Whats the opiniions on a dispatcher job for trucking company?

I have a call back for a third interview and it sounds like it maybe a sure thing. Pays 13.75 an hour, currently making 11 an hour, plus this job has benefits.

Basically from what I understand they ship by container loads, has 150 trucks with cell phones, uses act to manage loads and some brain power and knowledge of regulations and travel times.

Further, sounds like its an inbound call center type of job, 10 hours a day, 4 days a week. They have a high turn over so want to make sure I am right. I dont want to loose my current job, so I want to make sure its a sure thing.

I questioned this since my 11 dollar an hour job is somewhat lazy, outbound calls. 11 an hour aint cutting it and hoped to find an evening job to allow me to work up to 16 hours a day for more money. Making nearly 30 grand a year aint bad or 4 days a week either.

Any opinions, thoughts here? Think this is another dead end call center type of job I will likely leave in 6 months to 2 years?

Being a truck dispatcher sounds like it's got a bit more of a future to it than working a callcenter or boilerroom job. Can't comment on the salary since I don't know what your community's economy is like.

Needless to say, out in our Silicon Valley world where a million dollars barely buys you a shack and multi-million dollar homes are tract houses, 30K a year would be well below the poverty level, where it may be closer to the mean average in many other communities throughout the country.

If your happy where you are at adjust your spending to the pay.
If you are not happy (I am thinking you are not) then 13.75 beats 11 every time. I would think it will be more of a challange than you are used to.
I did not mean that as an insult, I read your threads even if I do not always post in them and it seems quite often you are bored and unhappy with your job. I say go for it see if you are up to the higher pay higher stress. I think 13.75 looks good to me and I have worked at the same place for over 25 years. If I live long enough I might make 13.75 in 25 more :candle: Right now I make 11.60 an hour after being cut back to the factory. (Ha and all you guys thought I was rich)
Topper

It sounds like being a dispatcher will be a little more rewarding that doing outbound calling. You're responsible for a lot of logistics, and at the end of the day, a lot of good work gets done.

Change is good, trying something new is good, especially if you are not happy.

However, I would point out that committing to a 10 hour a day, four days a week job may cut off your ability to get a second job, and work more hours. Your current job sounds easier, which means you could be fresh for a second job.

For me, I think you shouldn't do a job you don't like, if there are other opportunities. You might even like the inbound situation.

best of luck
daloosh

THanks, that sounds good. Yes, I do hate my current job, in many respects. Its really meaningless. Lots of my work depends on others and they drop the ball, plus the business is just not structured to sell industrial equipment by telemarketing when they have little to no inventory, build times of 15 weeks and no way to finance, lease or rent. Many businesses rent or lease as it works better for them financially.

According to my tax program, the mean for my area is 23 grand a year. I made 17 grand last year. Still, I have no idea how the others do it. Many nice looking Japanise and Korea cars and the same cars tricked out.

I am basically at the point to sell the van, go back to taking the bus and pay off my bills from getting my license. I have about 225 left over from the bills minus the 125 min credit card payment. About 130 a month for gas to go 10 miles a day.

Will see what they say tomorrow. Will tell my boss if I accept, I will only be able to work one day a week with the day training, then after 90 days I could work more hours once I get night shift.

The mean salary for Richmond, VA area is only 23 grand?

I think its based on the zip code, 23227 or Henrico/NorthSide. Its not a rich area.

Had third interivew, sounds pretty good. Asked about job, talked about worry of burn out, etc.

Can you sit in for a shift with one or two of the current dispatchers? They'll tell you what's what with it.

I think it would be a neat job. As long as there is a coffee pot, ashtray, heater/ac and big comfy chair in reach it would suite me fine. Just don't bald or turn gray over it.:laughing:

my father in law started a middle man truck dispatch company after his heart attack. My wife worked there, I worked there when I lost my job.

It isn't bad, a bit of the same old same old, but some difference as you are talking to truckers, and helping them find places if they've never been there before. Once you get to know the drivers they are really fun to talk to and usually good guys.

If you need/want more money, and hate your job (which is what I'm getting) I'd take it and give it a run. Can't really be worse than where you are now.

I'm in Richmond this week for training for work actually (Mechanicsville) ironic that I just read this.

I talked to them again and it seems like it uses the phone and the computer database act. Basically you call drivers, they call you and those who ship and receive stuff. I pictured a radio station like environment, but turns out they use phones.

Funny too, I had someone at the job I hate talk about these trucking company in a very positive light. Strange......

yeah, it's totally phone now, no CB radio stuff. All the drivers have cells and most of them have laptops and get online for lots of stuff at truckstops. You don't realize it but they are way into technology out there, saves em money and time.

this job pays pretty low. If you don't have other jobs interviews line up soon, it is better to take this job temporarily until you get better job.

In the meantime, you should revise resume to make it sharper to employer.

dispatcher job is better than typical center job because truckers call in rather you have to call out to random numbers.

IT is? 13.75 an hour?

Well, no word back on it. Talked to Steve this weekend, am working on revising the resume. Despite my BS detector and severe sense of cynalism, I am going to fluff it as suggested, rewrite and organize it.

I will have some folks to test it on with another paper tomorrow.

that's decent pay... the average factory job in my town starts out between 9 and 10 an hour. Starting pay that's pretty much great. I'm not totally sure what the cost of living is in Richmond, but it can't be TOO much more than home.

Thanks, maybe a null point. I applied to sears auto dept and the guy said I was hired if I passed a drug test soon as he saw me for my interview. Already filled out all the paper work, signed all the forms. Said he has 10 slots to fill, 3 people already ahead of me and none of them have done the required drug test that i needed in 24/48 hours. I did mines today, dont do drugs or alcohol, so I should be safe unless the sports supplements will effect it. 12 bucks an hour plus commission part time in evenings, can go to full time or be fired.