Which equipment types to target as a new dispatch service
Reviewed · Numbers are Rookiefeed analysis as of , updated daily
A new dispatch service should target one or two equipment types it can actually keep loaded, in states where enough new carriers run them. Dry van is the largest pool of new carriers right now, with 4,893 in the last 30 days, but it's also the most crowded. Smaller types like reefer or flatbed reward real knowledge of the freight.
New carriers by equipment, last 30 days
Counts of carriers granted for-hire authority in the 30 days ending October 19, 2026, by the equipment their registered cargo points to. One carrier can register cargo for several types, so the rows add up to more than the 5,591 carriers granted.
| Equipment | New carriers | Top states |
|---|---|---|
| Dry van | 4,893 | Texas, California, Florida |
| Flatbed | 804 | Texas, Florida, Illinois |
| Car hauler | 439 | Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania |
| Hopper/Bulk | 419 | Texas, California, Illinois |
| Reefer | 338 | California, Texas, ON |
| Intermodal | 194 | California, Texas, Florida |
| Livestock | 86 | Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois |
| Tanker | 82 | Texas, Illinois, Florida |
How the equipment is assigned
FMCSA doesn't record trailer type. It records the cargo classes a carrier says it hauls. Cold food, produce and meat point to reefer. Building materials, metal, machinery and logs point to flatbed. Motor vehicles and drive-away point to car hauler. General freight, paper, beverages and household goods point to dry van.
That makes the equipment a strong guess, not a fact. Confirm the trailer on the first call before you promise loads.
What each type means for a dispatcher
- Dry van: The biggest pool and the most competition. Easy to book, rates swing with the market, and every new dispatcher pitches it.
- Reefer: Steady food and produce freight year round. Temperature records, appointment times and claims make a good dispatcher worth more here.
- Flatbed: Higher rates per mile, but loads need securement know-how and tarps. Owners value a dispatcher who knows which shippers load fast.
- Car hauler: Rigs range from one- or two-car hotshot setups to full stingers. Freight runs through dealer, auction and vehicle-transport boards rather than the usual van brokers, so it pays to know those.
- Tanker: Often needs hazmat endorsements, tank washes and shipper approvals. A smaller pool, and harder for a new dispatcher to serve well.
- Hopper/Bulk: Grain, feed and dry bulk freight follows harvest seasons and regional lanes. It suits a dispatcher who knows ag freight.
- Intermodal: Container drayage near ports and rail ramps, with its own terminals, appointments and per diem rules.
- Livestock: A small, specialized pool with welfare rules and seasonal peaks. Owners usually rely on shippers they already know.
How to choose
- Start with freight you know. If you've booked reefer before, the reefer pool is yours even if dry van is bigger.
- Check the volume in your states, not just nationally. A type with a few new carriers a month in your area won't sustain a business.
- Count the competition. The biggest pool attracts the most dispatchers, and new owners in it hear the most pitches.
- Think about rates and your fee. A percentage of a higher-rate load pays more per booking, but only if you can find those loads reliably.
- Stick with two types at most while you build broker relationships. Being the dispatcher who knows flatbed in two states beats being one more generalist.
Using the numbers
Each equipment page shows the top ten states, fleet sizes and insurers for that type, updated every morning. Open the ones you're considering, compare the counts in your states, and note how many are single-truck owners, since they're the ones who most often hire a dispatcher.
The national totals and every other breakdown are on the stats page. For how to approach the owners once you've picked, see how dispatchers find owner-operators.
A first-month plan
- Week 1: pick one equipment type and two or three states. Learn the ten brokers that post the most of that freight there, and their payment terms.
- Week 2: work the new carriers of that type in those states each morning. Call by hand, email the same day with your fee in writing.
- Week 3: for every owner who talks to you, put together two real loads you could book for their truck and send them.
- Week 4: review. If you signed nobody, check whether the type is too crowded or your states are too small before you widen the net.
Getting the list
Rookiefeed puts the equipment on every row, next to the owner's name, phone (cells flagged), email and fleet size, for every carrier granted authority the day before. Rookiefeed is $59 a month for one state once a week, $149 for one state every day, $299 for up to 8 states and $599 for every state, and you can cancel any time.
See what your states look like in the free list builder.
Questions
- What is the best equipment type for a new dispatcher?
- The one whose freight you already understand, in states with enough new carriers. Dry van has the most new carriers but the most competition. Reefer and flatbed are smaller pools where knowing the shippers, brokers and rates makes you more useful to an owner, which makes the pitch easier.
- How do you know what equipment a new carrier runs?
- From the cargo classes the carrier registers with FMCSA. Cold food and produce point to reefer, building materials and machinery to flatbed, and general freight to dry van. It's a strong guess rather than a record of the trailer, so confirm the equipment on your first call.
- Should a dispatch service work several equipment types?
- Not at first. One or two types lets you learn the brokers, lanes and rates well enough to keep each truck loaded. Once you have steady clients and broker relationships, adding a related type such as reefer next to dry van is easier.
Every new carrier, by 7am
Owner name, phone, email, fleet, equipment and insurer for each carrier FMCSA authorized yesterday, as a CSV.