Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, And Ambulance

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance

Description

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.

Tasks

Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment.
Monitor personnel or equipment locations and utilization to coordinate service and schedules.
Receive or prepare work orders.
Relay work orders, messages, or information to or from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors, using telephones or two-way radios.
Record and maintain files or records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, or other dispatch information.
Prepare daily work and run 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.
Arrange for necessary repairs to restore service and schedules.
Oversee all communications within specifically assigned territories.
Ensure timely and efficient movement of trains, according to train orders and schedules.
Order supplies or equipment and issue them to personnel.

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Transportation: Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Skills

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Abilities

Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Work Activities

Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Work Context

Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Contact With Others: How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making: How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Time Pressure: How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results: How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks: How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
Spend Time Sitting: How much does this job require sitting?

Interests

Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Work Style

Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Concern for Others: Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Persistence: Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Work Values

Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

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Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks

Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks

Police, Fire, and Ambulance Dispatchers

Subway and Streetcar Operators

Lay Titles

Aircraft Dispatcher

Airplane Dispatch Clerk

Alarm Operator

Assistant Chief Train Dispatcher

Auto Service Dispatcher

Automobile or Truck Rental Dispatcher

Burglar Alarm Operator

Bus and Trolley Dispatcher

Bus Dispatcher

Bus Starter

Cab Starter

Cab Station Attendant

Car Dispatcher

Car Distributor

Car Starter

Car Supplier

Car Tracer

Crew Dispatcher

Dinkey Dispatcher

Dispatch Clerk

Dispatch Manager

Dispatcher

Drop Board Man

Drop Board Worker

Engine Dispatcher

Fire Alarm Operator

Freight Dispatcher

Garbage Truck Dispatcher

Gas Dispatcher

Gas Load Dispatcher

Interstate Bus Dispatcher

Maintenance Dispatcher

Maintenance Scheduler

Maintenance Services Dispatcher

Mine Car Dispatcher

Motor Coach Supervisor

Motor Vehicle Dispatcher

Oil Dispatcher

Oil Well Services Dispatcher

Operator

Pullman Car Clerk

Radio Dispatcher

Radioactive Waste Disposal Dispatcher

Rail Operations Controller

Receiver-Dispatcher

Relay Dispatcher

Repair Service Dispatcher

Routing Clerk

School Bus Dispatcher

Security Dispatcher

Security Guards Dispatcher

Service Clerk

Service Dispatcher

Service or Work Dispatcher

Ship Pilot Dispatcher

Signal Operator

Signal Timer

Starter

Street Department Dispatcher

Streetcar Dispatcher

Streetcar Starter

Taxicab Coordinator

Taxicab Dispatcher

Taxicab Starter

Tow Truck Dispatcher

Traffic or System Dispatcher

Train Dispatcher

Train Starter

Transportation Dispatcher

Trouble Dispatcher

Truck Dispatcher

Tugboat Dispatcher

Water Service Dispatcher

Work Order Sorting Clerk

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $17.16 hourly, $35,690 annual.

Employment (2008):: 184,890 employees