Forced Dispatch? How do you avoid conflicts with dispatch?

Ok, first thing is there is no such thing as forced dispatch. Why, because you turn the key to the truck.
That being said, there could be consequences to not doing the dispatch.

As for companies that have forced dispatch, it's simply a way to make the driver run more than he really wants to, or make the driver go into a situation he's not comfortable with. You simply need to avoid companies that are forced dispatch. Heck, even Swift, for all it's faults, is not forced dispatch.

 

forced dispatch......nothing but BS.

 

Forced Dispatch is either take the load you're assigned or you sit and face the consequences. Whether it's a write up, or routed to a terminal and fired or just a big ### chewing.

Thankfully my company is low on drivers who want to run long distance runs, so I end up getting the runs they don't want to do and they usually pay really well

 

Or forced dispatch means, take this crappy run...then the next crappy run, and the next crappy run...its that, or don't let the door hit you on the way out, your choice.

 

The difference is that some companies might give you a choice of freight. There's also certain mixes.

For example, where I work isn't really forced dispatch, but a lot of times they really aren't going to give you a choice. They send you out of the normal running areas, then find you a load back, and you say no, I imagine they won't be happy and there will be an arse chewing at least. Sometimes they just give me a load, sometimes it's"would you rather..."

However, as we are a mostly regional company, all dispatches out of the area are voluntary.

 

Forced Dispatch is really simple.

You don't talk. You are told where to go, when to go, what to do etc.

If you don't like it you get to sit and perhaps see how many days you will sit before you quit when out of money.

Never mind that rush hour traffic. That's not the stressor here.

If you think leasing is the way out, forget it. Easy to start trucking on your own... with two million dollars down to one million really quick...

Instead of being a rain on your parade, I prefer to say that I solved the forced dispatch issues by working with companies that have first class freight. Something like McKesson in Memphis, million dollar loads in unmarked trailers that usually have to be somewhere overnight. Reloads with waste cardboard packing baled back to Memphis. It's routine.

Without giving away Opsec, there is a spot in which you are presented with a load Should you pick one, that's your trailer. Go get it. Times a wasting.

 

My company says "no forced dispatch" in their literature...but #### if I ever remember being asked if I liked the load assignment ok. I've never turned down a load once. I take the good with the bad. Ya sometimes they expect you to deliver in rush hour. Or worse like go to Chicago.

 

Once in a while you really have a BAD load. Not worth any money, your time and effort nothing. No good and stinky all around.

I had one airfreighted to me 6 pallets via Holland off a 747 flown in. 5 were green peppers and the 6th was two layers of beef tomatos large in a balsa wood packing underneath of about 900 pounds in green peppers.

Air freight in Kennedy airport yelled at me to put that #### blade away and leave that be. (I was breaking down the netting and moving the weight off the tomatos. I did not have airride anywhere that time in the 80's

So they slide the load in. Norristown PA, Grocery distribution. Next morning. Tomatoes smashed. OSD from hell. It was the one time I took over 4 pay phones in a row. One was the dispatcher, two were two seperate floors in the world trade towers downtown NYC and one was Holland yelling in bad english about payment. From me. All of them were passing the buck.

Of all the loads Ive hauled, I remember that one in pretty good detail. And thinking back on it it was sure a different time then. Running around swinging a big blade on the shrink wrap and netting... at a airport to boot.... sheesh.

If you are gracious about it and shake it off, Dispatchers usually have a plum waiting for you to enjoy. At least once. If you call dispatcher and bite and growl about how you were abused in that previous really horrible delivery then you get nothing. Except maybe another one.

 

You plan your trip. So long as the freight is delivered on time you have done your job.

if given a load, instead of turning it down tell them you can make it to such and such point at such time. This gives them options to work with. If they don't want to do that then they will take it off of you. If they wanted me to take a run I would tell them if I could not make it do to hours and then offer to take it as far as I can.