Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance

What the job really is

Schedule and dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles for conveyance of materials, freight, or passengers, or for normal installation, service, or emergency repairs rendered outside the place of business. Duties may include using radio, telephone, or computer to transmit assignments and compiling statistics and reports on work progress.

At a glance

• Sector: Office & Administrative
• O*NET-SOC code: 43-5032
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
• Prepare daily work and run schedules.
• Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment.
• Relay work orders, messages, or information to or from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors, using telephones or two-way radios.
• Receive or prepare work orders.
• Record and maintain files or records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, or other dispatch information.
• Arrange for necessary repairs to restore service and schedules.
• Monitor personnel or equipment locations and utilization to coordinate service and schedules.
• Determine types or amounts of equipment, vehicles, materials, or personnel required, according to work orders or specifications.
• Advise personnel about traffic problems, such as construction areas, accidents, congestion, weather conditions, or other hazards.
• Oversee all communications within specifically assigned territories.
• Order supplies or equipment and issue them to personnel.

Tools and technology

Kronos Workforce Timekeeper, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, SAP software, Air-Trak Cloudberry, Bornemann Associates Flight Plan, Call management systems CMS

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants
• First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
• Public Safety Telecommunicators
• Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
• Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
• Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
• First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand
• First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.