Victor S – Status Trucks Dispatcher

My name is Victor, the reason I became a dispatcher is one it is very performance-based, so it is very challenging. I’ve always been looking for a career that’s challenging, that I can put my best and reap results, and also, it’s very fast paced. You don’t get a moment of that you really not doing anything. You are always switching from different tasks, always communicating with the drivers, I think that is very crucial.

Skills that you need to be a good dispatcher is communication. You got to have excellent customer service skills because you are communicating to your client which is your driver on a day-to-day basis. That’s the most crucial part of being a great dispatcher.

I absolutely think it’s very crucial to be in good terms with your owner operators. Sometimes you will have an OK rate, at times you have great owner operator load rates and I it helps a lot both of you that you guys are on the same terms. If you guys develop a good friendship, you will know exactly what your driver is looking for on the loads. When rate comes up or a load comes up that is paying greatly, if you guys are on the same page, you’ll be able to take that load without even asking you owner operator because you guys have built up that trust. A relationship where you guys know exactly what the market is, where the great area is, that as soon as you call your owner operator he will know exactly. He will be able to trust that you have the best load out there for him because you have established that trust.

The most challenging part of my job is actually location. Placing your drivers in the right location will set them up greatly for the next day, so if you send them to a horrible spot the next day will be very challenging to get a great load coming out of that area. It is very crucial for you to know the great areas for a type of trailer. Some places, for example, Dallas is great for flatbeds, not very much for van trailers, but Houston is. At this time of year, it is very crucial that you know where your driver is going into. Just because there is a good owner operator pay, that doesn’t mean that you should send your driver there. The location is very key.

My favorite part of the job is building a great friendship with my drivers. You have a friend out there that’s on the road. They always have stories to tell you, and they always have some great experiences to share with you. I think that one of the best parts of my job is having a friend that’s out there working hard and as always wanting you guys to work as a team.

I would like to say something to my drivers. I am very grateful and thankful that you guys are on the road running. It takes a lot for someone to be away from the family, being away from their home, that is out on the road trying to support their families, you know to bring the bacon home. It is a very noble thing for someone to sacrifice their time away from family, to be out on the road to be able to support them.