Semi trucks driving on a highway at night during after hours dispatch operations
Transparent Pricing · No Call Required

Managed Dispatch Pricing for After-Hours Coverage

Standard managed coverage is $30 per covered hour. Your final plan documents the coverage window, operational responsibilities, systems, permissions, escalation rules, and any introductory rate before launch.

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Standard Rate
$30
/ covered hour

Managed Coverage Scoped to Your Operation

  • ✓ Assigned dispatcher team
  • ✓ Shift-manager oversight
  • ✓ Approved TMS and ELD workflows
  • ✓ Account-specific onboarding
  • ✓ Documented activity and handoffs
  • ✓ Reduced introductory rate for the first 90 days
BBB Accredited
Dispatcher-Run Since 2018
Account-Specific Onboarding
Reduced Rate: First 90 Days
Client Operations Dashboard

Three Common Ways to Cover Your Nights

Compare the scope, oversight, continuity, and documentation included in each model.

Call Center /
Answering Service

Typically answers calls and relays messages rather than managing freight, drivers, and TMS workflows.

— Often the lowest upfront price

— Commonly uses a shared queue

— May not be logistics-specialized

Managed Model
✓

Ninja Dispatch
Managed Service

A defined overnight function is placed behind an assigned team, documented process, operational oversight, and agreed escalation rules.

✓ Planned backup coverage

✓ Dispatcher-run oversight

✓ Defined scope and documentation

Staffing Agency /
Outsourcing

Provides personnel, while the client may remain responsible for training, scheduling, supervision, and replacement.

— Client may manage the person

— Turnover may affect coverage

— Backup depends on the agreement

An hourly price is meaningful only when the responsibilities, staffing model, oversight, backup plan, systems, and documentation are comparable.

More on how the managed model differs

What the Managed Rate Is Designed to Cover

The rate covers more than phone availability. It supports a defined operating window with assigned people, oversight, approved workflows, documentation, and a structured handoff.

Operational Context Matters

Your exact scope depends on the number of covered drivers and loads, communication volume, systems involved, customer requirements, escalation authority, and coverage schedule.

The written scope defines what the team monitors, handles, documents, and escalates during each covered hour.

Driver Support
A defined contact path during the agreed coverage window.
Freight Visibility
Covered loads monitored and exceptions documented or escalated.
Morning Handoff
Completed actions, open items, and follow-up needs documented.

When comparing providers, confirm whether the quoted price includes account onboarding, supervision, backup coverage, system work, operational communication, documentation, and morning reporting.

A lower hourly price may represent a narrower service. The useful comparison is the work and accountability included during the covered window.

The Result

The day team receives documented operational context.

The handoff distinguishes completed actions, open exceptions, escalations, and items requiring daytime attention.

During Covered Hours
✓ Driver communication
✓ Covered-load monitoring
✓ Defined exception coordination
✓ Approved customer updates
When the Day Team Returns
✓ Passdown notes
✓ Actions documented
✓ Open items identified
✓ Follow-up needs prioritized

An employee rate pays for one position. A managed rate covers the agreed team, oversight, processes, documentation, and continuity model.

One In-House Position vs. Managed Coverage

These models carry different responsibilities. An in-house position keeps hiring and management inside your company; managed coverage combines assigned people, process, oversight, documentation, and a continuity plan.

One In-House Hire
Ninja Dispatch
VS
In-HouseOne position covers scheduled hours
NinjaAn assigned team covers the agreed window
In-HouseYou recruit
NinjaRecruiting handled for you
In-HouseYou train
NinjaTeam trained on your SOPs
In-HouseYou supervise
NinjaShift managers provide oversight
In-HousePTO and sick days create gaps
NinjaPlanned backup supports continuity
In-HouseIf they quit, you start over
NinjaAccount knowledge stays documented
In-HouseOne point of failure
NinjaMulti-person plan with documented processes
The Difference

The managed rate is not a one-person wage comparison.

It prices a defined coverage window supported by an assigned team, account onboarding, operational oversight, documented work, and the agreed continuity model.

Aerial view of a busy supply chain warehouse.

What’s Included

Your written scope identifies which operational, technology, communication, and reporting responsibilities are included.

Operations
Assigned dispatcher coverage
Shift manager oversight
Lead dispatcher support
Technology
Approved McLeod, Samsara, Motive, TMS & ELD workflows
Client dashboard visibility
Shift documentation and passdowns

Platform names are trademarks of their respective owners. Ninja Dispatch is an independent service provider and is not affiliated with or endorsed by those vendors.

Communication
Driver communication
Broker and customer updates
Scheduled account reviews

What Counts as a Managed Hour?

A managed hour is one scheduled hour inside your agreed coverage window. During that hour, the assigned team performs the responsibilities included in your written scope using approved systems, permissions, SOPs, and escalation rules.

The Simple Rule

You define the coverage window. The agreement defines the work performed inside it.

Coverage can be scoped for nights, weekends, holidays, seasonal peaks, or another defined window. Additional hours require confirmed staffing and an updated scope.

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Introductory Pricing

Reduced Rate for the First 90 Days

New engagements can begin at a reduced introductory rate for the first 90 days while account-specific onboarding and workflow integration are completed. The standard rate is $30 per covered hour, no long-term contract is required, and both rates are documented before launch.

Book a Discovery Call

Coverage You Can Scale —
Without Carrying Headcount

Coverage needs can change with volume, customers, seasons, and staffing. Covered hours may be expanded or reduced after the revised schedule, workload, responsibilities, and team capacity are confirmed.

Overnights

Cover the hours your day team should not have to carry.

Weekends

Add a defined support window when the internal office is closed.

Peak Season

Scope additional support for an expected volume increase or seasonal need.

Adjust the managed coverage window without creating another internal night position.

Schedule changes take effect after the updated scope and staffing plan are confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Standard managed coverage is $30 per covered hour. New engagements can begin at a reduced introductory rate for the first 90 days. Your final price and included responsibilities are documented after the coverage window, volume, systems, permissions, and operational scope are reviewed.

It is different from a traditional staff placement. A staffing arrangement commonly provides personnel for the client to supervise. Ninja Dispatch manages the agreed after-hours coverage function, including assigned people, account onboarding, oversight, documentation, and the defined continuity plan.

No long-term contract is required. Any minimum schedule, notice requirement, or other commercial term is confirmed in the written proposal for your specific coverage plan rather than assumed from the hourly rate alone.

You are billed for the scheduled coverage window during which the assigned team is active on your account. Covered activity is documented shift by shift; dashboard visibility depends on the account configuration, enabled features, and approved access.

Yes, subject to the revised workload, schedule, responsibilities, and available staffing. Coverage changes are confirmed before they take effect so the operating model remains properly scoped.

They usually sell a narrower service, such as answering calls, taking messages, or following a limited script. A managed dispatch rate may also include account onboarding, assigned coverage, operational workflows, system updates, oversight, documentation, backup planning, and shift handoffs. Compare the included responsibilities, not only the hourly number.

The distinction is defined by the agreement. Ninja Dispatch provides a managed coverage function with assigned team members, account-specific onboarding, shift oversight, documented workflows, and agreed escalation rules. Traditional staffing generally leaves more day-to-day supervision with the client.

Review the managed dispatch service overview or visit the full dispatch FAQ for operational, onboarding, software, and security questions.

Aerial view of illuminated logistics hub at night with semi trucks in loading bays, showing 24/7 freight operations and after-hours dispatch activity

Get your operation covered when you need it most

A 30-minute discovery call to scope your hours, systems, responsibilities, permissions, escalation rules, and proposed coverage window.

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