Freight Dispatcher

Responsibilities

• Load Management: Source and secure profitable loads through load boards, brokers, and direct customers. Negotiate rates, review load profitability, and assign loads to drivers based on location, equipment, availability, and schedule.
• Dispatch & Route Planning: Plan and coordinate daily driver schedules and routes to maximize productivity while minimizing unnecessary mileage, fuel costs, and downtime. Account for traffic, weather, delivery requirements, and appointment times.
• Driver Communication: Maintain consistent communication with drivers throughout the day regarding pickups, deliveries, schedule changes, delays, breakdowns, and other issues that may arise while on the road.
• Customer & Broker Communication: Communicate with customers, brokers, shippers, and receivers regarding load status, scheduling, delivery times, delays, paperwork, and any service-related issues.
• Compliance & Safety: Monitor driver activity and documentation to help ensure compliance with company policies, DOT/FMCSA regulations, "Hours of Service (HOS)", vehicle requirements, and other applicable transportation regulations.
• Problem-Solving: Handle time-sensitive operational issues, including vehicle breakdowns, missed appointments, rejected or delayed loads, route changes, equipment issues, and other unexpected situations.
• Load Tracking: Track loads from pickup through delivery and provide timely updates to customers and management regarding the status of shipments.
• Documentation & Administrative Duties: Review and maintain bills of lading (BOL), proof of delivery (POD), weight tickets, rate confirmations, invoices, and other transportation-related documentation.
• Billing & Invoicing: Ensure completed loads have the required documentation and assist with submitting accurate invoices and resolving payment or documentation issues.
• Fleet Coordination: Coordinate equipment and driver availability to ensure trucks are properly assigned and utilized while minimizing downtime.
• Operational Support: Work closely with drivers, maintenance, customers, brokers, and management to keep daily transportation operations running efficiently and address issues as they occur.