Latest news with #dispatcher
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'I need somebody to take me seriously': More 911 calls released from Texas floods
When a Gillespie County, Texas, 911 dispatcher answered the phone on the Fourth of July and asked the caller the address of her emergency, the woman on the other end of the line did not respond with the name of a street. "The Guadalupe River in Kerrville," the caller said instead. "I need someone to take me seriously." As the Guadalupe River overflowed in Kerr County, calls like this one poured into emergency communications centers in neighboring counties like Kendall and Gillespie, according to dispatch recordings released in response to a request filed by ABC News under the Texas Public Information Act. The flooding led to more than 130 deaths in Central Texas. MORE: Texas floods: 911 audio from county near hard-hit Kerrville shows confusion and distress "I have two missing people that were swept away in their Airstream at 4:58 this morning," the caller explained to the Gillespie County operator. "However, one phone [of theirs] is still ringing." The tone of her voice grew more urgent. "If you could take my information and take the phone number, they might be able to be found," she continued, begging the operator not to redirect her to someone else. She went down a list of agencies she said she already called but had directed her elsewhere. "Please do not do this to me," the caller said. The operator told her that he was transferring her call to Kerr County, since Kerrville is not in Gillespie County. On another recording, a different dispatcher told a caller that there had not been any reports of Gillespie County flooding yet. "However, Kerr County is getting bad," the 911 operator said. "I don't know everywhere because their dispatch is, like, beyond swamped." One man called 911 trying to find out where his daughter, a camper at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, was located. He told a dispatcher that he heard an indirect report that she was airlifted from the river. "I'm trying to locate her whereabouts so I can meet her immediately," the camper's father said. Fears of flooding in that part of Texas date back generations. "I saw a post where they're comparing it to 2002," a dispatcher said in one of the recordings, referring to the floods 23 years ago that killed more than 200 people. "That is very unsettling for me."
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
From Hustle to Operation – The Real Shift That Makes Growth Possible
You started as an owner-operator, grinding out miles, chasing loads, and wearing every hat—dispatcher, accountant, mechanic. Now you're running a small fleet, maybe two to five trucks, and the hustle that got you here is starting to choke you. The phone's ringing off the hook, paperwork's piling up, and you're still doing it all yourself. Growth sounds like the dream, but without a real shift in how you run your business, you're just piling on stress and chaos. This isn't about working harder—it's about working smarter to turn your hustle into a real operation that can scale. You're not a mega-carrier with a back office full of staff; you're a small fleet owner with thin margins and no time for fluff. Here's how to make the leap to a business that runs like a machine without burning you out or breaking the bank. The Hustle Trap Is Real When you were a one-truck operation, hustle was your superpower. You took every load, worked every angle, and kept costs low by handling everything yourself. But with a small fleet, that same hustle turns into a trap. You're still booking loads like a solo driver, micromanaging drivers, and scribbling notes on fuel receipts or napkins. The result? You're clocking 80-hour weeks, missing high-paying loads, and making mistakes that hit your wallet hard—fines, missed deliveries, or trucks down for preventable repairs. Here's what's happening: You're too busy putting out fires to plan ahead Your systems (if you even have them) can't handle multiple trucks Drivers and brokers sense the chaos, and it dents your reputation A three-truck fleet in Alabama doubled their revenue in a year after the owner stopped dispatching every load himself. He was the bottleneck, spending hours on load boards instead of building a process. Another two-truck operator in Kentucky lost $4,000 on a single load because he missed a detention claim while juggling paperwork. Hustle keeps you alive, but it's a dead end for growth. You need systems to scale, not more hours in the day. Make the Shift to an Operation Growth isn't about buying more trucks or chasing more spot market loads. It's about building systems that let you run the business instead of the business running you. You don't need a fancy office or a big budget—just practical steps that free up your time and make your fleet more profitable. Here's how small fleet owners make the shift to a real operation. 1. Get Your Numbers Under Control You can't grow if you don't know your costs. Guessing what each truck earns per load is a recipe for losing money. Track these numbers weekly: Revenue per mile, per truck Fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs Driver pay, taxes, and downtime Use a simple TMS like Truckpedia—$30-$50 per truck monthly gets you real-time profit tracking on your phone. Set up a spreadsheet to log these numbers if you're not ready for a TMS. Spend 30 minutes a week on your numbers, and you'll spot leaks before they sink you. Knowing your costs also gives you leverage to negotiate better rates with brokers who respect carriers with their numbers dialed in. 2. Delegate Dispatch, Don't Abandon It You don't need a full-time dispatcher to free up your time. Start small to offload the tasks that eat your day: Train a driver to handle load board searches during downtime Hire a virtual assistant for $10-$15/hour to manage invoices and PODs Set up load alerts on DAT or Truckstop to filter high-paying freight automatically Keep your eyes on the big picture—lane selection, broker relationships, and rate negotiations. A two-truck fleet in Florida saved 12 hours a week by having a driver check load boards for 30 minutes a day. That freed the owner to land a direct shipper contract worth $3.20/mile. If you're nervous about delegating, start with one task, like sending rate confirmations. Handing off just 10 hours of admin a week gives you time to call shippers or chase better freight. Don't let pride keep you stuck in the weeds—delegate to grow. 3. Build a Driver Process That Sticks Your drivers are your operation's heartbeat. If they're turning over or slacking, your growth stalls. Create a simple process to keep them on track and happy: One-page onboarding checklist covering ELD setup, logging rules, and safety protocols Weekly check-ins—5 minutes per driver to catch issues early Clear pay structure tied to miles, performance, and bonuses for clean inspections Happy drivers deliver better service, which brokers notice. Build a process that makes drivers want to stay, and you'll spend less time hiring and more time growing. 4. Lean Into Direct Relationships Load boards are great for filling gaps, but they're not a growth strategy. Direct shipper contracts bring stability and better rates. Start with one or two regional shippers: Use load boards to spot shippers posting consistent freight in your lanes Call and offer reliable service for their toughest routes—short hauls or niche freight Deliver on time, every time, to lock in their business One direct contract paying $3/mile consistently beats spot market loads at $2.50/mile with detention headaches. A two-truck fleet in Georgia landed a direct deal with a local manufacturer by offering next-day service on a tricky route. They added a third truck without touching a load board. Another one-truck operator in Illinois called a shipper they found on DAT and secured a $15,000/month contract by proving reliability. Start small, but start now—direct relationships are your ticket to steady cash flow. 5. Invest in Tech That Pays Off You don't need a fancy office, but you do need tools that save time and money. Focus on tech that works for a small fleet: TMS with ELD integration for hours and cost tracking Rate tracker like Trucker Tools to spot profitable lanes Mobile app for drivers to submit PODs instantly Spend $100-$200/month total for a two-to-five-truck fleet. Tech isn't cheap, but it's cheaper than fines for non-compliance or losing a load to bad planning. Pick tools that fit your budget and solve real problems. The Load Board Temptation Load boards like DAT and Truckstop keep your trucks moving, but leaning on them too hard keeps you small. Spot market loads are inconsistent, and brokers know you're competing with dozens of other carriers. You're stuck fighting for scraps while bigger fleets lock in direct contracts. Use load boards strategically: Spot shippers for direct outreach to build long-term relationships Fill gaps between contract loads to keep cash flowing Test new lanes to find profitable routes before committing Growth comes from stable, high-paying freight, not scrambling for the next hot load on the board. Final Word Turning your hustle into an operation isn't about working harder—it's about building systems that work for you. Get your numbers tight, delegate the small stuff, and focus on drivers and direct relationships. You didn't get into trucking to drown in paperwork or live on load boards. You're a small fleet owner with big dreams—build a lean operation that runs like a machine. Make the shift, and you'll grow without losing what makes you great—your drive to keep those wheels turning! The post From Hustle to Operation – The Real Shift That Makes Growth Possible appeared first on FreightWaves. 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CBS News
23-07-2025
- CBS News
SEPTA train catches fire at Paoli Station in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Crews are working to put out a fire on a SEPTA Regional Rail train at Paoli Station in Chester County, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday night. A Chester County dispatcher said crews were called to the fire at around 10:50 p.m. One person was taken to Paoli Hospital for smoke inhalation, according to the dispatcher. The scene is still very active, but the train has been evacuated. It's unclear how the fire started.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dispatch Handoffs That Don't Drop the Ball
When dispatch handoffs get sloppy, mistakes multiply and money slips through the cracks. Drivers get left in the dark, loads fall through the cracks, and your business starts to bleed in places you can't afford. Whether you're running two trucks or twenty, this article will show you how to build a clean, repeatable dispatch handoff system that keeps your team aligned, your drivers confident, and your operation tight from shift to shift. This isn't about fancy tools—it's about discipline, process, and ownership. Because if you're growing your fleet, you can't scale chaos. You need clarity. If your dispatch handoffs are inconsistent—or worse, nonexistent—then your business is leaking money and losing trust somewhere, guaranteed. Don't blame the driver. Don't blame the broker. Don't blame the freight. Blame the system—or the lack of one. It doesn't matter if you're new to delegation or trying to build a second shift for the first time. What matters is whether your people can pass the baton without fumbling. Because when they can't, things break. And in trucking, every mistake has a cost—lost time, lost trust, or lost revenue. This article is for the owner-operator turning into a small fleet. It's for the dispatcher stretched thin trying to manage multiple shifts. It's for the business owner finally stepping back from the day-to-day but tired of getting pulled in every time something slips. No matter your stage, one truth applies: handoffs aren't optional. They're not a luxury for big companies. They are the backbone of a professional operation. You want to scale? Then start here. Dispatch isn't just about booking freight and checking ETAs. It's about managing critical information in real time, making decisions with incomplete data, and coordinating moving pieces across time zones, driver personalities, and shifting customer expectations. It's fast, it's stressful, and it leaves zero room for ambiguity. That's why when information doesn't transfer cleanly between dispatchers, shifts, or departments, everything downstream gets shaky. Think about it like a relay race. The fastest runner in the world won't win if they drop the baton. That's dispatch. Your team could be made up of smart, hard-working people—but if they can't pass critical information from one shift to the next without missing a step, you'll always be reactive. You'll always be fixing problems that were avoidable. Handoffs are where good freight turns into bad experiences. They're where a driver starts doubting your operation. They're where a broker decides they can't rely on you anymore. And most importantly, they're where you, the owner, get dragged back into the weeds. Not because you want to—but because you have to. And that's a sign of system failure. Let's get tactical and call out the real symptoms of bad dispatch transitions. These aren't hypotheticals. These are the pain points that carriers bring up to me week after week: 1. Drivers Left in the Dark There's nothing worse for a driver than calling dispatch and realizing the person on the line has no clue what's going on. 'Who dispatched this load?' 'Did anyone update the appointment time?' 'Why wasn't I told I needed a TWIC card for this pickup?' It's exhausting—and it kills morale. When drivers don't feel supported, they stop trusting dispatch. And once that trust breaks, retention gets shaky. 2. Double-Booked Trucks One dispatcher thinks Truck 02 is free. Another hasn't updated the system. Now you've got two loads scheduled for the same asset—and no good way to cover both. Canceling means disappointing a broker. Delivering late means upsetting a shipper. Either way, you lose ground. All of it is avoidable with proper coordination. 3. Missed Appointments and Avoidable Fees Some deliveries are drop-and-hook. Others are strict appointments with late fees if you miss by 15 minutes. If one shift doesn't flag that for the next, you're going to pay—literally. Worse, the customer will label you unreliable. It doesn't take many of those errors to damage your credibility. 4. Paperwork Gaps That Delay Pay If nobody logs the rate con, scans the signed BOL, or updates delivery notes in your TMS or system of record, you've got a mess. Now accounting can't invoice, you can't prove delivery, and you're left chasing paperwork two weeks later with nothing but confusion in the thread. 5. The Owner Gets Dragged Back Into Ops Let's call it what it is. When handoffs fail, it's usually the owner who gets the late call. The angry broker. The missed check call. The confused driver. The lost document. The entire purpose of building a team is to offload that weight. But when your team isn't aligned, you don't gain leverage—you just multiply stress. A smooth dispatch handoff doesn't require a six-figure TMS or a massive back office. What it does require is clarity. Everyone needs to know what gets communicated, how it gets documented, and when it must be passed on. This isn't about micromanaging—it's about standards. 1. Create Solid SOPs If you don't have documented procedures, you're playing the telephone game. SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) turn tribal knowledge into institutional knowledge. Document how your team transitions shifts. Include what info gets captured, how it's stored, and what must be communicated—every time, no exceptions. 2. Centralize Information in One Hub Text threads, sticky notes, and verbal updates don't scale. Use one centralized system—whether it's a TMS, a shared spreadsheet, or a project management tool. The goal is simple: one source of truth that every dispatcher can rely on. Real-time updates, driver notes, broker expectations—all in one place. 3. Use an End-of-Shift Checklist Before a dispatcher clocks out, they should complete a simple but critical checklist. Things like: Load status updated Driver ETAs confirmed Shipper and receiver instructions clarified All documents uploaded Any problems flagged for the next shift Think of it like a pilot's pre-flight check. Boring? Maybe. But it prevents catastrophe. 4. Formalize the Handoff Communication Don't assume someone will figure it out. Require a formal signoff—voice note, Slack message, or brief huddle. The next person should start their shift with total visibility, not detective work. 5. Keep Drivers in the Loop Your dispatch shifts might change—but from a driver's view, it should feel seamless. If a driver needs to re-explain their situation every shift change, you don't have a dispatch team—you have a liability. Drivers are your field team. They need to feel continuity. Build trust by making transitions invisible to them. Maria handles dispatch during the day. James works nights. Simple enough. One night, James gets a call—the driver's truck won't start. There's a 5am appointment on the books. But guess what? No one noted whether the appointment was strict or flexible. No backup plan was in place. The second truck's location is outdated. James can't act fast enough. By morning, the load is missed, the broker's calling furious, and the driver's been sitting for hours without a solution. Maria's frustrated. James feels set up to fail. And the owner is back in the hot seat, once again, cleaning up something that should've never happened. All of it? 100% preventable—with the right handoff system. Don't wait until you 'need' one. Build it before the cracks start to show. Here's how: 1. Define Your Workflow in Writing Map out your dispatch schedule and identify every handoff point—shift changes, role changes, or dispatch-to-driver communication chains. Write out the flow of data: where it starts, where it goes, and who owns each step. 2. Set Clear Non-Negotiables Make handoffs mandatory. If you don't complete the checklist and sign off to the next dispatcher, you don't clock out. Make it part of your SOPs and performance expectations. 3. Train With Real Scenarios Walk your team through what great (and poor) handoffs look like. Role-play scenarios. Don't just train people once—review performance weekly. Call out breakdowns. If someone's dropping the ball repeatedly, it's not a system issue. It's a discipline issue. 4. Choose Tools That Fit Your Operation You don't need to go buy a top-tier TMS tomorrow. Start with what fits. A well-structured Google Sheet, Trello board, or Slack channel can be enough if your process is clean. Tools don't fix broken systems—but systems make tools more effective. 5. Make Drivers Part of the Process Drivers are your best auditors. Empower them to speak up when something falls through the cracks. If they're left in the dark during shift changes, make it easy for them to report it. That feedback loop is how you refine and improve. In trucking, every load is a promise. Every mile is an opportunity—or a liability. And every handoff is a chance to either build momentum or introduce risk. Dispatch is the glue holding it all together, and when that glue starts to crack, your entire operation gets shaky. A clean handoff process keeps your team aligned, your drivers supported, and your customers satisfied. More importantly, it keeps you—yes, you, the business owner—from getting pulled back into the chaos every time someone forgets to update a note or relay a message. So don't wait for another breakdown. Build your handoff system now. Document it. Train it. Enforce it. Because in this industry, operational discipline is what separates the amateurs from the professionals. Let's tighten it up and run it like a business. Let's get to work. The post Dispatch Handoffs That Don't Drop the Ball appeared first on FreightWaves. 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Yahoo
08-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The One-Page SOP Every Owner Operator Should Be Using
Let's say this upfront: if your dispatcher doesn't have a one-page SOP taped to the wall, you're already behind. I've walked into hundreds of dispatch offices—some as clean as a cockpit, others looking like a paperwork tornado touched down. But there's one thing that separates a dispatcher who owns the day from one who reacts to it: a crystal-clear, one-page standard operating procedure. Not a novel. Not a flowchart only IT can read. One page. Clear steps. Non-negotiables. No fluff. You don't need more software. You don't need another dispatch meeting. You need structure. And this SOP is the playbook for running your dispatch like a machine. Most dispatchers are juggling a thousand things—load boards, driver calls, check calls, broker follow-ups, detention fights, fuel stops, the list goes on. Without a system, things fall through the cracks. Loads get double-booked. Drivers sit too long. Communication gets sloppy. And when that happens, profit walks out the door. The SOP isn't about control—it's about clarity. When the phones ring and the ELD pings, your dispatcher can't guess. They need a guide that says: 'Here's how we handle it. Every time.' This one-page SOP keeps your team aligned, focused, and fast. And when you're trying to scale, that's everything. What Goes in the One-Page Dispatcher SOP Here's the exact structure I recommend. Keep it simple. Print it. Post it. Live it. Before they take a call or assign a load, your dispatcher should run through this every single day: Review all driver ELD statuses and Hours of Service Verify truck locations using the live GPS map and driver confirmations Check upcoming scheduled loads for the day and next 48 hours Confirm equipment readiness (reefer temps, securement tools, etc.) Send check-in messages to all active drivers Monitor weather or lane-specific alerts that could impact loads Starting the day with full visibility avoids mistakes, reduces surprises, and puts your dispatcher in control from the jump. Whether you're going direct or brokering through a load board, the SOP must lay out a repeatable process: Step 1: Check your priority lanes and repeat shipper networkStep 2: Evaluate the rate per mile and rate per hourStep 3: Confirm accurate shipper and consignee locationsStep 4: Verify driver availability, HOS, and equipment typeStep 5: Dispatch with full instructions—written, not verbal onlyStep 6: Log appointments and delivery time windows in the TMS Too many dispatchers skip steps to save time—and it always costs more later. This SOP removes the guesswork and cuts down on errors that wreck your margins. This section sets the tone for your dispatch professionalism. Your team isn't just managing trucks—they're managing trust. Your SOP should include: The preferred method of driver communication (call, text, or app-based) Expected response times (no longer than 15 minutes for check-ins) Load update expectations (pickup, en route, delivered) When to document, when to escalate Example:All check-in messages must be logged in the TMS within 5 minutes. If a driver is unresponsive for 30 minutes during a load, escalate to Operations Manager. A dispatcher without communication standards is just winging it—and that leads to driver turnover, missed updates, and operational chaos. Profit disappears when delays get ignored or handled reactively. This section of the SOP is your line of defense. Here's what it should include: Time threshold for detention eligibility (usually 2 hours) Broker or shipper contact info for escalation What documentation is required—time-stamped texts, BOL, driver notes Who submits the detention invoice and within what timeframe Example:If detention exceeds 2 hours, the dispatcher must alert the broker via email and phone, document timestamps in TMS, and submit the claim within 24 hours. Don't wait until Friday to chase detention from Tuesday. You either run a business or you chase scraps. This SOP makes sure you protect your time and your money. The job isn't done at delivery—it's done when the loop is closed clean. Your dispatcher should: Confirm POD is uploaded to TMS and billing platform Verify all accessorials are documented (lumpers, scale tickets, etc.) Mark actual delivery time and any delays in the system Notify billing team that load is ready for invoicing Schedule the driver's next load or reset A single missed POD can delay payment for days. A sloppy post-load process delays growth. You can't scale chaos. You scale what's clear and repeatable. Build it with your team Sit down with your dispatcher and build the SOP together. Don't surprise them with it—collaborate on it. The goal is ownership, not just compliance. Print it and post it One page. Big font. Laminated. Hang it up where they see it every day. This isn't a PDF that collects dust—this is a playbook that runs the day. Review it weekly Every week, take five minutes and review one part of the SOP in your check-ins. Are we sticking to it? Are we skipping steps? This keeps the SOP alive and evolving. Use it to train new dispatchers Your SOP becomes your onboarding tool. Instead of explaining everything from scratch, you now have a baseline system that sets expectations from day one. Dispatch stops being reactive and starts being strategic Drivers stay longer because communication is clear Loads get booked and delivered with fewer issues Cash flow improves because billing doesn't get delayed You stop firefighting and start scaling All from one page. Simple doesn't mean small—it means smart. Too many small carriers think dispatch is just about putting freight on trucks. It's not. Dispatch is the heartbeat of your operation—and if that beat skips, your business suffers. This SOP isn't just a document. It's how you create discipline. It's how you get your time back. It's how you build a business that doesn't fall apart when you add trucks, drivers, or freight. And if you don't have one yet? You already know what to do. If you want help building your dispatch system the right way, we teach this step-by-step inside the Playbook. Let's build the foundation that actually scales. The post The One-Page SOP Every Owner Operator Should Be Using appeared first on FreightWaves. Sign in to access your portfolio
