What is a truck dispatcher? 

Truck dispatchers, also known as trucking dispatchers or dispatch services, are employees who manage truck driver schedules to assure on-time pickup and delivery of cargo. The majority of trucking dispatcher job descriptions feature a combination of support, operations, and customer service responsibilities. Due to the fact that truck dispatchers monitor truck drivers along their routes, they must possess strong communication, time management, and computer abilities.

The difference between a truck dispatcher and freight broker 

While truck dispatchers and freight dispatchers share comparable responsibilities, there are significant differences between the two. Here are the distinguishing characteristics of truck dispatchers and freight dispatchers.

Truck dispatchers: are responsible for arranging the schedules and routes of truck drivers to ensure on-time delivery of products.

Freight Broker: Freight Brokers are in charge of coordinating and making sure that their customer loads get delivered on time and that they actually have loads to move for drivers.

What are the duties of a truck dispatcher? 

Truck dispatchers play an essential role in the smooth functioning of the trucking industry. Truckers must have regular contact with their dispatchers, who track their location and relay that information to customers. This is especially important when there are delays or unexpected detours.

The tasks of a trucking dispatcher might vary widely, but typically involve the following:

Record keeping: It is common practice for truck dispatchers to be responsible for monitoring the daily logs of drivers to check for any errors or violations of HOS regulations that may have happened. They might also be accountable for monitoring the amount of time that drivers put in at work and the availability of certain pieces of equipment.

Driver communication: Truck dispatchers are responsible for informing drivers of any route or drop-off site modifications.

5 ways Maverick can help your truck company remain efficient is this economy.

1. Planning around weather delays

It is estimated that weather-related delays cost the trucking industry $8 to $9 billion yearly, according to the DOT (US Department of Transportation). For long-distance over-the-road (OTR) carriers, weather fluctuations might have a greater impact on their operations.

For large fleets, weather-related rerouting might be difficult. Fortunately, truck dispatchers take care of driver scheduling so that you don’t have to worry about weather delays. In the event of an emergency, they can alert your drivers so you can concentrate on client service.

Instead of constantly checking the weather forecast, truck dispatchers may prepare ahead using telematics technologies. MorPro Weather Overlay, a weather route planner and live radar with built-in functionality, provides dispatchers with up-to-the-minute information on weather conditions affecting their fleet’s operating area. Rapid rerouting around potentially hazardous weather conditions is made possible thanks to this vital information.

Dispatch services can also use the MorPro Driver App’s two-way texting to alert drivers if their route has been abruptly altered due to bad weather.

2. Ensure your company safety compliance

It is essential to have smart solutions that was developed with compliance in mind if one want to remain in compliance with transportation laws issued by the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The HOS of truck drivers may be readily monitored by morpro dispatching team, allowing companies to comply with FMCSA standards. MorPro dispatchers are able to monitor routes and connect with drivers via the MorPro Driver App when drivers are getting close to their hour limit. This allows truck dispatchers to route drivers to a spot where they are required to take their statutory break.

3. Optimizing route performance

Routes that are inefficient can soon become expensive issues that result in wasted fuel, disgruntled customers, frustrated drivers, and undue wear and tear on vehicles. Deliveries may be made on time and customers can remain satisfied because freight dispatchers are able to evaluate routes, pinpoint areas of inefficiency, and make adjustments to driver schedules on the fly.

The routing strategies MorPro provides is unmatched visibility into each and every route. Truck dispatchers are able to distinguish between routes that are performing poorly and those that are doing well by analyzing for trends. This identifies routes that need to be adjusted since they are inefficient. MorPro geofences are able to precisely measure expected arrival times, the number of stops that have been completed, and the time at which a truck is getting close to the next stop. Truck dispatchers have the ability to reliably make route adjustments and judgments in the moment when they have access to massive amounts of real-time data at their fingertips.

4. We the Deliver best-in-class customer service

It’s not uncommon for a company’s truck dispatchers to also serve as the company’s customer service reps. As a result of this, our dispatchers have the potential to play a significant role in the improvement of your client satisfaction.

The responsibility of communicating delays to customers, responding to enquiries from customers, and managing customers’ expectations falls on dispatchers. Trust may be built through this uninterrupted flow of communication, which also enables your fleet to adjust more easily to the fluctuating demands of your customers.

Our truck dispatchers are able to provide consumers with a shared URL that displays real-time ETAs since they use MorPro. Your clients are less likely to ask about the location of their loads when they have visibility into live, up-to-the-second vehicle whereabouts; in addition, they are better prepared to accept shipments, which reduces the amount of time that loads are held up in transit.

5. Streamline back office communication and minimize phone calls

Because issues can emerge on the road at any time, day or night, your drivers require truck dispatchers that are able to address route concerns quickly and have an emphasis on the safety of the driver. It’s possible that truck drivers will spend hours each month calling your back office to handle route concerns if there isn’t a solution already in place.

In the same sense, dispatchers require comprehensive information on driver behavior in order to reduce the number of costly accident claims. It may be challenging to collect this information remotely; but, if you have your own morpro, professional truck dispatchers they may assist with monitoring, identifying, and coaching drivers on risky driver conduct, as well as rewarding drivers who have strong safety records.

In addition, dispatchers have the ability to implement time-saving practices for their drivers, such as replace paper documentation with an electronic alternative. Both drivers and dispatchers are relieved of the hassle of manually completing paperwork thanks to MorPro’s digital document capture. The time saved by MorPro clients in 2019 due to the elimination of the need to process paper documents was 62,000 hours. They also saved over 11 tons of paper by avoiding using it.

Maximize your truck dispatching efficiency with MorPro Maverick

When it comes to dispatching and routing, MorPro’s unified fleet management solution lets trucking companies prioritize safety while also providing exceptional customer service. MorPro’s Maverick solutions help you grow your business by unlocking profit at every turn . If you’re looking for ways to lessen the stress of dispatching your fleet, features like Live Sharing, Dedicated Dispatcher Teams, Driver Monitoring can help. By reducing the amount of time spent on the phone with drivers, trucking businesses using morpro may improve communication and efficiency across the whole fleet. We know it can be more challenging when you’re managing trucking company from the ground up alone Every new business needs a partner who can help you get the most out of your new company and ensure its long-term viability and success.

 The best way to ensure the long-term success of your trucking business is to consult and partner with an established industry expert. Here at MorPro and we’re happy to provide it.