A dispatcher keeps trucks moving profitably and legally. Most days follow the same rhythm:
Morning: know your fleet
Before booking anything, the dispatcher checks where every truck is, how many driving and on-duty hours each driver has left, and what equipment is available. Booking a load a driver cannot legally complete creates problems for everyone.
Mid-day: find and negotiate freight
The dispatcher compares loads by rate per total mile (including deadhead), not just the headline rate. A $3,000 load that needs 400 empty miles can be worse than a $2,200 load that picks up next door.
Afternoon: track, update, solve
Check calls, appointment changes, detention, breakdowns — the dispatcher is the first call for all of them. Good dispatchers warn customers about delays before the appointment, not after.
End of day: paperwork
Proof of delivery, rate confirmations and accessorial documents go to billing. No POD, no invoice.
Practise this workflow in the academy's 17-stage Dispatch Workflow Simulator.