There’s a better way to secure more loads for your business. With carrier text and email notifications, you’ll get a real-time alert whenever a vehicle matching one of your saved searches is posted or updated. Each alert includes a direct link to the listing, so you can check it out for yourself with just a tap.
It’s the easiest way to stay informed about loads you’re interested in, be the first to accept the job, and keep your trucks full and earning money. Whether you’re in the office, on the road, or at home!
NEW CARRIERS: You’re automatically enrolled in a FREE notifications trial, with a limit of 20 notifications per day. Make sure you’ve configured your saved searches, so you can start receiving your FREE notifications!
Learn how to create a saved search in this user guide.
Welcome to Central Dispatch! We’re excited for you to start finding loads with us. Read this start guide to make sure you have your account set up properly, and you’re ready to take full advantage of everything our platform offers.
1. Set Up Account
Confirm your company profile
We automatically populate your company profile based on the details you provided at sign up. Be sure to confirm all your info is correct by clicking your name in the top right of the screen, then clicking “Company Profile” from the dropdown menu. You can also add your business contacts and edit their roles (Owner, Billing, Listing, Dispatch), edit your account preferences, manage your preferred and blocked shipper list, and more.
For more details on setting up your profile, see our user guide >
Set up User Management
User Management gives each employee or contractor in your organization their own Central Dispatch log in — greatly reducing the risk of identity fraud and unauthorized access. It also allows you to assign each team member a role, giving you control over who can access certain features, and who can view certain business information.
Getting started is easy. Just click your name from any page on Central Dispatch and select “Manage Users” from the account dropdown. From this screen, you can add new users, assign their role, or edit any current user.
Adding a new user automatically sends an invitation to the email address you enter for them. Members of your team need to accept the invite before becoming active users.
Get an in-depth look at User Management in this step-by-step video tutorial >
Access and set up billing
To set up your payment methods and billing, click your name at the top right of the screen, then click “Billing” from the dropdown menu. Here you can add or edit your preferred credit or debit cards, pay invoices, view your billing history, toggle on automatic payments, and upgrade or change your subscription.
For more on billing set-up and payment, read our user guide >
Manage your subscription
To view or change your subscription, go to the “Your Subscription” area in the “Billing” page, then Click “Manage Subscriptions.”
There you’ll see all the details of your current plan, and add-on options like Price Check Plus and notifications. You can easily make changes in just a few clicks by selecting a new plan or add-on and hitting “Update Subscription.”
2. Searching & Managing Loads
Search for loads
With your profile, users, and billing set up, you’re ready to start searching for loads! From the Account Dashboard, click “Find Shipments,” and click “Search Vehicles” in the drop down menu.
Next, enter your preferred region of origin and delivery destination. To narrow your search even further, scroll down the page where you can filter by vehicle type, trailer type, number of vehicles, or minimum payment.
Toggle on the “Search Along Route” button to see vehicles that will be ready for pickup in the timeframe your truck is traveling through the area. Search results will show you the origin and destination, type of vehicle, price offered (including per mile), and the shipper’s company info.
Use our “Price Check” tool to bring up a table containing recent loads similar to yours and their listed price, helping you secure a fair, competitive rate. Or upgrade to access “Price Check Plus” for even more listing insights, and AI-powered pricing recommendations.
You can also sign up for our Saved Search Notifications, which sends you alerts when loads matching your preferences have been posted to the marketplace, so you never miss a load.
Once you find a load that interests you, make sure to review the shipper’s Central Dispatch profile and ratings before doing business with them. On their profile, you’ll see the shipper’s overall rating, as well as ratings for different categories like Timeliness, Communication, and Documentation. If you’re confident in a shipper’s profile, give them a call and accept the job.
For more on searching loads, watch this step-by-step video tutorial >
Managing your loads
Once you’ve accepted a job, the shipper will dispatch the load to you electronically, giving you all the information you need to pick up the vehicle and get started. No paperwork required!
Just navigate to “Find Shipments,” then “Dispatches” and view the dispatch details. The “Dispatches” page is also where you’ll keep track of all your loads on Central Dispatch. Whether they’re currently being dispatched, have been delivered, picked up, or were canceled.
All these important records are automatically updated, and can be accessed anytime, anywhere there’s an internet connection.
For more on managing loads, view our user guide >
Download the Central Dispatch App
We highly recommend downloading the Central Dispatch carrier mobile app, where you can complete vehicle inspections, send eBOL documentation, and share real-time delivery status updates with shippers on every load.
For more on the app, view the demo video >
3. Rate Shippers
Once a job is complete, use the Transactional Ratings system to rate and review your partners. This system allows you to give each transaction an overall rating, plus ratings in three distinct categories: Timeliness, Communication, and Documentation.
We recommend leaving a written review to give more details on your experience working with them. You can also choose when your review is published, giving you the confidence to share your full experience and provide honest feedback.
Be as fair and thorough as possible when describing your carrier partner’s performance, so other shippers can make better, more informed partnering decisions.
For more on Transactional Ratings, watch the demo video >
4. Additional Resources
Want to fully maximize your Central Dispatch subscription? Be sure to check out our Resource Center, where we’re always adding new content like in-depth video tutorials, thought leadership, and new feature announcements. It’s the best way to keep up to date with the platform, and ensure you’re using every tool to your advantage!
Ready to search for your first load? Get started! >
Welcome to Central Dispatch! We’re excited for you to get started shipping vehicles with us. Read this start guide to make sure you have your account set up properly, and you’re ready to take full advantage of everything our platform offers.
1. Setting Up Your Account
Confirm your company profile
We automatically populate your company profile based on the details you provided at sign up. Be sure to confirm all your info is correct by clicking your name in the top right of the screen, then clicking “Company Profile” from the dropdown menu.
You can also add your business contacts and edit their roles (Owner, Billing, Listing, Dispatch), edit your account preferences, manage your preferred and blocked carrier list, and more.
For more details on setting up your profile, see our user guide >
Set up User Management
User Management gives each employee or contractor in your organization their own Central Dispatch log in — greatly reducing the risk of identity fraud and unauthorized access. It also allows you to assign each team member a role, giving you control over who can access certain features, and who can view certain business information.
Getting started is easy. Just click your name from any page on Central Dispatch and select “Manage Users” from the account dropdown. From this screen, you can add new users, assign their role, or edit any current user.
Adding a new user automatically sends an invitation to the email address you enter for them. Members of your team need to accept the invite before becoming active users.
Get an in-depth look at User Management in this step-by-step video tutorial >
Access and set up billing
To set up your payment methods and billing, click your name at the top right of the screen, then click “Billing” from the dropdown menu. Here you can add or edit your preferred credit or debit cards, pay invoices, view your billing history, toggle on automatic payments, and upgrade or change your subscription.
For more on billing set-up and payment, read our user guide >
Manage your subscription
To view or change your subscription or tier level, go to the “Your Subscription” area in the “Billing” page. There you’ll see the number of vehicles you’ve listed this month, and a progress bar showing you how close you are to your current limit.
Click “Manage Subscriptions” to view all your subscription, tier level, and add-on options. You can make changes in just a few clicks by selecting a new plan, tier, or add-on and hitting “Update Subscription.”
For more on subscriptions and tier levels, read our user guide >
2. Posting & Managing Loads
Post your first load
With your profile, users, and billing set up, you’re ready to start posting loads with us! Click the “Ship Vehicles” tab at the top left of your screen to reach the Create Load page. From there, it only takes a few minutes to fill out all your vehicle information to post to the load board or assign directly to a carrier.
You can also use our “Price Check” tool to bring up a table containing recent loads similar to yours and their listed price, helping you secure a fair, competitive rate. Premium subscribers can use “Price Check Plus” for even more listing insights, and AI-powered pricing recommendations.
Carriers will contact you via the phone number you include under “Listing Role,” so be sure to enter the appropriate number in that field before listing. When contacted, you should also always verify their FMCSA information with our FMCSA Checklist, and look through their insurance documentation. We recommend confirming their details through the FMCSA website to be sure their credentials are legitimate.
Once you’ve selected a carrier, navigate to the “Manage Listings” page to assign the load to them.
For more on posting loads, read about our Create Load Experience >
Managing your loads
Once you’ve dispatched a vehicle to a carrier, managing them throughout the shipping process is easy! Just navigate to the “Manage Listings” page, where you can edit, archive, and delete any current listings. You can also find exactly what you’re looking for fast by filtering by Listing status, pick-up or delivery location, listing ID, or YMM.
If your carrier partner has enabled Real-Time Tracking, you can see your shipments live location on an interactive GPS map, and receive delivery status updates directly from the driver. We recommend requesting all your carrier partners enable Real-Time Tracking for the most streamlined experience possible, and increased peace of mind.
For more on managing loads, view our user guide >
3. Rate your carrier partner
Once a job is complete, use the Transactional Ratings system to rate and review your carrying partner. This system allows you to give each transaction an overall rating, plus ratings in three distinct categories: Timeliness, Communication, and Documentation.
We recommend leaving a written review to give more details on your experience working with them. You can also choose when your review is published, giving you the confidence to share your full experience and provide honest feedback.
Be as fair and thorough as possible when describing your carrier partner’s performance, so other shippers can make better, more informed partnering decisions.
Note: In order to rate a transaction, the load must be in Delivered or Cancelled status.
If the carrier has not updated the status, you can update it manually. See the Manage Loads user guide for detailed steps.
Learn more about Transactional Ratings in this step-by-step video tutorial >
4. Use the Resource Center
Want to fully maximize your Central Dispatch subscription? Be sure to check out our Resource Center, where we’re always adding new content like in-depth video tutorials, thought leadership, and new feature announcements. It’s the best way to keep up to date with the platform, and ensure you’re using every tool to your advantage!
Ready to post your first load? Get started! >
Welcome to Central Dispatch! Learn how to search for loads, get dispatches, and manage your shipments with our platform.
Welcome to Central Dispatch! See how to post vehicles, choose a partner with confidence, and dispatch to carriers on the platform.
Transcript:
Welcome to Central Dispatch!
This quick-start guide will get you on your way to shipping your first vehicle with us.
To post a vehicle listing, first log into your Central Dispatch account. From the Account Dashboard, click “Ship Vehicles” and click “Create Load” in the drop down menu.
Next, fill in all your listing information. Start with the vehicle’s pick up location, and then delivery location.
Scroll down and enter the trailer type and vehicle type. From here, you can see what the current market rate is for vehicles of a similar type and distance using the Price Check tool. You’ll get a table of recent listings, the listed price, and if the job was dispatched.
Central Dispatch Premium users have the option to use Price Check Plus, which shows you even more real-time market data for more informed decisions, and delivers AI predictive-pricing to ensure you get the most optimal rate possible.
You can then enter your desired pickup and delivery date and the price you’re willing to pay.
Now you’re ready to either post to the load board, or dispatch directly to a preferred carrier. No need to double enter! Our seamless data transfer means you can take either option from the same dashboard.
If posting to the load board, you can expect a call within 15-30 minutes — our carriers are always looking for new jobs.
You should always review a carrier’s Central Dispatch profile and ratings before doing business with them. Use the carrier scorecard for a quick snap shot of their ratings and authorization, or, get more details on their profile.
To find a carrier’s profile, enter their name in the “Company Search” bar.
There, you’ll see their complete FMCSA details. Review these closely to verify the carrier is active and authorized. Review insurance documents provided on their profile, and contact the agent to verify their insurance information is up-to-date.
You’ll also see a carrier’s overall Central Dispatch rating, as well as ratings for different categories like Timeliness, Communication, and Documentation.
Central Dispatch also provides ratings at the transactional level — so you can see how exactly they’ve performed on previous jobs and identify any suspicious activity to avoid unreliable partners.
Once you’ve chosen a carrier, dispatching them is easy with fully electronic dispatch.
From the Account Dashboard, click “Find Shipments,” then click “Manage Listings” in the drop down menu.
Here, you can find the vehicle you want to dispatch, and click “assign.” No paperwork required.
The Assigned Loads tab is also where you’ll keep track of all your listings and shipments. Whether they’re currently listed, dispatched, or have been delivered.
All these important records are automatically updated, and can be accessed anytime, anywhere there’s an internet connection, as long as you maintain your Central Dispatch subscription.
For shipments with real-time tracking enabled, you’ll see the “Location Tracking On” bullet on the dispatch card. Simply hit the “Track Shipment” button to view the vehicle’s live location on an interactive map, as well as the latest delivery status updates.
If you ever want to view your account and subscription information, click “Billing.” Here you can get detailed information on your account billing, and make any changes to your plan.
That’s all for now. Thanks for choosing Central Dispatch!
Please contact us with any questions, and visit the resources section of our website for even more videos and guides.
We look forward to getting you connected with the largest network of carriers in the industry!
Execute moves, complete inspections, and connect with shippers from anywhere with the Central Dispatch mobile app! It’s a one stop where you can access every public and private load.
Transcript:
The Central Dispatch carrier mobile app lets you search for loads, complete vehicle inspections, and more right from your mobile device. So you can run your business and keep trucks on the road earning money, wherever and whenever you need to.
To search for new loads, log into the app and tap the load board icon. Here you can search by location or filter by vehicle type, payment type, minimum payment, delivery date, and more—or select from one of your saved searches to quickly find what you’re looking for. From the list of results, just tap to see all the details about the load.
To start any inspection, tap the yellow icon in the bottom right of your screen. You’ll be prompted to scan the vehicle’s VIN, or search for it manually.
For loads with missing VINs, scan or enter the vehicle VIN, and the app will find a matching load. If there’s no match, it will show you a list of current VIN-less loads. Select the one that matches your delivery details, and tap to associate the load with that VIN.
Once on the main inspection page, simply click on any photo card to begin capturing images for each required area of the vehicle.
Here, you can easily get the correct camera angle using the vehicle outline, or turn on your phone’s flashlight to brighten dark areas. When you have a clear image, just tap to take the photo.
Next, you’ll record any damages to that section of the vehicle, or retake the photo if needed.
To record damages directly onto the photo, tap the damaged area, select a damage type, and it will be annotated right in the photo. You can mark as many damaged areas as you need to for each image.
If you need to add additional details about the vehicle’s condition, make a note by tapping the “Notes” icon, and typing it into the text box.
When you’re finished notating, just tap “Next,” and repeat the same process for each required vehicle photo.
You can go back to the main inspection page anytime by tapping “Cancel” on the top left, and all your progress will be saved. So if you missed any damages or need to make a new note, you can easily tap back into any photo and add to it before you submit the inspection.
If you want to submit a vehicle image that is not part of the required list, tap “Add New Photo” toward the bottom of your screen, capture the image, and select the photo type.
Once you’ve taken all the required photos, tap “Inspection Complete.” This is where you’ll select from one of three sign-off options — agent agrees with assessment, agent has refused to sign, or agent is unavailable. Tap the appropriate option, and enter the required information and signatures. No matter what you choose, all three options lead to the successful completion of the inspection.
Note that for mutli-vehicle loads, not all vehicles in the load need to be completed to submit a successful inspection. Simply perform inspections for the vehicles that are ready, and mark the rest as “can not inspect.”
If any inspections fail to upload due to a poor internet connection, those will appear in the “Error Tab” back on the home screen. So be sure to check there to re-upload outstanding inspections once you find a stable connection.
If you’d like to view or send the inspection EBOL, tap the vehicle card, then tap “View EBOL.” To send, just enter the shipper’s email address from the “Share EBOL” section at the bottom of your screen.
Then, you’re all set! The inspection will upload and be marked as delivered or picked up in real-time, so you can quickly move on to additional inspections, or get back to transporting vehicles.
You can also add incremental expenses from the mobile app for greater transparency with shippers, and easier bookkeeping on-the-go. To add a new expense, go to any Load details page, tap the “More” menu button, tap “Manage Charges,” then hit “Add a Charge.” From here you can fill out all the charge’s details, including the type of charge, dollar amount, date, and any additional notes.
Thanks for watching. And be sure to take advantage of the Central Dispatch app whenever you can so you can easily find cars, execute moves, and seamlessly relay information back to shippers — all in one place!
