What do you expect from your dispatcher?

I think one of the biggest problems the guys who drive my trucks have is getting asked too early in the day to pick up a fairly short load tomorrow for delivery tomorrow, or even the next day in some cases. If they accept it, it pretty much eats up two (or three) days...today, where they can't get something better; and tomorrow, with pick up and delivery both taking longer than they should. So, two days gone for one shorty and short on the pay typically. But, if they turn it down, then they might get put to the bottom of the list...so, a no win situation. Often times it's asked as a 'favor'. Understand your job would be to move freight, but if it's possible to wait until the evening or even the next day to dispatch that one...would definitely be better for the driver. I'm sure this doesn't apply to all drivers or owner/operators on here but it seems to happen fairly regularly where we are.

 

I was introduced to my very first dispatcher in 1992 when I got my first driving job ( jb hunt ). His name was Robert Roland. The first words out of his mouth, " I don't want to be your friend". It never got any better with him.
What do I want out of a dispatcher: courteous, timely communication.. Tell me the truth, I can handle it. If I ask to go home, try to make happen. I stayed with a big company for 18 years. Communication was one of their biggest weaknesses. If a dispatcher is trying to be a good dispatcher, he/she probably is a good dispatcher.

 

Well, I am not one of those drivers that need someone to hold my hand. I am not going to call you when an issue arises at a shipper or receiver or on the road. I don't care if you like me or respect me or understand what it takes to get the job done.

HOWEVER...

...if I call you, there is a problem. Get your pen out, take notes, and get to work on the problem ASAP. I call before problems get out of hand. We will have some time, but not a lot of time and the sooner the office people get to action, the easier things flow. Need an example?

Got offered a load on a Tuesday going from near Black River Falls,Wi to a mine in West Virginia, 1000 mile run, oversized. Load was scheduled to pick up Wednesday and deliver Friday. I got there Tuesday night, checked in and saw the piece. Told the shipper who I was. Wednesday morning, pilot car shows up and we go inside and measure the piece. Order permits. Wed noon, I call my dispatcher and tell her that if we don't get this piece loaded today that we will be in a bind. She tells me that everything will be alright and we have plenty of time.
They're still working on this piece 2am Thursday morning. I am standing over them bugging them. 5am. 7am. 12 noon, they load me and tell me to hurry, "Driver, you gotta go! This load has to be there tomorrow afternoon! They shut down the mine for the holiday weekend!"

Nope. Sorry. Not happening. It's too late. The following Monday is Labor Day. Curfew starts 12 noon Friday. Illinois, Indiana and Ohio have given me a majority 2 lane route. Got 8 hours to run today and 4 tomorrow.

Office people started scrambling. Dispatcher wanted to know why I didn't tell her that we would be in a bind. They tried calling Ohio but apparently the permit office people were already off for the holiday. Doubt it would do any good anyway. The mine in WV raised hell about how much money it would cost to keep the mine closed until the following Tuesday.

Finally some customer service guy calls me on the phone and asks me how far did I think I could make it that Thursday. I told him the Illinois/Indiana border. He asked, "What if we go through Kentucky?" I said that would add 250 miles to the trip and we still cant run in West Virginia after sundown Friday. He said that the mining co said they could hire a couple HP to meet me on the border and make the run at night. I told him that yes, it would be possible then, but if I got to the line and did not see the HP, I was parking on the shoulder of the road til Tuesday.

Well, we did get it delivered late Friday night. Long story, I know but point is, I don't normally need help. But when I do, there's a big problem that I have no solution to. If I call, it is for a good reason.

 

Communication is number ONE!!!!

Drivers and Dispatchers are on the same team; just like the baseball player and the batting/pitching coach are. If I am out on the mound, bases loaded, no outs with the game tied in the bottom of the ninth; and my pitching coach comes out to me and says "Hey guy, why'd you let them on in the first place??" that's not being very supportive is it?!?! So why in the heck would a dispatcher tell me "Hey guy, why'd you let that accident slow you down?" or "why'd you run out of hours?" or "why'd the shipper take a million hours to load you?" isnt being very supportive either you know!

You want the load there on time as much as we want it there ASAP, cause we usually get paid by what we do.

... so with this said; NEVER doubt the driver's ability UNLESS he is a total screw up .... but even screw ups need good leadership

 

First off if the dispatcher is no good, then get rid of him. Period. I've done it more than once. I've been in this business long enough to know that the dispatcher can be the great ally and moneymaker or he can cripple you in a heartbeat. It's no good hoping its going to get any better if he can't do the job from the start. As the previous person said, communication is absolute key. It may well be not enough to send the load thru the QComm and hope the driver gets it.
how about a quick phone call just to make sure all the details are covered. All too often I'm left to figure it out myself because he's too lazy to give me ALL of the details. As a result valuable time is wasted. I'm going thru this problem already. I'm amazed how people are not interested in doing a good job. I just don't get it. They're either not motivated or they just show up to get a paycheck. A dispatcher has to be a mover and shaker or nothing.
Dispatchers IMHO have no clue about time and distance. I guess they think you can arrive at your far away destination via the nearest black hole and then moan if you aren't there on time !! Even if there was never enough time given in the first place. You've got to trust each other but all too often a new dispatcher will follow the bad habits of his contemporaries and leave you hanging. I see more incompetence than true ability and thats a shame. Good drivers need good detail oriented dispatch otherwise what's the point. I know it's hard to find people who can fit the bill but maybe companies aren't trying hard enough or wiling to pay good $$ to nurture the best.

 

Communication is the key to a good driver/dispatcher relationship but unfortunately it's usually the driver that communicates,dispatchers don't have to I guess.I've never had a dispatcher give me grief for slowing down due to an accident.But have because the shp/loader takes hrs then of course ill give the dispatcher grief for something I have no control over.Guess they find it easier yelling at the driver rather then the cust.I'll just tell the dispatcher u want this loaded faster then you call the customer and quit bugging me about it.Same with low on hrs,ill tell the dispatcher u want this load delivered faster then i can get it there then you come out here and show me how its done.I have always communcated with my dispatchers but NEVER will I be talked down to.If your dispatcher/company is giving you a hard time for things you can't control,don't be afraid to stand your ground.Remmeber this,you give them an inch they'll take a mile,stop that before it ever gets started.

 

They said it plus a few......

Communicate !!! Answer the darn phone, take notes and get to work! Time is money, you're on salary sure but i'm not.

Trust! I demand it ! If I tell you that won't work, or the shipper said xyz then that's what happened. Own it.

Respect! Again, I demand it. This is my truck, my business and my choice, not yours. Quit whining and own that.

I have worked for good ones and i have weak ones now. My good one knew how to build a team and we all had it going on. I could trust that what he said was good stuff and it always was. If he had stayed in the industry i would have followed him.......

A good dispatcher can add to the carriers bottom line too through increased production. I saw this happen BUT my greedy carrier reniged on a promised bonus to my guy and he split....don't blame him either.

jmo

 

Oh boy! He or she has really stepped in it this time... This will be a very long thread..lol
"I'll be back,gotta roll but what Chalupa said was 1st on my list...ANSWER the cotton picking phone

 

i expect nothing and get all of it