Dispatchers are generally responsible for receiving and transmitting important information as well as coordinating the operations of a given company. These professionals are at the center of all the action, ensuring that members of their team stay up-to-date, and that products and services arrive at their destinations in a timely fashion.
A dispatcher’s work station is usually equipped with phones, radios, and computers, since these experts serve as a point of contact to drivers, customers and more. In order to provide the most accurate information, their job usually involves monitoring several things. These include; fleet availability, the weather, and road conditions. If you are interested in enhancing your communication and organization skills and putting them to good use, a dispatch career could be a great fit for you.
Dispatcher training not only covers the day-to-day tasks of the job, but also helps students understand how businesses function on a variety of levels. If you’re considering pursuing dispatcher training, you will soon be qualified to thrive in a number of roles across many industries.
Here’s a glance at what some of your options might include:
Applying Dispatcher Training in the Transportation Industry
The transportation industry relies on professionals with dispatcher training just as much as it relies on drivers to complete deliveries. While drivers are out on the road hauling goods, dispatchers are working hard behind-the-scenes to make sure deliveries arrive on time.
As a dispatcher in the transportation industry, you will be responsible for planning the safest delivery routes, by checking the weather and highway conditions. In addition, you’ll keep in touch with drivers while they are on the road to ensure they are safe. You will also be tasked with notifying drivers of any upcoming road blocks or weigh stations. Dispatchers in this industry are also responsible for:
- communicating with customers
- monitoring driver logs and hours of service
- keeping track of truck and equipment availability
A critical part of a dispatcher’s job is to build and maintain good relationships with drivers, since they tend to be in touch with drivers on a daily basis.
When Dispatcher Training Saves Lives: Duties of an Emergency Dispatcher
Dispatch school can prepare you for a career in emergency services, where you will work as an emergency dispatcher. In this role, you will be responsible for gathering essential information from callers, and dispatching the appropriate emergency response team, such as police, firefighters, or paramedics.
As an emergency dispatcher, you will be required to speak to callers in very high-stress situations. This is why additional on-the-job training is usually provided—to help you learn how to stay calm, take control of situations, and get the right information in a short period of time.
Emergency dispatchers are savvy to a wide range of dispatch codes, which are used for different emergencies. These experts are also familiar with various safety procedures. They usually keep logs of their daily activities, and work in centralized communication centers, where they use systems that are equipped to handle a large number of incoming calls.
Dispatcher Training Can Sometimes Lead To Management Positions
Within the trucking industry, dispatcher training can sometimes lead to management positions, such as transportation operations management, for example. Professionals in this position oversee the dispatch team as well as other areas of the business, like the warehouse.
Operations managers are responsible for handling safety protocols, by making sure all staff members receives sufficient training. They know how to do visual safety inspections on trucks, in order to ensure that a company’s fleet is in full working order and they also handle administrative tasks, such as generating financial reports.
Are you looking for a dispatch course that will prepare you for one of these rewarding careers?
Visit ATC to learn more about our training programs or to speak with an advisor.
