New Dispatcher - Local Deliveries - Help Me Help You

Hello all,

I have been promoted from working in the warehouse to becoming the dispatcher for a building supply company. We operate several trucks in our area with drivers completing several deliveries per day. We operate various trucks with various capabilities, from flat bed pickups to boom trucks. So, I have done some searching online and have found a lot of good advice. Like all careers and personal interactions, I have learned that honesty, integrity, and openness are valued by drivers. Communication needs to be clear and honest between both parties. I recognize that I will be trying to mediate between the office staff that want every load delivered yesterday, and the drivers that don't want to be delivering during dinner time every night. I have already caused a couple headaches because my knowledge in our products provides zero insight into route planning and combining deliveries. I know which products can be worked into a load together, but have to learn the ins and out of the "wheres" that combine well. I like the drivers that I will be working with, know that I have the capability to earn their trust and respect, and am looking for shortcuts to make sure they know that I want to do my damnedest to make their days as easy and smooth as possible.

So, with all that being said, do any of you have advice that may help me?

 

Thanks!

I have went out for my first delivery since I started "training" as a dispatcher. I screwed something up and offered to fill in for my screw up. (Sent a driver's helper out on another run, leaving him helpless) Was good to see some of the BS they have to deal with/overcome to complete a delivery. It's not always as simple as "show up, drop pallets, return to yard"

I also got a map of our region to print out so I can start labeling the subdivisions we deliver to so I can start picking up the locations quicker.

 

8thnote,

Sooo true. That was part of my first mistake. My "training" has been slim-to-none and instead of asking the drivers first, I just kinda started winging it. Then I got the "I JUST GOT BACK FROM THERE!!" which I totally understand and deserved. I have since started to include them more until I get the region figured out. Thursday I had a guy routed and I asked him to double check the other deliveries and he actually grabbed another one for me to add to his load because it was on the way back to the yard. So far I have been lucky in that aspect. The vets are helping me out. I told them like this thread is titled, "Help me, help you"

 

Only our first loads of the day are pre-loaded at night. The rest are loaded by warehouse guys (my old job) as they come back in the yard. My experience loading helps me to know what can and cannot fit on a truck, and what load combinations I can do. Most of our guys are either on boom trucks or driving trucks with Moffets (forklift on the back). I think knowing who is "full of it" will be easy enough, I already have noticed they all like to ##### and moan when someone else is slacking or dodging loads.