to-mid-market fleets (five to 100 trucks) that want to combine safety, compliance and spend management into a single dashboard to stop money leaks.

Pricing: Typically ranges from $25-$35 per vehicle, per month for core compliance and tracking. Custom quotes are provided for larger fleets requiring their AI safety suite and spend management features, amongst others. Contracts are typically one to three years.

2. Samsara

Samsara is the heavy hitter for mid-market and enterprise fleets, marketing itself not just as dispatch software, but as a “Connected Operations Cloud.” While it offers standard routing and messaging, its true power lies in breaking down data silos by connecting your dispatch, safety, maintenance and accounting teams into a single source of truth.

Samsara’s routing and dispatch tools offer real-time tracking of route progress, live sharing links through a customer portal and remote re-routing capabilities. Its system provides detailed “planned versus actual” reports to analyze fleet performance and spot inefficiencies.

Today, Samsara aggressively expanded its asset protection features to combat the industry-wide rise in theft. Beyond just tracking location, the platform now utilizes sophisticated sensor data to detect “fuel siphoning events”, alerting dispatchers immediately if fuel levels drop rapidly while a vehicle’s engine is off.

The platform uses plenty of other IoT sensors for a range of applications, including vehicle telematics, AI-powered dash cams and smart trailer monitoring, which tracks tire health and temperature. However, some users report challenges with customer service and long, inflexible contract terms.

Why it wins today: Samsara is a superb option if you need to remove manual admin work through AI. Its new AI-Powered Receipt Capture can be a game-changer for driver settlements, for instance, by allowing drivers to simply snap a photo of a fuel or toll receipt, with the AI automatically extracting the data. It then matches it to the GPS location and transaction log, and flags any discrepancies for the back office instantly.

Key features:

• Hardware: Advanced vehicle telematics and AI-powered dash cams.
• “Planned versus actual” reporting: The industry standard for route analytics. It overlays the dispatched route against the actual path driven, highlighting exactly where efficiency was lost due to traffic, driver detours or dwell time.
• Fuel siphoning and theft alerts: Real-time alerts that combine tank-level sensors with GPS geofencing to detect fuel theft the moment it happens.
• Smart trailer and reefer monitoring: Deep integration for cold chain logistics, allowing dispatchers to remotely control reefer units and receive alerts for temperature excursions before loads are spoiled.
• App marketplace: An open ecosystem with over 270+ turnkey integrations, allowing you to connect your dispatch data seamlessly with TMS platforms like McLeod, TMW and Oracle.

Best for: Mid-market and large enterprise fleets (50+ trucks) in industries requiring deep IoT integration and data analytics, such as logistics, construction, and food and beverage.

Pricing: Quote-based, often requiring a three-year contract. Typical pricing is around $44-$60 per vehicle, per month, depending on the hardware selected. A strict three-year minimum contract is standard, which can be a barrier for smaller carriers.

3. McLeod Software

For years, the criticism of McLeod was that it was “powerful but clunky.” Today, that narrative is dead, as with its web version of LoadMaster, McLeod has completely modernized its interface, moving from a server-based legacy system to a flexible, browser-based platform that allows dispatchers to work from anywhere.

It remains the gold standard for large carriers and brokers who need a “do-it-all” system, but now it pairs that depth with modern usability.

LoadMaster provides robust functionality for detailed load planning, driver management and real-time tracking. Its biggest differentiator might be its integrated accounting system, which covers accounts receivable, settlements, payroll, and fuel tax management, eliminating the need for separate software.

Why it wins today: It is arguably the most “future-proof” TMS on the market. McLeod is the first major platform to integrate natively with autonomous trucking (via its partnership with Aurora Innovation), allowing fleets to dispatch self-driving trucks alongside human drivers in the same view.

Key features:

• RespondAI: A new generative AI tool that reads incoming emails from shippers, understands the context (e.g. “Do you have a truck for Atlanta to Dallas?”) and automatically drafts a response with your current capacity and pricing.
• Identity fraud prevention: Through a deep integration with Highway, McLeod now acts as a firewall against double-brokering. It automatically vets carrier identity data before you can even assign a load, blocking bad actors from your network.
• Market-based pricing: Built-in integrations with Greenscreens.ai provide real-time “Target Buy Rates” directly on the dispatch screen, ensuring brokers never overpay for capacity.
• Integrated accounting: Accounting suite with advanced business intelligence and reporting, as well as document imaging and workflow automation.
• Over 100 certified integration partners: Including major ELD providers.

Best for: Large carriers and freight brokers (100+ trucks) requiring a powerful, all-in-one TMS for dispatch, accounting, and payroll.

Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing. This is a high-end solution requiring a significant upfront and ongoing investment.

4. AscendTMS

AscendTMS is cloud-based transportation management software that provides an accessible, cost-effective, and comprehensive platform for managing logistics, and has shed its reputation as just a “free starter tool.”

It is entirely browser-based, making it accessible from any device. It has historically been recognized for its free basic tier, which provides strong load management, driver tracking (via SMS) and complete accounting tools, including invoicing, settlements and financial reporting.

Another unique selling point has been the company’s commitment to building new integrations requested by users, at no cost if they benefit the community.

While they still offer a basic free tier, their strategy focuses entirely on their Pro Plan, which is geared towards not just moving loads but finding shippers to guarantee profits for small brokers and carriers. Consequently, AscendTMS has become the only platform that includes a built-in Shipper CRM and lead generation tool, effectively functioning as a sales engine for your business.

Why it wins today: It solves the “profitability crisis.” With the new Target Gross Margin calculator, dispatchers can set a mandatory profit baseline (e.g. “15% margin”). The system actively guides carrier negotiations, visually flagging any rate that would cause the load to dip below that profitability threshold before you book it.

Key features:

• Highway integration (fraud defense): In a major recent update, AscendTMS integrated natively with Highway. This gives SMB brokers enterprise-grade carrier vetting, automatically blocking identity thieves and double-brokers without requiring a separate, expensive contract.
• Target Gross Margins tools: A financial guardrail that prevents dispatchers from booking unprofitable freight. You set the goal, and the system enforces the math.
• Shipper CRM and leads: The Pro Plan provides a steady stream of verified shipper leads directly into your dashboard, helping you bypass load boards and find direct freight.
• Cloud-based portability: Unlike legacy systems, it remains entirely browser-based, allowing teams to run full dispatch operations from a tablet or laptop anywhere in the world.
• Integrated accounting features: Including QuickBooks integration
• Driver track and trace: Via SMS (no app required).

Best for: Small to medium-sized carriers (five to 50 trucks) and freight brokers seeking an affordable, user-friendly, and feature-rich TMS with low startup costs.

Pricing: Basic – free (limited features, good for fewer than three users); Premium – $99 per user, per month (unlocks standard automation); Pro Plan – $149 per user, per month (the new standard, includes the Shipper CRM, Target Gross Margins, and advanced automation).

Comparative Analysis

The truck dispatch software market is clearly segmented by fleet size, operational complexity, and business model. Here’s how our top four solutions compare:

Motive and Samsara are the clear leaders in tech, using AI and IoT to offer integrated solutions for safety, compliance and operations. Motive has a user-friendly platform and strong customer service, while Samsara excels in providing deep data insights for large, complex fleets, though its support receives mixed reviews.

McLeod remains the gold standard for large enterprises that need an all-encompassing, deeply customizable system with powerful, built-in accounting. Its price and complexity, however, place it out of reach for most smaller operators.

AscendTMS fills that gap perfectly, offering a powerful, accessible and affordable cloud-based TMS that’s ideal for growing carriers and brokers.

Factors To Consider When Choosing Dispatch Software

Selecting the right platform requires careful thought about your specific operational needs. Keep the following factors in mind during your evaluation:

• Business size and requirements: Your current fleet size and operational complexity are the most important guides. A small owner-operator has vastly different needs from a 500-truck enterprise. Match the software’s capabilities with your daily workflows, freight types and growth plans. Don’t pay for enterprise features you’ll never use.
• Budget and total cost of ownership: Consider the total cost of ownership, which includes implementation fees, data migration, hardware costs, training, and ongoing support. Some solutions have low upfront costs but expensive add-ons, while others require a significant initial investment.
• User experience: Think about the ease of use for both your dispatchers in the office and your drivers on the road. An intuitive interface for dispatchers and a simple, reliable mobile app for drivers will lead to much faster adoption and higher customer satisfaction.
• Integration capabilities: Make sure the software can connect seamlessly with your other essential systems. Important integrations include your ELD provider, accounting software, fuel cards and any load boards you use.
• Customer support: When issues arise, you need reliable support. Check the availability and quality of a vendor’s customer service. Read reviews, ask about support hours and understand if premium support comes at an extra cost.
• Fraud prevention capabilities: Dispatch software is your primary shield against double-brokering and theft. Look for platforms that offer “vehicle proximity” checks (verifying the truck is actually at the pickup location) and identity verification integrations (like Highway or Carrier411).