How To Become A Transportation Dispatcher: What It Is and Career Path

What is a transportation dispatcher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

A transportation dispatcher is an individual responsible for coordinating the movement of vehicles and drivers. They assign routes, schedule pick-ups and deliveries, and communicate with drivers and customers. Dispatchers use software and communication equipment to track vehicles, update schedules, and respond to emergencies. They must be able to make quick decisions and solve problems under pressure. Successful dispatchers have strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.

ScoreTransportation DispatcherUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $36,218

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.4

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.91%

Asian 3.85%

Black or African American 10.27%

Hispanic or Latino 17.51%

Unknown 5.06%

White 62.40%

Gender

female 54.10%

male 45.90%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

8.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.2

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a transportation dispatcher?

Pros

Fast-paced and challenging work environment
High level of responsibility and autonomy in decision making
Potential for a good salary and benefits package
Opportunity for advancement and growth within the company
Constantly learning and developing new skills in communication, problem solving, and organization

Cons

High stress levels due to dealing with multiple tasks and responsibilities simultaneously
Long hours, which may include nights, weekends, and holidays
Difficulties in managing driver schedules and ensuring on-time deliveries
Constantly being on call for emergencies or unexpected issues that arise
High-pressure situations when dealing with upset customers or drivers

Key steps to become a transportation dispatcher

Explore transportation dispatcher education requirements

Most common transportation dispatcher degrees

High School Diploma

31.2 %

Bachelor's

30.3 %

Associate

24.5 %

Start to develop specific transportation dispatcher skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	33.28%
Patients	16.77%
Data Entry	9.06%
Patient Care	5.98%
Patient Transport	4.50%

Complete relevant transportation dispatcher training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New transportation dispatchers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a transportation dispatcher based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real transportation dispatcher resumes.

Research transportation dispatcher duties and 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.

Prepare your transportation dispatcher resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your transportation dispatcher resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a transportation dispatcher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable transportation dispatcher resume templates

Build a professional transportation dispatcher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your transportation dispatcher resume.