Dispatcher Jobs

In the auto transport industry, there are many people who work together as a team to make sure that the company runs smoothly. One of these people is the auto transport dispatcher.

An auto transport company might have one dispatcher, or more than one. This will depend on the size of the company, how many autos they are transporting on a weekly or monthly basis, and also the productivity level of each driver in the company.
The auto transport dispatcher is comparable to the travel agent of the company. Like a travel agent, the dispatcher knows all of the routes, understands how to get from each point to another, and knows the best way to get the cars where they are supposed to be going. Also, similar to a travel agent, the dispatcher is in charge of scheduling.

People holding trucking dispatcher jobs are continually taking orders. These orders are for the shipments of various autos and consumer vehicles. After the order has been taken by the dispatcher, they then must schedule the order with the trucking company. This is highly important because they must be able to take the orders efficiently, and then schedule the transport in the most economical way possible.

The job can be frustrating and overwhelming, because often a shipment will be ordered between two towns that do not currently have trucks going to and from them. This means that the dispatcher will have to figure out which driver will be able to change their routes slightly to deliver the needed cars. Also, the dispatcher might make the decision to schedule a driver to do a run through this new area.

Usually, whether the dispatcher schedules a brand new route, or simply modifies one that exists depends on how many cars need to be transported, and how much room there is on the trucks for the existing routes.

The dispatcher must also relay all of the information about the various auto pick ups, deliveries, and transit times for each of the trucks that are driving for the company. This means that the dispatcher must have a good sense of where all of the drivers are at all times, and be able to answer any questions regarding where the drivers might be headed next, and when they will be expected to arrive.

Most of the time, in order to get into the auto transport dispatcher position, a person must have experience in the auto industry. Most of the time, those with experience will be hired before those without experience. An applicant must also have a general knowledge regarding the rules and regulations of the Department of Transportation. This is because the auto transport dispatcher often must work completely independently while scheduling trucks and drivers, and must make sure that there will be no regulations broken when it comes to length of driving time, weight of trucks, or any other rule that the DOT has set forth.

An auto transport dispatcher must also have excellent communication skills, be organized, and be able to work with drivers, consumers who are purchasing cars or needing them moved, as well as with other people who work in the same environment that they do.

Where a dispatcher works is up to the company. Most of the time, a company will employ a dispatcher at a certain location, most likely wherever the trucks come to and go from. This will usually be the same location that houses the customer service representatives and any other staff for the company. However, some companies are now employing auto transport dispatchers to work from their own homes, because they find that this actually saves on cost.