As a carrier with enough units that you hire an internal dispatch team, understanding how to measure their performance is critical. If your dispatcher is only focused on picking loads and calling drivers, you’ve got a major blind spot in your operation. Because in today’s market, dispatch isn’t just about movement—it’s about measurement. And if your dispatcher doesn’t understand the right KPIs, you’re flying blind while the wheels turn.
Too many small carriers overlook this. They hire dispatchers to keep trucks moving but never train them to measure what actually matters. That’s why you can run 2,000 miles a week and still lose money. Or think you’re doing great—until that breakdown or late delivery costs you a contract.
Whether you’re dispatching for yourself or managing a small team, this article breaks down the KPIs every dispatcher should know cold. Not just because it’s good business, but because if you want to scale, you’ve got to manage by the numbers—not by gut feel.
Let’s break it down.
This is the foundation. Revenue Per Mile is the most basic performance indicator in dispatch—and the most misused.
Most dispatchers will tell you they’re getting “$2.50 a mile,” but they’re looking at gross rate—not net. And they’re often including empty miles without even realizing it.
The Fix:
Track loaded revenue per loaded mile, not total miles. Then track total revenue per all miles. Why? Because both tell a different story.
If your loaded RPM is $2.50 but your all-mile RPM is $1.85, you’ve got a deadhead issue. That’s a dispatch problem.
Target RPM (All Miles):
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Dry Van: $2.00+
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Reefer: $2.30+
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Flatbed: $2.50+
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Hotshot: $2.00–$2.20
If your dispatcher isn’t watching deadhead like a hawk, you’re burning diesel and losing margin.
Every empty mile is a silent killer. You’re wearing down equipment, paying for fuel, and losing hours—without earning a dime.
The KPI:
Deadhead % = (Empty Miles ÷ Total Miles) × 100
Ideal Target: Under 12%
If you’re above 15%, it’s time to have a serious conversation about routing and planning.
Real-world Example:
We had a fleet running Texas to Atlanta. The dispatcher kept booking returns out of Savannah—because it paid “better.” But the deadhead to Savannah wiped out the profit. Once we tightened the outbound strategy and aligned reloads closer to Atlanta, profit jumped 14%.
KPI #3 – On-Time Performance
Shippers don’t care about how far you drove—they care if you were on time.
Yet many dispatchers don’t track arrival times consistently. Or worse, they rely on drivers to “check in” without confirming timestamps.
