Yes, you need a license to dispatch trucks. Although this will most often depend on your state, you might be expected to obtain a license and certain additional certifications before you can get new loads.
In the trucking industry, it can be very challenging to get loads if companies or clients know you do not have the requisite authorization.
Truck dispatchers are a very important component of the trucking industry. Truck drivers are tasked with getting the freight moving while dispatchers keep their trucks loaded.
The service they offer helps to grow businesses by making their loads get to their destination efficiently and on time. According to experts, close to two-thirds of trade across the US and Canada is facilitated by trucks, and every 2.5 seconds a truck crosses the Canada-US border.
It simply goes to prove that the market is viable and you can leverage your interpersonal, analytical, and management skills to become a successful truck dispatcher.
As a truck dispatcher, you can choose to work for a trucking company or if you have the entrepreneurial mindset, you can start your own truck dispatcher business with minimal requirements.
Legal Requirements Needed to Dispatch Trucks
Although there is no uniform requirement in the United States stipulating the exact qualifications expected of truck dispatchers, below are basic things you will want to keep in mind.
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Education & Experience Requirements
Owing to the fact that all truck dispatchers will start from zero experience, it is recommended you take an associate’s degree in transportation or logistics to ensure you have a valid advantage.
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Personal Characteristics
Truck dispatchers are expected to be organized, responsible, and punctual. As a truck dispatcher, you will always need a backup plan, especially in case of unexpected natural events.
Although it is not a must, the truck dispatcher will also need a lot of patience especially since the job tends to necessitate long hours of staying at your desk at home or office.
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Required Skills & Competencies
Communication skills are very important for a truck dispatcher. To be successful in this profession, you will need to possess good computer skills, and this can be obtained from truck dispatcher training.
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Experience (Optional for Some)
To make it easier to land the job, you need to possess previous experience and this can be from your training in the transportation industry.
Dispatchers are similar to business owners and will have to possess personal connections with other truck industry owner-operators.
A truck owner-operator can utilize his experience with logistics and business to draw in clients to avail of one of his dispatchers’ services.
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Background Check & Criminal Record Requirements
An independent truck dispatcher will need to possess a verifiable background with no criminal records. Businesses or those who require trucking and delivery services want a dispatching industry with a high success rate and those proven to be trusted and reliable, particularly when they have to deliver expensive cargo.
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State-Specific Requirements
You will be expected to possess a valid driver’s license and proof of transportation industry insurance to do business in various states.
In some states, you will also be expected to obtain a truck dispatcher license; however, don’t forget that they are only valid in the state where you registered your trucking company. As such, be mindful and stay updated on the regulations every time you change your location.
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Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
Obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) tend to necessitate taking a knowledge test that requires drivers to provide answers to some questions regarding trucking and driving. While the CDL is not really a license, some states and customers might need you to have it for safety regulations.
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Training & Certification
In the United States, there are numerous online courses that you can leverage to boost your CV. Nevertheless, the base requirement in the United States is more or less a high school diploma.
Depending on the trucking industry, you will be expected to be proficient when it comes to operating a computer as well as the necessary safety regulations.
Aside from that, you will be expected to train your fleet and drivers, as such you need to know every bit of your trucking industry.