Time to "organize" the house..... DISPATCHERS

[MedicineMan]

Dispatcher.... "Travel Agent" .... and many other "colorful" descriptive terms are used to describe them.

Driver "manager".... I think NOT.
You can't "manage" if you can't do the job.

Right now, Saturday night, there are MANY drivers sitting without a load because the "dispatcher" didn't get them one.

Right now there are many drivers haulin butt to try and make a tight delivery cause the dispatcher didn't do his/her job and schedule properly.

Every day there are lost HOURS and DOLLARS because of poor performance by DISPATCHERS.

Wanna see it changed???

Easy !!

Dispatchers should get paid based PARTIALLY on the number of miles their trucks turn.

Dispatchers should get paid based PARTIALLY on the accuracy and proficiency of the loads being assigned.

Dispatchers should get paid based PARTIALLY on the FEEDBACK OF DRIVERS about their performance.

Dispatchers should get paid based PARTIALLY on how SAFE their drivers accomplish the job ..... so that they can't force drivers to drive when out of hours, tired, or in unsafe conditions.


A dispatcher has six duties......

- Send me load in a timely manner.
- Send me CORRECT information on my pickup and delivery.
- Arrange for changes in drop time/date as needed.
- Find my next load BEFORE i deliver this one.
- Provide what I "NEED" to do my job.
- Answer the phone and help me mitigate ANY problems I have in a timely manner.... and be my ADVOCATE against the chronic complainers of society.

That's it.

I been doing this since MANY dispatchers were in diapers.

I don't need you to keep up with my "hours".
I don't need you to route me.
I don't need you to flip the on/off switch on my fuel card... LEAVE IT ON.
I don't need you asking me stupid questions while I'm sleeping.
I don't need your smartassed remarks about what I'm doing.

I DO need you to be there and handle the "behind the scenes" stuff for me while I drive the truck and make the money that pays your salary.

If dispatchers pay was tied to driver "SUCCESS", you'd see a change in the industry that is a long time coming.

But that's just my "two coppers" on the subject.

 

[ironmanwife]

LET me help you out..and go on..:soapbox2:

 

[Rigjockey]

Dispatcher.... "Travel Agent" .... and many other "colorful" descriptive terms are used to describe them.

Driver "manager".... I think NOT.
You can't "manage" if you can't do the job.

Right now, Saturday night, there are MANY drivers sitting without a load because the "dispatcher" didn't get them one.

Right now there are many drivers haulin butt to try and make a tight delivery cause the dispatcher didn't do his/her job and schedule properly.

Every day there are lost HOURS and DOLLARS because of poor performance by DISPATCHERS.

Wanna see it changed???

Easy !!

Dispatchers should get paid based PARTIALLY on the number of miles their trucks turn.

Dispatchers should get paid based PARTIALLY on the accuracy and proficiency of the loads being assigned.

Dispatchers should get paid based PARTIALLY on the FEEDBACK OF DRIVERS about their performance.

Dispatchers should get paid based PARTIALLY on how SAFE their drivers accomplish the job ..... so that they can't force drivers to drive when out of hours, tired, or in unsafe conditions.


A dispatcher has six duties......

- Send me load in a timely manner.
- Send me CORRECT information on my pickup and delivery.
- Arrange for changes in drop time/date as needed.
- Find my next load BEFORE i deliver this one.
- Provide what I "NEED" to do my job.
- Answer the phone and help me mitigate ANY problems I have in a timely manner.... and be my ADVOCATE against the chronic complainers of society.

That's it.

I been doing this since MANY dispatchers were in diapers.

I don't need you to keep up with my "hours".
I don't need you to route me.
I don't need you to flip the on/off switch on my fuel card... LEAVE IT ON.
I don't need you asking me stupid questions while I'm sleeping.
I don't need your smartassed remarks about what I'm doing.

I DO need you to be there and handle the "behind the scenes" stuff for me while I drive the truck and make the money that pays your salary.

If dispatchers pay was tied to driver "SUCCESS", you'd see a change in the industry that is a long time coming.

But that's just my "two coppers" on the subject.

Excellent.I have been saying this for years dispatchers are not my boss,They just set me up on my next move,I hate these yuppie, snivling,self rightiuos,priviledged college grads trying to tell me how to do my job and they get home evey night.I can and have done their job.I have done the job of dispatcher while driving and moving my own loads but can they do mine I think not! Time for a change is long over due!

 

[Racer X 69]

I guess my dispatch crew is an exception to the rule. I feel for you, and any other drivers that have such a problem with the individuals who are empowered to support you that you present a rant of such magnitiude.

I know the group at my company is not perfect, but if the description you present here is the industry norm then my guys and gals are pretty close to perfect. I really have no reason to complain.

 

[patriciajnsn]

With this company I don't have any of that problem but I do see where you're coming from.I don't know why the upper staff at some of these companies think dispatchers are so perfect.Many drivers quit because of their dispatchers and nothing ever gets done.I've had a few dispatchers in my time like the ones mentioned here.Dispatchers have anywhere from 75 to 100 drivers,if they can't keep up on each and every one of their drivers then find another line of work.

 

[snowflake]

My travel agent is great! BUT I have heard the stories you have talked about MM. I can't say as we have ever had these issues but we have been with smaller companies till now. Now back with the flatbed company we were at before this one I used to want to wring Kerry's neck because was just to lazy to hustle new freight....the DH didn't matter to him he drives a bread truck now...(smiles to self)....

Have had several Trav Agents here at this company some not as aggressive as I would like.....the one we have now has been with the company for 17+years mid 40's and is great to work with.....he knows how we like to run will set me up w/o calling sometimes...my biggest complaint is that we have very little downtime....but I am headed to Houston that may happen.....deff. not heading to Cali..that is pure suicide right now.......I have wondered if the TA's get bonuses based on the trucks performance...at this company I head they don't if they did I think some TA's would take their job and the drive more serious...I have head of horror stories here. But we have options of pre selecting ourselves on loads and even calling agents and skirting around the travel agent......

 

[Road Dust]

I am thinking there are a lot of dispatchers out there who really try. Its just like with a lot of things - you can't please all the people all the time.

 

[MedicineMan]

I wasn't posting about one dispatcher, or one company.

I used a cross section of ALL the ones I ever had, and listed the BIG things I remember.

But still, they should be paid based on job performance and keeping you moving.

 

[Mike]

I am thinking there are a lot of dispatchers out there who really try. Its just like with a lot of things - you can't please all the people all the time.

Often times, the ones who really do care and really do try don't last very long, particularly at the larger companies. They spend so much time trying to do the best job possible that the stress ultimately overloads them and the can no longer handle the job.

I believe it has gotten much easier on them in recent years though. Much, if not all, of the dispatching is done automatically through the computer now, placing the best available load with the best available driver in order to keep drivers moving and keep the trucks running.