No Forced Dispatch Means You Call the Shots

In times when work is slow, even forced dispatch might sound appeasing. But for truckers who have had the opportunity to work forced dispatch and for companies or in owner/operator situations where there is no forced dispatch, it’s hard to go back to the former.

Many drivers have no other option than to worked under forced dispatch. They are instructed where to go without much flexibility for when they must deliver the load. Forced dispatch involves extremely little decision making on the part of the driver, and that can be disconcerting, especially for the seasoned driver who might have a family and needs more flexibility than what is offered through forced dispatch.

The turnover rate in the truck driving industry has a variety of contributors, but forced dispatch ranks high, especially for those drivers who have missed too many holidays or important life events because they were under a load that had to be delivered with no leeway whatsoever. Furthermore, being a commercial truck driver under forced dispatch means the driver is tied to the truck. So, if the load is delivered early, this doesn’t mean the driver is off and can do whatever he/she wishes. The truck is still the driver’s responsible and they must stay with it – no entertainment, beers, showers or any of the comforts of home like most nine-to-fivers experience once they’re off the clock.

Being a link in the corporate machine is not the way most drivers see themselves, but once they tie themselves to a commercial liner, that’s what they become, and it’s often accompanied with forced dispatch. But eventually, they’ll look for ways to get into a no forced dispatch job that provides the same money but more flexibility.

Not all drivers have the resources to start their own operations, but for those who do, there is no forced dispatch – it’s the first thing to go out the window. Owner operators have the luxury of making all the decisions, aside from those that involve financing, which means sometimes the bank or the demands of repaying loans can heavily influence how the shots are called. But calling the shots often comes with a price as the expenses that the large corporation would normally absorb are now the responsibility of the owner operator, which means rising fuel prices and equipment failures eat into the bottom line.

Becoming an owner/operator with no forced dispatch isn’t for everyone, but for those truck drivers who love the lifestyle on the road as well as the ability to be home when that’s where they’re needed, calling the shots is the only way to go.