Transportation Dispatcher Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

If you are looking for comprehensive details about transportation dispatcher job description, then you are in luck.

We present information about what the transportation dispatcher do as regards the key tasks, duties, and responsibilities they are commonly charged with.

This post also provides the major requirements that you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the transportation dispatcher role, as well as the salary estimation for the job.

Please, read on:

What Does a Transportation Dispatcher Do?

The transportation dispatcher job description entails managing all aspects of the company’s transportation operations.

It also involves ensuring that all drivers are adequately trained and able to complete their job duties in a safe manner.

The transportation dispatcher assigns drivers to various shifts, monitors traffic and weather reports, and readies the company vehicle fleet for regular service as needed.

It is also their responsibility to coordinate with other departments, such as customer service representatives or warehouse staff when scheduling rides for customers of the company.

They also assist other departments by providing receipts, itemized bills, and removing items from the rental line, etc.

Furthermore, transportation dispatchers are also responsible for stocking vehicles with fuel, water, and other supplies, and also for keeping the vehicles clean.

They often work as part of a team with dispatchers from rental car companies for scheduled company field trips or to transport customers to scheduled engagements.

Transportation dispatchers may also be responsible for assigning drivers to a specific vehicle, checking the vehicle’s condition such as the coolant level and tire pressure, conducting pre-drive inspections and preparing daily trip reports.

They may also be assigned to one of the company’s corporate offices, either by their own choice or their region’s transportation team manager.

Transportation dispatchers may also perform administrative tasks such as updating and distributing company sales reports and completing various internal forms and reports.

They are responsible for communicating with other departments within the transportation department such as sales, marketing, human resources, etc.

More on Transportation Dispatcher Job Description

The transportation dispatcher’s duties may also include ordering and packaging and distributing items to the service center.

It may also involve maintaining or leading a small fleet of vehicles that is used for company field trips or entertaining customers.

Transportation dispatchers typically report directly to the manager of the transportation department and may supervise other dispatchers or drivers, as well as staff who are in charge of maintaining the company’s vehicle fleet.

They may also be responsible for implementing routing and scheduling software to maximize the efficient use of vehicles.

It is also their responsibility to coordinate with other transportation departments, such as towing services or airport shuttles, when required to manage customer requests.

A transportation dispatcher is responsible for maintaining records of receipts, mileage claims and other administrative activities.

They are often responsible for communicating with customers when necessary in order to address concerns or complaints in a timely manner.

In addition, transportation dispatchers respond to inquiries from other departments, such as human resources, finance, and manufacturing.

Transportation Dispatcher Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The transportation dispatcher job description involves the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Ensures that all items are properly packaged for shipment
• Communicates with other departments to ensure that transportation needs are met
• Ensures that the warehouse or distribution center is fully stocked with supplies
• Maintains a fleet of vehicles in good working order as well as records associated with vehicles
• Assigns drivers to jobs and ensures that each driver has the correct documents and permits necessary to complete the job
• Provides feedback when necessary on timekeeping, vehicle maintenance, and safety records related to trucking operations
• Reviews scheduling information for accuracy, checking for overtime compliance and maintaining records to keep transportation employees
• Audits the schedules of other transportation employees
• Keeps records of all documentation and documentation related to freight delivery in order to help ensure that any discrepancies are addressed immediately
• Coordinates with other departments as needed, such as customer service or accounting
• Helps answer questions or provides information related to departments other than transportation
• Maintains the department’s fleet of vehicles and records related to vehicle maintenance.
• Manages the inventory of trucking supplies and ensures that warehouse locations are properly stocked
• Manages the inventory of parking spaces in order to help ensure that there is enough space for adequate parking on a daily basis.

Transportation Dispatcher Job Description for Resume

If you are making a new resume or CV as someone who has worked before as a transportation dispatcher, or are presently working in that role, then you can apply the transportation dispatcher job description example above in making the Professional Experience section of your resume.

You can state the transportation dispatcher duties and responsibilities from the job description in your resume’s Professional Experience, to show that you have been effective working as a transportation dispatcher.

This piece of information in your resume can have a huge influence on the employer/recruiter to invite you for an interview, especially if having some transportation dispatcher work experience is important for the new job.

Transportation Dispatcher Job Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

If you are seeking the transportation dispatcher role, here are major requirements most employers may want you to meet to be hired:

• High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED)
• Possess automobile Class C, D, or higher driver’s license
• 3+ years of warehouse experience (preferably in a transportation setting such as distribution center, freight forwarder, or shipping company)
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Self-motivated and a team player
• Strong computer literacy including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access
• Ability to multitask and manage various priorities together effectively
• Must be able to lift 50-75 pounds, bend, squat and crawl on their hands and knees

Transportation dispatchers must be able to pass:

• an employee emotional support disorder screen and physical examination
• a criminal background check for all positions within the transportation department
• an employee drug screen and physical examination
• a pre-employment psychological evaluation/medical exam form U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Job Order No. AH13-332.

Transportation Dispatcher Salary

According to Glassdoor, the national average income for a transportation dispatcher in the United States is $39,191; salary ranges from $36,000 to $107,000 per year.

Conclusion

Transportation dispatchers are the people responsible for preparing and sending materials from one location to another by truck or freight.

They are responsible for coordinating the delivery of the materials from a warehouse or facility to a customer or shipper, or from a customer’s location to another facility, typically at a different location in the same city.

If you have a passion for transportation or are looking to join a great team full of people, then a career in a transportation dispatching position can be right for you.

This post is helpful to individuals interested in the transportation dispatcher career; they will be able to learn all they need to know about what dispatchers do in the transportation industry to decide if that’s what they want to do.

It is also useful to recruiters/employers needing to hire competent individuals to vacant transportation dispatcher positions in their companies.

They can create detailed and effective descriptions for the transportation dispatcher positions for use in their hiring process by applying the sample job description provided on this page.