How do I become a dispatcher?

Some of the baker colleges have a logistics program.

 

so you want to go on the .......................DARK SIDE?

 

Ok you must give up.your soul, then learn to lie, cheat an steal, forget how to read a map and last purchase a long sharp knife for back stabbing! JK man... I wish I could help I've been trying to get on the operations side for the past few years with no luck. I hope you find a way, good luck to you.

 

Lie, steal, cheat, dont answer the phone, etc.......

 

actually alot of comapnies are leaning towards prior drivers for office opportunities. That is in the trucking business only that I heard. That is good in one sense but bad on the other hand because thay are doing to stray away from paying college kids the money they are demanding for their degree. Keep looking you will find a company. We have a few drivers that are trying to move into the office when there is an opening. Good Luck!

 

Drink heavily.

 

"That" and I wonder..Are dispatchers drug tested? Mine cant be..Their pretty.Pretty HIGH.

 

I for one love to hear when a driver wants to become a dispatcher. Something about the person on the other end of the line understanding what it is like to live in a box for weeks at a time, sitting when no loads are available and missing home time. Never forget your roots. Be willing to take a call on nights and weekends when the after hours person is jerking your driver around.

Worst thing I heard come out of a dispatchers mouth when I asked why they hadn't returned calls from the office on some details of a load I was on was that they didn't get paid for working on weekends. Well, I'm not getting paid sitting this weekend because you forgot to enter a couple details that was needed to deliver a load.

 

I was a dispatcher for three years. It's boring, and I was underpaid. I drove for a company for three years before I convinced my boss to let me have the position. All you really need is basic computer knowledge. That's why all these young kids right out of college are getting these jobs. My boss had me do an online typing test. I got 37 wpm. He got 32 wpm. So that locked me in.

All I really did was babysit drivers. A few of the things I was responsible for was to, make sure the drivers pay was right. And, that the planner knew when the driver needed to be home. I had to ensure that 98% of my drivers were in service. I had to reprimand drivers for various things, including safety and not delivering on time. The planners and csr, actually did all the work. The csr handled all contact with customers and clients. The planner, assingned all the loads to not only my drivers, but every driver in his region. I had 43 drivers.

So I dispatched for one year at 34k. I then got promoted to an onsite managers position for a dedicated account for 42k. I did that for one year, before we were underbid by another carrier. I then went to work as a dock supervisor for an ltl carrier for 50k. So, I've been around the block, and driving a desk isn't for me. I can drive a truck for more money and a lot less headache! I've been back in the truck for 4 years. And currently looking for another driving job.