We are seeking an experienced Dispatcher to coordinate daily freight movement using contract trucks sourced from third-party trucking companies and owner-operators. This role is responsible for securing the right number of trucks each morning, assigning and sequencing loads, keeping drivers and customers informed throughout the day, and resolving delays or shortages in real time.
Unlike a company-fleet dispatch role, success here depends on building and maintaining a deep bench of reliable contract carriers and negotiating daily capacity in a market where truck availability and rates change constantly.
Key Responsibilities
Daily Truck Procurement & Capacity Planning
- Review the next day's load board, work orders, and customer schedules to determine truck count, equipment type, and timing requirements.
- Contact contract trucking companies and owner-operators each to confirm truck commitments.
- Negotiate daily rates within approved limits and document all agreed terms before dispatch.
- Maintain a rolling carrier bench deep enough to cover peak volume, no-shows, and last-minute customer additions.
- Escalate capacity shortfalls early with proposed alternatives.
Load Assignment & Dispatch
- Assign loads to contract trucks based on equipment suitability, location, driver experience, customer requirements, and cost.
- Issue clear dispatch instructions covering pickup and delivery locations, times, contacts, site rules, PPE requirements, load specifications, and required paperwork.
- Sequence multi-stop and multi-turn runs to maximize truck productivity and minimize deadhead miles.
- Adjust the daily plan in real time as trucks run early, late, or out of service.
Carrier Compliance & Onboarding Support
- Verify that every carrier is properly set up before dispatch, including active operating authority, current certificate of insurance meeting company minimums, signed carrier agreement, and W-9.
- Monitor expiration dates on insurance and authority and prevent dispatch to any carrier out of compliance.
- Confirm drivers hold appropriate CDL class and endorsements for the assigned freight.
Communication & Customer Service
- Serve as the primary point of contact for contract drivers throughout the shift.
- Provide customers, plant personnel, and job sites with ETAs, delay notifications, and daily status updates.
Documentation & Administrative Support
- Enter and maintain accurate records in for every load, including carrier, rate, tonnage or units, times, and reference numbers.
- Collect, review, and route bills of lading, scale tickets, delivery receipts, and detention or accessorial documentation.
- Reconcile daily dispatch records against carrier invoices and support Accounts Payable in resolving rate and quantity discrepancies.
- Track and report carrier performance metrics such as on-time percentage, acceptance rate, and no-show rate.
Carrier Relationship Management
- Build long-term working relationships with contract trucking companies to secure priority access to capacity during tight markets.
- Communicate expectations clearly and address performance concerns directly and professionally.
- Identify and vet new carriers to expand available capacity .
Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED.
- 2+ years of dispatch, freight brokerage, or transportation coordination experience.
- Demonstrated experience sourcing and dispatching third-party carriers or owner-operators.
- Working knowledge of DOT regulations, hours of service, and carrier insurance and authority requirements.
- Proficiency with dispatch or transportation management software such as Haul Hub and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Outlook.
- Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to hold firm on commitments while maintaining good carrier relationships.
- Ability to manage a high volume of calls and competing priorities without losing accuracy.
This is a remote position.
— Sarah J.
·
Marketing Manager
★★★★★
Verified
