Truck Dispatch That Also Handles Paperwork and IFTA: What a Full-Service Dispatcher Covers

A full-service truck dispatcher finds and books your loads and handles the paperwork that follows each one: broker setup packets, rate confirmations, bills of lading and proof of delivery, invoicing, and the mileage and fuel records your quarterly IFTA return is built from. A dispatch-only service stops once the load is booked, and everything after that lands back on you. If you're searching for dispatch that also covers paperwork and IFTA, you're really looking for a dispatcher that works as your back office.

That's how WeLink Cargo works: dispatch comes with the paperwork, IFTA, safety and compliance, billing and driver recruiting, all handled by the same team. Here's what each piece covers and which questions to ask before you sign.

What dispatch-only usually leaves on your desk

A dispatch-only service searches load boards, negotiates the rate with the broker and sends you the rate confirmation. That part of the job matters. But a single load creates a trail of work after the booking:

• The broker's carrier packet (your MC authority, W-9, certificate of insurance) has to be completed before you can haul for a new broker.
• The rate confirmation, bill of lading and signed proof of delivery have to be collected and matched to the load.
• An invoice has to go to the broker or your factoring company, with the right documents attached, and someone has to follow up when it isn't paid.
• The miles you drove in each state and the fuel you bought have to be recorded for IFTA.

When dispatch stops at the booking, the driver or the owner does all of this at night, or it doesn't get done. That's how invoices go out late and IFTA quarters get rebuilt from a shoebox of receipts.

What a full-service dispatcher covers

Load paperwork and broker setup

The dispatcher completes broker carrier packets, keeps your authority, W-9 and insurance certificate current and on file, and collects the rate confirmation, BOL and POD for every load so each one is ready to bill.

Billing

Invoices go out as soon as the POD comes in, to the broker or to your factoring company, and unpaid invoices get followed up. At WeLink, the payment is made to you or your factor; it never passes through us.

IFTA records

IFTA applies to qualified motor vehicles (generally power units with two axles over 26,000 pounds, or three or more axles) that run in more than one member jurisdiction. You file a quarterly return with your base jurisdiction, due the last day of the month after each quarter ends (April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31), and the IFTA Procedures Manual requires you to keep the supporting distance and fuel records for four years. A full-service dispatcher pulls the miles by jurisdiction from your ELD, matches the fuel receipts, and prepares the numbers for the return. The license and the obligation to file are still yours as the carrier; what changes is that the records are complete when the deadline arrives. Our IFTA guide for small carriers explains the filing itself.

Safety and compliance

Driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing program records and Clearinghouse queries under 49 CFR Part 382, and the biennial MCS-150 update required by 49 CFR 390.19. This is the paperwork a new-entrant safety audit looks at. See how to pass a DOT new-entrant safety audit.

Driver recruiting

When you add a truck or lose a driver, the same team that dispatches your fleet sources and screens drivers, so the new hire's file is built to the same standard as the rest.

Dispatch-only vs. full-service vs. the alternatives

The /compare page walks through how each of these pricing models adds up, and our buyer's guide to trucking back-office services scores each provider type.

Questions to ask before you sign

1. Which tasks are included in the fee, and which are extra? Get it in writing, task by task: packets, invoicing, IFTA records, compliance files, recruiting.
2. Who prepares the IFTA numbers, and when do I see them? You want the quarter's figures before the deadline, not on it.
3. Does money ever pass through the dispatcher? Payments should go to you or your factoring company.
4. Are there setup, per-hire or per-driver fees? These are where à-la-carte pricing grows.
5. How do I leave? Look for a clear notice period, not a long lock-in.

WeLink charges a simple percentage of the load, the same rate from the first load, with no setup fee, no per-hire fee and no per-driver fee, and you can cancel with 14 days' notice. See our services for everything that's included, or read how much a truck dispatch service costs for the wider market picture.

Ready to hand off the paperwork along with the dispatching? Get started.

Frequently asked questions

Do truck dispatchers handle IFTA?

Dispatch-only services generally don't. A full-service dispatcher keeps the mileage-by-state and fuel records from each trip and prepares the figures for your quarterly return. The IFTA license and the legal responsibility to file stay with you, the carrier.

What paperwork does a full-service dispatcher take care of?

Broker carrier packets, rate confirmations, bills of lading, proof of delivery, invoices and payment follow-up, IFTA records, and safety files such as driver qualification files, Clearinghouse queries and the biennial MCS-150 update.

Is full-service dispatch more expensive than dispatch-only?

Not necessarily. A dispatch-only fee looks lower, but the paperwork still has to be done by you, an employee or other vendors. Compare the total cost of every task, not the dispatch fee alone. At WeLink the paperwork, IFTA, compliance, billing and recruiting are handled by the same team for a simple percentage of the load.

Does the dispatcher collect payment for my loads?

It shouldn't have to. At WeLink we send the invoices and follow up on them, but payment goes directly to you or your factoring company.

Can I switch from a dispatch-only service to full-service?

Yes. Check your current agreement's notice period, then move your broker packets, open invoices and the current IFTA quarter's records across. WeLink's agreement can be cancelled with 14 days' notice.