What Do You Look For From Your Dispatcher

And it didnt come from me lmao

 

I am one of the drivers who doesn't call in much, I use the qualcom when I need some help which isn't often. Just keep me moving, help me get home when I ask a week in advance, and inform me of any new rules or problems with paperwork I may have if it appears I am not already seeing the problem.

I don't really have a horror story from any of my past driver managers, the best fleet managers I have had would send me a msg when my current trip was about done and ask me what I felt like doing next. Now that was the best, but I don't expect it everywhere I go and freight was much better at that time.

 

I am looking for a company that hires dispatchers to work from their home. I am honest, have great attitude, and detail oriented. Please let me know if you know of any companies that do this.

Thank you,
Lori C.

 

I am looking for a professional dispatcher that knows the job. I live in Florida and if any of you have a great dispatcher that can be checked out let me know. Thank you!

 

AMEN!!

Now if only customers understood that concert, as well...

 

Apathy / incompetence. My first dispatcher, Danny, was working his way through college by dispatching. He had no business dispatching, as he wasn't focused on his job or his drivers. He was just there for a paycheck. He didn't care enough to try.

Arrogance. I had another one, Chuck, who thought he was the boss and that we drivers were his slaves - and that's exactly how he talked to us. There was no respect for us from him, and in turn we quickly lost all respect for him. It got so bad that at one point I told him "Listen Chuck, I drive the truck and you drive the desk. Don't forget that!"

1. Please be a competent professional. I am one, and when we both are, it is mutually beneficial.
2. At all times, remember this: A lack of planning by someone else - anyone else - does not constitute an emergency on my part. It is not my job to fix other people's mistakes.
3. Anticipate potential problems before they happen, take steps to minimize the risk, and have a contingency plan in place. This goes hand-in-hand with #2.
4. Do not attempt to micro-manage me. The load will be there on time. If not, I will let you know as far in advance as possible, and when I call, I'll let you why it won't be on time, and I'll give you my ETA.
5. Let's have one good communication session each day. We can laugh & cut up, discuss current events, I'll listen to stories about your kids, etc. But once we hang up, please don't call me again unless something very important comes up. I'm not being anti-social - it's just that there are many things throughout the day that require my attention.

I already talked about the worst dispatcher. See the story about Chuck, above.

The best dispatcher I ever had, Vernon, was a former driver who never forgot what it was like in the driver's seat. He always gave plenty of time to deliver the loads, never denied you a day off if you requested it ahead of time, was fair with load assignments, and would refuse a load if no drivers had enough hours to cover it.

 

to the driver that said he was glad he finally got d/m who let him run legal. put it in the Q/C that you don't have enough hrs. if they tell you run it anyway, that is admisable evidence in court. use it when you get fired for service failures; ie , running legal and not making the appt. usually when it goes in the Q/C the tone changes.

I don't and will not run illegal anymore and say so in the entrance interview. life is too short and the person going to jail is the driver only.

this is a good thread and I hope will be used to better the lives of both sides of the equation.


Thank you

 

The first thing to look for in a dispatcher is someone that thinks more then 15 minutes ahead of the local time.

The second thing is listening and understanding that your the guy running the load, it will get there when it gets there and that it.

Third it costs money to be out there, if he or she argues with your expenses it's time to find a new company.

Fourth if your tired and shut down that's your call, if the load is late to bad. If it happens all the time you need to change jobs, this may not be the job for you. If it happens once in awhile and they ##### screw em better a late load then a law suit.

Fifth if your dispatcher is an out of work engineer In the silicon valley are run.



The best thing you can do is get to know your dispatcher well, and don't ##### about the BS loads. If they like you your going to get the the good runs. If they want you gone, well they hold the keys.

 

Have an interview tomorrow for a dispatcher job, sure glad I read everyone of these posts.

 

I've got a new Dm, she does a bangup job, but is a stickler for the rules. My last Dm would be a little looser, I'd only be owed 4 days but he would swing it to be 5, which is nice, so I like both, but certain things id like looser from my Dm is if I'm on home time, try and swing it do I can have as many as possible without cleaning out the truck