
At the Spokane County regional fire dispatch center, dispatcher Mike Cappellano monitors a call of a tree that fell onto a house. Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012. The dispatch center went to an automated voice dispatch last August in the hopes that it would improve response times. It has been what some are calling an "overwhelming success." Fire calls used to be dispatched in 60 seconds or less only 62 percent of the time. That rate has now risen to 93 percent. COLIN MULVANY [email protected]
Dispatchers make sure that truck drivers have cargo to transport and that drivers adhere to the appointed time of arrival, departure, loading, unloading of cargo. Dispatchers also perform an administrative role by filing relevant paperwork, tracking the driver’s itinerary, processing orders, and as far as they can help resolving driver problems.
Dispatchers are the backbone of the trucking industry. They help drivers concentrate on the road and get their loads safely from point A to point B.
In any profession there are both pros and cons, and before taking on any area, you need to weigh the pros and cons well.