Freight dispatchers play a vital role in ensuring that goods arrive at their destination safely and on time. They also ensure that the correct paperwork is completed and that the driver has the right documentation.
A freight dispatcher is responsible for managing the flow of freight from origin to destination. The job involves coordinating shipments between carriers, shippers, and receivers.
There are several types of freight dispatchers. Some are employed full-time, while others work part-time or freelance. If you want to become a freight dispatcher, you’ll need to complete a course and pass a test.
Freight dispatchers, also known as truck dispatchers, represent motor carrier side of the transportation and logistics world, and their job is to connect shippers with carriers to get loads moved.
Dispatchers coordinate loads for carriers, schedule freight deliveries and arrange for pick-up of shipments.
The duties of a freight dispatcher include:
- Scheduling drivers to make deliveries or collect shipments and packages.
- Communicating with customers about shipment details, such as delivery or pickup times, and any kind of special handling requests that are needed
- Managing and overseeing pre-determined routes and accommodating route changes as needed.
- Preparing dispatch documents, as well as generating freight bills and invoices.
- Keeping track of dispatch calls, drivers’ routes, route changes, deliveries, pickups, and drop-offs.
- Tracking transportation regulations and laws and ensuring that their drivers are following them.
- Examining driver log files for arrival and departure times.
- Keeping track of truck repair and maintenance schedules.
- Logging customer shipping schedules and handling customer service issues as they arise.
When a dispatcher is negotiating to move freight they represent the carrier and do not deal directly with shippers in any way.
What Is A Freight Dispatcher?
Freight dispatchers are responsible for supporting a wide range of business functions for a shipping company.
They coordinate with drivers to ensure on-time freight deliveries and keep customers up-to-date on driver location and delivery times.
They also communicate with customers about shipments and provide customer service.
They must consider numerous variables including weather conditions that could cause potential delays, the number of stops on a driver’s route, along with the number of stops a driver has to make.
The job of a dispatcher means that they’re not only communicating with drivers, but also brokers, and the consignee as well.
There are a variety of tech solutions available to dispatchers that make their managing their tasks easier and fast.
This way they can manage their jobs more efficiently using real-time GPS data on an interactive map, and are able to quickly share delivery information with clients and customers. This reduces the stress of making decisions about deliveries.
The dispatcher handles a lot of responsibilities and they’re one of the essential pieces of the transportation and logistics world that would be a lot more difficult without them.
Freight Dispatcher Duties And Responsibilities
What does a freight dispatcher do?
A freight dispatcher will typically handle several different responsibilities. These include route planning, load scheduling, driver management, customer service, and dispatch optimization.
Your duties and responsibilities will include things like communicating with customers to so you can determine their needs and understand their requirements, planning and adjusting routes for the carriers, and scheduling drivers to deliver or collect shipments whether it’s freight, or packages.
As a freight dispatcher, you need to show experience working with motor carriers and be able to handle the pressure of the job because working as a freight dispatcher is a fast-paced, high energy job.
An excellent dispatcher is one who has good organizational skills which translates into an excellent experience for your customers and gets the load their on time and safe.
Route Planning: A freight dispatcher analyzes large amounts of data in order to determine the best possible route for each truck. The dispatcher considers factors such as traffic patterns, road construction, weather conditions, and other important details.
Here is an example of some of the responsibilities of a dispatcher:
- Scheduling drivers to make deliveries or collect shipments and packages.
- Communicating with customers about shipment details, such as delivery or pickup times, and any kind of special handling requests that are needed
- Managing and overseeing pre-determined routes and accommodating route changes as needed.
- Preparing dispatch documents, as well as generating freight bills and invoices.
- Keeping track of dispatch calls, drivers’ routes, route changes, deliveries, pickups, and drop-offs.
- Tracking transportation regulations and laws and ensuring that their drivers are following them.
- Examining driver log files for arrival and departure times.
- Keeping track of truck repair and maintenance schedules.
- Logging customer shipping schedules and handling customer service issues as they arise.
The Difference Between Freight Dispatchers And Freight Brokers
Freight brokers work with both shippers and carriers. Their job is to connect shippers and carriers to get loads moved.
Freight brokers make money by charging a fee on top of what the carrier is charging to move the load.
Dispatchers only represent carriers when negotiating freight and do not deal directly with shippers in any way.
They must act as the representative of the carrier, whether it’s a trucking company or an independent owner operator.
In order to work directly with shippers and be able to sell loads to outside carriers or owner operators, then they must be a licensed broker with broker authority.
A dispatcher is responsible for finding loads for carriers that keep trucks full and moving.
An important thing to keep in mind is that dispatchers will often work with freight brokers to help carriers with loads, so there is some crossover in terms of them working together.
Freight brokers are third party services licensed by the FMCSA. They arrange (or broker) the transportation of goods between shipper and carriers, helping to identify shippers who need freight moved and carriers who can take on load.
Freight brokers negotiate with carriers on behalf of shippers and operate as a middle man between those two parties.
Dispatchers represent a carrier’s interests to find loads and keep their trucks moving.
How Do Freight Dispatchers Get Paid?
In order to maximize earnings, volume is the critical factor. Quantity of shipments is how you maximize revenue.
Most times, a dispatcher’s fee is a percentage of whatever the driver negotiates for his services. Some also charge a fixed rate for every load they pick up plus an extra service fee for fuel surcharges.
A good dispatcher will keep carriers full and on the road and will try to avoid empty runs.
When a dispatcher finds a load, he contacts the carrier and works out all the logistics of getting the load delivered.
And for that service of keeping carriers busy they usually make 5-10% per load.
If there is available volume and consistent work that rate can be negotiated down a bit in exchange for the steady, consistent business.
As far as earnings go, the average salary for a freight dispatcher, the national average is just under $58,000 per year in the U.S.
Some earn less, and some earn a healthy six figure salary.
What you can earn as a freight dispatcher depends on the experience level, network, education and ability to connect carriers to loads profitably and quickly.
How Do Dispatchers Find Loads?
In many cases, freight dispatchers work with brokers to book loads.
They also will look to load boards to generate leads.
A good dispatcher is a fantastic tool for independent owner operators because they can help find loads for carriers while carriers are delivering the freight.
Being resourceful and having a great network is one the keys to success as a dispatcher.
Building relationships with brokers is key.
It helps to know who is looking for loads and where they are located.
The more information you have about the market, the better off you’ll be.
Load boards are a vital tool in a truck dispatcher’s toolbox too.
These boards list loads being offered from various carriers at different locations.
By using these boards, a dispatcher can quickly see what opportunities are available, evaluate the opportunity, and get loads connected to the right carriers, and fast.
Is It Hard To Be A Freight Dispatcher?
Freight dispatchers work to stay ahead of their carriers because a truck that isn’t moving isn’t making money – they don’t want their carriers sitting and waiting on a load.
must be organized and patient. It’s important that, as a freight dispatcher, you pay close attention to details.
To be successful as a freight dispatcher you’re constantly dealing with a large volume of requests and information from different sources.
That means that you need to able to not only pay close attention to details, but be highly organized, focused, and patient.
How To Become a Freight Dispatcher
Freight dispatchers must have a high school diploma or equivalent at the very least.
Experience in the trucking industry will help you get your foot in the door, and is one the best ways to get started.
A college degree in logistics is a definite plus, but not required in most instances. It’s always a case-by-case basis for what a company is looking for.
Usually the bottom line is, if you can do the job, then they don’t care about your educational experience.
Freight dispatchers need experience in other jobs before they can apply for this job. Many Freight Dispatcher positions require prior experience in a different role.
Brush up on your communications skills too.
Because the job of a dispatcher is essentially a communications position, you really need to excel in being a fantastic communicator.
Another crucial aspect for the job is to have skills in customer service.
This includes things like phone etiquette, listening well, and understanding how people speak.
You might even consider doing some study on your own regarding customer service.
There really is no substitute for experience – either getting in the door with a trucking company, or working with a big shipper.
Your knowledge of the trucking industry, and you should always be asking questions.
Where are the most profitable regions? What lanes are available, and what carriers work which lanes? Where are the best markets?
Where are the least profitable ones?
Do you want to go after the big companies or small businesses?
Do you want to focus on the east coast or west coast?
The larger your network, the greater the contacts you have to work with, the more business you can do, and the busier you can keep your carriers.
Freight Dispatcher Job Outlook
Freight drivers and dispatchers will be needed to meet the increasing demand for transportation services. This career path will be stable for the next ten years.
Transportation and logistics are always going to be the backbone of any economy, so it’s likely that there will be plenty of opportunities for those who choose to pursue this field.
Do You Need a License to Become a Truck Dispatcher?
Currently there is no license requirement to become a truck dispatcher.
However, even though no license is required, getting your foot in the door can be challenging and employers are always looking for experience with a trucking company, or some other kind of logistics & transportation business.