How to Become a Freight Dispatcher

Posted by Abdullah A Noman on March 22nd, 2022

Freight dispatchers are responsible for planning, organizing, and controlling the movement of trains, trucks, planes, and other carriers of freight.

The job qualification requirements to become a freight dispatcher vary depending on company requirements. However, often candidates must have previous experience as a dispatch coordinator or driver before they qualify for the job since this role is often the first step in a career as an expediter - each individual responsibility can then be seen as part of one big process.

Freight dispatchers have a chosen few competitors mainly 3PLs and trucking companies. That may be because even though most people know about these jobs, not many are aware of how to become one.

First, you need a high school diploma or GED and, in many cases, some form of technical training. Next, you’ll go through a training period which includes: what pens do what when loading equipment and how the equipment is unloaded; and learning how to read the loading plan on the trailer - it’s called “breaking down paperwork” *Specific educational classes are also required dependent on state law, such as OSHA Safety Training or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Grants*

Freight dispatchers are responsible for safely directing cargo to its destination by ensuring accurate records

You can study on the job site to become a freight dispatcher, or you can get an online degree/training course from us to become a skilled freight dispatcher.

A career as a freight dispatcher is one with many benefits. Freight dispatchers take care of networks, do inventory management and scheduling to help keep your shipments on track.

These individuals also stay in touch with personnel to keep them alerted of bumps along the way.

Freight dispatchers monitor and manage the flow of goods through transmission via rail yard brakeman on the railroad. They will convey this information back to the individual responsible for handling their parcel(s).

With 22% of drivers quitting, freight companies are in dire need of drivers that can be dispatchers. If becoming a dispatcher is what you want to do, it takes schooling and years of experience to land these higher-profile positions. This all translates into paying your dues for at least five years and gaining managerial experience. There are many different schools you can go to get jobs dispatching cargo, but the most prestigious one moved from Illinois to California back in 2009.

In this section, we will discuss the difference between a logistics coordinator and what you have to do to become one. A logistical coordinator is an individual who gathers together various stakeholders in the situation and relationally organizes them to achieve a common goal. This person makes sure that they are understanding how resources are supposed to be allocated in order for the goal or task to be completed smoothly. The vice president of operations of a company would often put these two titles under one individual. They may also assign different tasks depending on company size and at what level they want the workload distributed.

A freight dispatcher, on the other hand, provides information regarding cargo shipment and ensures that it is not late. They may need to monitor inventory by reconciling schedules of pickups and deliveries against commitments that have been made by shippers.

Freight dispatchers coordinate the work of drivers to a delivery destination. They complete steps like calculating the rates for each shipment, checking for suitable truck drivers, arranging for routes and freight, supplying drivers with traffic information on the way, postponing and rescheduling loads to avoid delaying other shipments and meeting with drivers at sites around or in preparation of a shipment.

Freight dispatchers typically have meticulous attention to detail and are able to motivate and organize others in high-pressure environments. They also need advanced skills in problem-solving, mathematics, cargo inventory management, computer systems operations, and organizing facts that support logistics organization processes.