Dispatcher vs transportation dispatcher

The differences between dispatchers and transportation dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dispatcher and a transportation dispatcher. Additionally, a transportation dispatcher has an average salary of $36,218, which is higher than the $35,328 average annual salary of a dispatcher.

The top three skills for a dispatcher include customer service, data entry and computer aided dispatch. The most important skills for a transportation dispatcher are customer service, patients, and data entry.

Dispatcher vs transportation dispatcher overview

	Dispatcher	Transportation Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$35,328	$36,218
Hourly rate	$16.98	$17.41
Growth rate	4%	-8%
Number of jobs	5,818	12,205
Job satisfaction	4.25	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a dispatcher do?

Dispatchers are generally responsible for coordinating with the customers regarding the delivery status of the products and providing precise logistics and the fastest transportation routes to the professional drivers to ensure smooth and timely deliveries. A dispatcher is required to monitor the driver's location, strictly track road situations at all times to provide real-time updates for the customers, and advise the driver for alternative routes. Dispatchers also need to address possible customer complaints and process scheduling accurately to avoid inconsistencies in the delivery time.

What does a transportation dispatcher do?

A Transportation Dispatcher's job is to coordinate the transportation of goods by trucks with suppliers, drivers, etc. He/She schedules drivers for pickups and deliveries on specific routes. He/She maintains up-to-date records and reviews the driver log to check for violations and errors. As a Transportation Dispatcher, you will basically act as the middle man between several units and people. You will be required to always be in communication with the maintenance team to see which vehicles are ready for use and when the out-of-service ones will be returned to the fleet.

Dispatcher vs transportation dispatcher salary

Dispatchers and transportation dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dispatcher	Transportation Dispatcher
Average salary	$35,328	$36,218
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $44,000	Between $28,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Paramus, NJ
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Mt. San Antonio College	Northrop Grumman
Best paying industry	Government	Manufacturing

Differences between dispatcher and transportation dispatcher education

There are a few differences between a dispatcher and a transportation dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Dispatcher	Transportation Dispatcher
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Dispatcher vs transportation dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between dispatchers' and transportation dispatchers' demographics:

	Dispatcher	Transportation Dispatcher
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 38.1% Female, 61.9%	Male, 45.9% Female, 54.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between dispatcher and transportation dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Dispatcher example responsibilities.

Manage accounts payable (A/P) and accounts receivable (A/R) using QuickBooks.
Manage dot hrs for drivers as far as what tasks can be done in a certain amount of time.
Manage customer service satisfaction by providing update eta and location of drivers.
Dispatch police fire and ems.
Dispatch district security patrol officers to assist district employees, students and residents with emergency situations.
Earn CDL with passenger endorsement.

Transportation dispatcher example responsibilities.

Manage customer service satisfaction by providing update eta and location of drivers.
Monitor and report various GPS routes, road and weather conditions.
Work with different lines of accounting (LOA) for DTS and PCS transactions.
Keep track of all drivers on the road and delivery times and departure times through GPS tracking.
Schedule and coordinate HVAC technician's daily activities, part requisitions, and deliver detail customer information for technicians.
Determine the nature of the call and deploy the proper medical units and equipment need within the contracted eta time standards.

Dispatcher vs transportation dispatcher skills

Common dispatcher skills

Customer Service, 34%
Data Entry, 8%
Computer Aided Dispatch, 4%
Non-Emergency Calls, 4%
Emergency Situations, 3%
EMS, 3%

Common transportation dispatcher skills

Customer Service, 33%
Patients, 17%
Data Entry, 9%
Patient Care, 6%
Patient Transport, 5%
CPR, 4%

Dispatcher vs. similar jobs

Dispatcher related careers

Dispatcher related jobs

Dispatcher jobs by location

Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Dispatcher
Dispatcher vs Transportation Dispatcher

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs