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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Dispatcher

💰 $ - $

LogisticsTransportationOperations

🎯 Role Definition

A Dispatcher coordinates the movement of vehicles, drivers, and shipments to ensure on-time delivery while maximizing fleet efficiency and maintaining safety and regulatory compliance. This role requires real-time decision-making, strong communication with drivers and customers, proficiency with transportation management systems (TMS) and GPS/ELD technology, and the ability to escalate and resolve exceptions quickly. Dispatchers support logistics operations across modes (truckload, LTL, courier, intermodal) and collaborate closely with operations, sales, maintenance, and customer service teams.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Customer Service Representative with exposure to shipping or logistics scheduling
  • Warehouse Associate or Dock Coordinator who interacts with carriers
  • CDL Driver or Owner-Operator transitioning from field operations

Advancement To:

  • Senior Dispatcher / Lead Dispatcher
  • Fleet Manager or Terminal Manager
  • Operations Manager or Logistics Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Load Planner / Capacity Planner
  • Route Planner or Transportation Planner
  • Customer Success or Account Coordinator focused on freight clients

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Coordinate daily dispatch operations by assigning drivers and equipment to loads, balancing customer expectations, driver availability, and legal hours-of-service limits to ensure on-time delivery and efficient route utilization.
  • Monitor active shipments in real time using dispatch software, GPS tracking, and ELD data to proactively identify delays, equipment issues, and route deviations, and to implement corrective action.
  • Communicate clearly and persistently with drivers throughout their shifts to provide updates, reroutes, exception resolution, and confirmation of pick-up and delivery milestones.
  • Maintain complete and accurate trip documentation including bills of lading, proof of delivery (POD), freight manifests, and electronic logs to support billing, compliance, and claims processing.
  • Enforce DOT hours-of-service and company safety policies by tracking driver on-duty/off-duty time via ELDs and intervening to prevent violations or fatigue-related risks.
  • Build and maintain relationships with customers, brokers, and third-party carriers to negotiate pickup and delivery windows, clarify shipping instructions, and secure capacity when internal resources are limited.
  • Optimize loads and routes using TMS, route-planning tools, and carrier capacity data to reduce empty miles, improve fuel efficiency, and increase asset utilization.
  • Manage load tendering and confirmations with carriers and owner-operators, ensuring rates, accessorials, and special requirements are understood and logged in the system.
  • Coordinate equipment maintenance and breakdown response by notifying shop/maintenance teams, arranging tow or local repair when necessary, and reassigning loads to minimize service disruptions.
  • Prepare and communicate daily driver schedules, dispatch manifests, and contingency plans for weather, traffic, and operational constraints.
  • Triage customer and internal escalations related to late shipments, damaged goods, or misrouted freight; investigate root causes and coordinate remediation with claims, operations, and client teams.
  • Enter, update, and reconcile dispatch data in TMS, ERP, or spreadsheets to support invoicing, payroll, and performance reporting with high accuracy and timeliness.
  • Ensure compliance with customs, hazmat, and special commodity handling requirements by verifying paperwork, placarding, and driver qualifications prior to dispatch.
  • Execute load reassignments and last-mile adjustments in high-volume conditions, coordinating warehouse, driver, and carrier resources to meet changing priorities.
  • Support billing and settlement by capturing detention, layover, and accessorial events and communicating needed documentation to accounting.
  • Facilitate pre-trip and post-trip inspections by ensuring drivers submit required checklists and defect reports, and escalate safety-critical items to maintenance.
  • Lead or participate in daily operations stand-ups and communicate performance metrics, on-time delivery status, and outstanding risks to supervisors and stakeholders.
  • Analyze recurring exceptions and bottlenecks (late pickups, detention, recurring equipment failures) and propose process improvements to reduce recurrence and cost.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of regulatory changes (ELD mandates, HOS revisions, regional restrictions) and implement changes to dispatch procedures and training materials.
  • Coordinate multi-stop and interline transfers, ensuring timely communication and documentation between partners, terminals, and final-mile carriers.
  • Execute emergency response procedures for accidents or hazardous events by ensuring driver safety, notifying emergency services, and documenting the incident for safety and claims teams.
  • Conduct carrier and vendor performance monitoring, collecting scorecard data such as on-time pickup/delivery percentages and damage rates for procurement and operations reviews.

Secondary Functions

  • Prepare regular and ad-hoc operational reports (daily manifests, on-time performance, exception logs, utilization metrics) and provide insights to operations leadership.
  • Train and mentor new dispatchers on standard operating procedures, TMS best practices, and customer-specific requirements to accelerate onboarding and reduce errors.
  • Maintain and update driver and equipment contact lists, certifications, and insurance expiration dates to ensure compliance and uninterrupted service.
  • Participate in safety meetings, compliance audits, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service quality and reduce operating risk.
  • Collaborate with sales and account managers during high-demand periods to secure capacity and execute special routing or expedited services.
  • Assist with seasonal planning and surge staffing by forecasting capacity needs and proposing temporary resources or schedule adjustments.
  • Support invoice validation by cross-referencing PODs and shipment logs and communicating discrepancies to accounting for resolution.
  • Contribute to process documentation and standardization efforts, capturing playbooks for common exceptions, rerouting protocols, and customer-specific instructions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficiency with Transportation Management Systems (TMS) such as McLeod, TMW, Descartes, Oracle Transportation, or similar platforms.
  • Strong experience with Electronic Logging Devices (ELD), GPS tracking platforms, and telematics systems for driver hour monitoring and fleet visibility.
  • Knowledge of DOT hours-of-service (HOS) regulations, driver qualification file requirements, and basic safety/compliance audits.
  • Familiarity with load planning and route optimization tools, including capacity planning and multi-stop sequencing.
  • Competency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, data filters) for reporting, reconciliation, and ad-hoc analytics.
  • Experience with freight documentation: bills of lading, proof of delivery (POD), hazmat paperwork, and customs/clearance documentation as applicable.
  • Basic accounting or billing knowledge related to freight accessorials, detention, layover, and chargebacks for accurate invoicing support.
  • Ability to use radio, cellular, and satellite communication devices and software under variable connectivity conditions.
  • Data entry accuracy and proficiency with ERP or CRM systems used to support customer communication and order management.
  • Familiarity with carrier procurement and rate tendering platforms, load boards, and broker communications.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to coordinate with drivers, customers, and internal stakeholders in high-pressure situations.
  • Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills to quickly assess disruptions and develop effective, prioritized remediation plans.
  • Time management and multitasking capability to manage multiple active loads, drivers, and exceptions concurrently.
  • Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to service level agreements (SLAs) and proactive client communication.
  • Calmness under pressure and ability to make sound decisions during peak periods, weather events, or incidents.
  • Attention to detail and accuracy in documentation to avoid billing disputes and compliance issues.
  • Team collaboration skills to work cross-functionally with sales, maintenance, warehouse, and safety teams.
  • Situational judgment and escalation discipline—knowing when to resolve independently and when to involve management or legal.
  • Adaptability to changing routing, technology, and regulatory requirements in a fast-paced logistics environment.
  • Coaching and mentoring aptitude to develop junior dispatchers and share operational best practices.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED; equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience accepted.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Transportation, Business Administration, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  • Transportation Management
  • Business Administration
  • Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years in dispatch, transportation operations, or logistics coordination.

Preferred: 3+ years of commercial dispatch experience (truckload, regional LTL, courier, or intermodal), demonstrated proficiency with TMS platforms, and a track record of managing high-volume routes and complex exceptions. Experience working with DOT regulations, ELDs, and hazardous materials or refrigerated freight is a plus.

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