Driver, now dispatcher ask away

why do dispatchers put you on hold so often? why won't you answer our questions?

 

Just became a dispatcher and already thinks he knows all the answers, and is smarter than the drivers. LOL.

 

No wonder dispatchers hate drivers! The man offers to answer a few questions regarding his newly acquired job and point of veiw and already has been attacked by several of us!
I apologize if my questions seemed condescending or offensive, but I was honestly curious to hear your response. I wouldn't blame one bit if you never responded to any of us now! Too bad to because I am always eager to know "the rest of the story".
Oh well, sorry if I put you off.
Good luck in the new job, I don't think I could do it. Frankly I wouldn't have the patience to deal with immature jerks who think that they are entitled to something.

 

I hope Adam returns. I'd like to hear his answers, and I'd hope that we could keep it civil and informative here. After reading these boards for a couple of years... and counting several drivers among my friends... I'd love to sit with a dispatcher for a week or so just to experience their side of the story. Driving is tough, but I bet dispatching isn't easy either.

 

Well, Trucker Dave, I can't speak for Adam (which ironically is my name also) but I can tell you as someone who was an independent contractor for 7 years and a dispartcher for 12 years, the answer would be no, dispatchers do not, in most cases, screw drivers over for being "bad" drivers. Now by saying that I also concede that not all dispatchers are equal and they are human like everybody else. I have called out other dispatchers for acting "unethically". But that is the exception, not the rule. I think in most cases when drivers think their dispatcher is trying to "screw them over" it is more likely due to the dispatcher's inexperience or factors behind the scenes that the dispatcher has no control over. We are not "gods" or "magicians" and sometimes we can only do so much.

 

I as a driver have been standing at my dispatchers desk talking to them. Not only are they shooting messages to multiple trucks they are answering the phone from multiple drivers at the same time, putting drivers on hold while they contact the shipper or receiver for them. There are plenty of reasons why they put you on hold. You are not the only one out there. Or you might just come off as the driver they don't want to deal with right now...