Dispatchers Brain Size?

redytrk · Feb 22, 2007

Last night I was dispatched to meet a driver for a transfer at FedEx Freight in Scott City Mo.

We arrived to find the place locked up. (04:00). We were informed that the information available to the original dispatcher was that they close at night. We were fortunate to find a nearby factory that handled the freight for us.

I still cant figure why Scott City was chosen in the first place. Load originated in Milwaukee destined for Memphis. The route took him right through St. Louis where we could have transferred easily. In fact that is where i was originally located on layover.

As to the size of dispatchers brains...Someone once said...A thousand could fit onto the head of a pin.

FAMILYEXPDT · Feb 22, 2007

Hmmmm Where to start....my guess is you or I would not last a week dealing with what a dispatcher deals with on a typical day. Tha lack of respect (such as that displayed in the title of this post), the anger at low freight volumes ( which is misdirected at them....like they control the economy)the just plain bad mannered people out there that think because they OWN their own truck that everyone should kiss their posterior....I think the only time I would ever question a dispatcher's "brains" would be when wondering why they do what they do for less than 100$ a day. I wouldn't and hats off to them for trying to keep our trucks running...after we all know the only perfect people are the ones behind the wheel.......right?

-Charlotte

redytrk · Feb 22, 2007

>Hmmmm Where to start....my guess is you or I would not last
>a week dealing with what a dispatcher deals with on a
>typical day. Tha lack of respect (such as that displayed in
>the title of this post), the anger at low freight volumes (
>which is misdirected at them....like they control the
>economy)the just plain bad mannered people out there that
>think because they OWN their own truck that everyone should
>kiss their posterior....I think the only time I would ever
>question a dispatcher's "brains" would be when wondering why
>they do what they do for less than 100$ a day. I wouldn't
>and hats off to them for trying to keep our trucks
>running...after we all know the only perfect people are the
>ones behind the wheel.......right?
>
>
>
>-Charlotte
Come on Lighten up...It was all meant as "Tounge in Cheek".I am sure dispatchers have their own rants about Driver Brains. And they probably have ten times the stories to tell about us.

Fr8 Shaker · Feb 22, 2007

Whats the difference between a baby and a truck driver ?

After 6 months the baby stops crying !

x06col · Feb 23, 2007

Ready
As long as you been around, why, is this an issue for you on this day?? Just kinda wonder'in. Bump your head?

JCK · Feb 23, 2007

DER, YOU KNOW YOU CANT BASH A DISPATCHER ON THIS SITE WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? ALL HAIL THE DISPATCHERS THE DRIVERS ARE THERE PESSANTS

Deville · Feb 23, 2007

Im my Experiance with FDCC Dispatchers I go out of my way to be couterous to them, esspecially the ones I dont know. I've had a lot of attitude given to me by certain dispatchers when I refused to take extremly low paying loads, Like less than $100 to transfer frieght less than 25 miles. Thats just one example.

The Dispatchers I have a relationship with no exactly what I'll do & what I wont do and the minimum I will do it for.

They have a job to do & I respect that, I have a company to run.

buckeyewildman · Feb 23, 2007

it takes all kinds

arkjarhead · Feb 23, 2007

a lot of people on this site act like dispatchers are gods. they put their pants on one leg at a time just like drivers do.

kangar0085 · Feb 23, 2007

>Whats the difference between a baby and a truck driver ?
>
>After 6 months the baby stops crying !

LOL I love that

bamamule · Feb 24, 2007

at a grand a week that sure is low pay nowdays
but on dispachers
they an't got enough since to come out of the rain

SpaceTrucker · Feb 24, 2007

Sounds like the dispatcher didn't take the extra step in making sure the plan he had was going to work. A simple phone call to make sure they were open would have averted the whole mess.

Making sure a plan will work is an "extra step" because it isn't part of the problem solving process of most dispatchers. After all, he'll be at home sharing a good time with his family or sleeping in his own bed when the problem occurs. By then you'll have the next shift dispatcher that doesn't have a clue about your situation.

Knowing that its just a fact of life that the dispatcher is doing what easiest for him, you need to be more proactive in the way you run your business. Utimately, you are responsible to determine whats in your best interest.

With an ETA of 4am the first question should have been, "are they open"? If yes, how do they know they are open? Chances are you'll find out they really don't know if they're open. Better yet ask for the phone number and call yourself. There's a reason when they call you its short. Basically its to keep you in control--just do it and ask no questions. It's your job to sniff out the problem and keep it from COSTING YOU time and money.

cheri1122 · Feb 24, 2007

Welcome to EO, Spacetrucker - that was a well written post. I disagree with the premise, but it was well written, lol.
Determining whether the place chosen for the swap is open should be part of the information gathering that is a dispatcher's job, ie: load size, weight, pieces, addresses, route, etc.
Of course the aware driver will double check, when the day and/or time are outside normal business patterns, but I feel the dispatcher really should find out before finalizing the plan.

redytrk · Feb 24, 2007

< Sounds like the dispatcher didn't take the extra step in making sure the plan he had was going to work. A simple phone call to make sure they were open would have averted the whole mess.

It would have been easier than that. All they ad to do was look in the notes already in the computer. That list the hours of operation.

SpaceTrucker · Feb 24, 2007

hmm, perhaps not written well enough (lol) because I agree it's the dispatcher's job to take the extra step and make sure all aspects of the plan will work. I just don't think very many actually do it before they put the plan into action. Thus, the suggestion that drivers realize the fact and take on the unfortunate additional task of analyzing whats being said and identify whats gonna go wrong with the picture. Because its the driver that will pay the price in terms of loss of money, loss of hours, loss of opportunity (next load)etc.

kangar0085 · Feb 24, 2007

Dispatch fault 1000 percent you can't be checking every little thing and if you do they get angry at you for doubting them. Thats all good but not when I'm sent to Ohare airport with no building number no directions or right adress and no number to call...on top of it all the 2nd shift dispatcher is "at home with his family" while I'm getting reamed by tolls around the airport

cheri1122 · Feb 24, 2007

>Dispatch fault 1000 percent you can't be checking every
>little thing and if you do they get angry at you for
>doubting them.
If you "can't be checking every little thing" when it's clear that you need to, you're ALWAYS going to have trouble. If a dispatcher gets angry at you for verifying details, calmly explain why you are doing it. They'll get over it.
Thats all good but not when I'm sent to Ohare
>airport with no building number no directions or right
>adress and no number to call...on top of it all the 2nd
>shift dispatcher is "at home with his family" while I'm
>getting reamed by tolls around the airport

It doesn't make a bit of difference where 'the second shift dispatcher' is - there's more than one, really! It's the job of whichever dispatcher is on duty to assist you with accurate info, if what you've been given is wrong.
As for the tolls - get out of the loop, dude, park somewhere until you get the right destination, next time, huh?

nightcreacher · Feb 25, 2007

I've done many cross docks at Fed Ex Freight around the country.I've questioned why one place was better than another, usually cause where
I felt was better,was closed.There have been places that should have been open were not going to be,but that was found out early in the run.
Our dispatchers do the best they can,this isn't an easy business,and unless you spend a day in a dispatchers shoes,have some respect for them.

nightcreacher · Feb 25, 2007

>Dispatch fault 1000 percent you can't be checking every
>little thing and if you do they get angry at you for
>doubting them. Thats all good but not when I'm sent to Ohare
>airport with no building number no directions or right
>adress and no number to call...on top of it all the 2nd
>shift dispatcher is "at home with his family" while I'm
>getting reamed by tolls around the airport

you were offered a run,should have had info where to pick it up and where to deliver it.If this info isnt on your qualcom,then it is up to you as a professional to asks those questions,then you wont be driving around O'Hare,paying those extra tolls,but if your paying extra tolls.your really lost,not that hard to do O'hare without paying any tolls

cheri1122 · Feb 25, 2007

I respect anyone who does their job right, and corrects it to the best of their ability when they don't. Just as I do.
So far, I haven't ever had a dispatcher give me any kind of trouble, because I treat them with the same courtesy I expect. It works for me, anyway.