What Dispatch is designed to do
Dispatch is the planning and communication layer for trucking operations.
It helps teams:
Plan daily and next-day trucking needs
Communicate assignments to drivers and third-party haulers
Track progress and respond to changes during the shift
Dispatch is not a single action. It is a shared workflow that spans planning, fulfillment, communication, and monitoring.
Dispatch is a multi-role workflow
Dispatch is designed for multiple people to participate.
Common roles include:
Field users or foremen who identify the need for trucks
Dispatchers who build and manage assignments
Drivers and hired haulers who receive instructions or requests
It is normal for one person to create a request and another to fulfill it. Dispatch supports this handoff by design.
Mobile and web serve different purposes
Dispatch works across both web and mobile, but each is optimized for different tasks.
Mobile is best for:
Activating shifts
Creating or modifying dispatch requests
Tracking actuals during the shift
Web is best for:
Assigning trucks and drivers
Managing detailed fulfillment
Editing orders and resolving conflicts
Most teams use mobile to initiate work and web to complete it.
Understanding Dispatch requests and orders
Dispatch supports different ways to request trucks depending on the situation.
Simple Dispatch
Used to signal the need for trucks
Creates a request that appears in the dispatcher’s notification inbox
Requires dispatcher action before it appears on Fulfill
Manual Orders
Used when a job does not follow a standard shift structure
Always creates a manual shift at the bottom of the Dispatch page
Common for multi-destination work or write-in locations
These tools serve different purposes and are not interchangeable.
The notification inbox controls what happens next
The notification inbox is where Simple Dispatch requests are processed.
Until a dispatcher:
Attaches the request to an existing shift, or
Converts it into a manual shift
The request will not appear on the Fulfill tab.
Most missing or “not showing” issues are caused by unprocessed requests, not system errors.
Messaging depends on setup
Dispatch messaging relies on three things working together:
Accurate contact information
Messaging settings
Assignment status
Messaging settings apply to the entire site and take effect immediately.
If messages are not being delivered, contact data and settings should be checked first.
Notify vs Request
Dispatch supports two communication styles:
Notify sends information only
Request asks the recipient to accept or decline
Drivers and hired haulers may receive notifications, requests, or both depending on site settings and workflow.
Terminology to know
Some terms are used interchangeably in Dispatch:
Shift and Job refer to the same thing
Broker and Hired Hauler are treated as the same concept in Dispatch
This reflects how the product works, even if your business uses different language.
Where to go next
Use the task-based articles in this collection when you are ready to:
Create or edit dispatch orders
Fulfill assignments
Send notifications or requests
Track actuals or review reports
If something does not behave as expected, start with the troubleshooting articles before contacting support.