what does forced dispatch mean????

It means your dispatcher is telling you to run the load in the condition it's in or the time frame specified or lose your job even though it would contravene the law and/or hours of service regulations.

 

I don't miss that. Thats why I went on my own. I do what I want, When I want.

 

Forced dispatch will usually be found where drivers have a choice of loads. These drivers sign in when they have delivered their previous load, and they chose their next load from loads available after drivers higher on the sign in board have made their choices. These drivers are often working for a percentage of the freight bill rather than being paid by the mile, so well paying loads are chosen first. A bad load will be passed by each driver in turn until no one will take it. At that point, the top driver on the list will be forced to take the bad load or quit the job. Often, the top driver can not be forced if he is at his home terminal.

 

I have another definition in this current situation which is also a percentage pay and not per mile. At the times that dispatch chooses, there is no turning down a load or it's your job. Does not matter if you have been up running for 3 days straight with no re-start. No 10 hour break rule. The lines of the log do not matter nor does the health of the drivers. You had better make your logs look good or they will have the audacity to write you up for a log violation. and if by chance you do get caught in a scale, it will be of your own fault, not anything the company had to do. Refuse the load and you will be told to bring in your truck and you are done.
That would be my version of forced dispatch today!

 

It means you're going to get screwed.

 

How many companies have forced dispatch? By the definitions above, why would anyone drive for such a company?

 

Good question! if they change the rules in the middle of the game though and that's the only plan you have at that point, kind of stuck!

 

Why would anyone drive for such a company? To make money, of course. Forced dispatch was part of the Teamsters contract when I was leased to Key Line Freight, the company I listed on another thread as my best employer. Another rule in our contract was "Forced Deadhead". If there were more drivers on the St. Louis board than loads expected, some of the bottom drivers would be forced to Chicago. Remember, deadheading paid absolutely nothing and an owner-operator was paying for his own fuel. When they arrived in Chicago, deadhead drivers could expect well paying loads, but those were loads that mysteriously did not appear on the Chicago board. We all agreed with it.