Career profile
Also known as Aircraft Dispatcher, City Dispatcher, Dispatcher (Dispatch), Operations Dispatcher, Rail Operations Controller, School Bus Dispatcher, Train Dispatcher, Truck Dispatcher
Operations Dispatcher
Also known as Aircraft Dispatcher, City Dispatcher, Dispatcher (Dispatch)
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Interests Profile
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Conventional
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Realistic
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Enterprising
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Pay Range
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$26,560 - $67,680 (annual)
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Required Skills
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Active Listening
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Speaking
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Monitoring
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Knowledge Areas
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Customer and Personal Service
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Public Safety and Security
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Administration and Management
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Core tasks
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Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
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Prepare daily work and run schedules.
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Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment.
What does an Operations Dispatcher do?
Operations Dispatchers 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.
In addition, Operations Dispatchers duties may include using radio, telephone, or computer to transmit assignments and compiling statistics and reports on work progress.
What kind of tasks does an Operations Dispatcher perform regularly?
Operations Dispatchers are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:
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Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
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Prepare daily work and run schedules.
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Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment.
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Relay work orders, messages, or information to or from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors, using telephones or two-way radios.
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Receive or prepare work orders.
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Arrange for necessary repairs to restore service and schedules.
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Record and maintain files or records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, or other dispatch information.
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Monitor personnel or equipment locations and utilization to coordinate service and schedules.
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Determine types or amounts of equipment, vehicles, materials, or personnel required, according to work orders or specifications.
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Advise personnel about traffic problems, such as construction areas, accidents, congestion, weather conditions, or other hazards.
The above responsibilities are specific to Operations Dispatchers. More generally, Operations Dispatchers are involved in several broader types of activities:
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Activities
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Importance |
Details |
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Getting Information
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Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
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Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
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Working with Computers
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Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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Making Decisions and Solving Problems
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Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
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Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
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Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
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Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
What is an Operations Dispatcher salary?
The median salary for an Operations Dispatcher is
$40,980,
and the average salary is
$44,860.
Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Operations Dispatcher salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.
Many Operations Dispatchers earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors.
About 10% of Operations Dispatchers earn less than $26,560 per year,
25% earn less than $32,510,
75% earn
less than $53,400, and
90% earn
less than $67,680.
Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Operations Dispatchers is expected to change by 4.3%, and there should be roughly 18,700 open positions for Operations Dispatchers every year.
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Median annual salary
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$40,980
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Typical salary range
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$26,560 -
$67,680
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Projected growth (2020 - 2030)
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4.3%
What personality traits are common among Operations Dispatchers?
Interests
Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.
Compared to most occupations, those who work as an Operations Dispatcher are usually higher in their
Conventional,
Realistic, and
Enterprising
interests.
Operations Dispatchers typically have very strong
Conventional
interests. 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.
Also,
Operations Dispatchers typically have moderate
Realistic
interests. 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.
Lastly,
Operations Dispatchers typically have moderate
Enterprising
interests. 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.
Values
People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.
Compared to most people, those working as an Operations Dispatcher tend to value
Support,
Independence, and
Working Conditions.
Most importantly,
Operations Dispatchers moderately value
Support.
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.
Second,
Operations Dispatchers moderately value
Independence.
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.
Lastly,
Operations Dispatchers moderately value
Working Conditions.
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.
Psychological Demands
Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.
In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Operations Dispatchers must consistently demonstrate qualities such as
stress tolerance,
attention to detail, and
dependability.
Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Operations Dispatchers, ranked by importance:
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Demands
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Importance |
Details |
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Stress Tolerance
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Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
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Attention to Detail
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Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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Dependability
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Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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Leadership
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Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
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Cooperation
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Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
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Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
What education and training do Operations Dispatchers need?
Working as an Operations Dispatcher usually requires a high school diploma.
Operations Dispatchers need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with this occupation.
Educational degrees among Operations Dispatchers
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6.0% did not complete
high school or secondary school
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34.0% completed
high school or secondary school
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32.8% completed
some college coursework
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11.1% earned a
Associate's degree
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13.9% earned a
Bachelor's degree
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1.8% earned a
Master's degree
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0.4% earned a
doctorate or professional degree
Knowledge and expertise required by Operations Dispatchers
Operations Dispatchers may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as
customer and personal service,
public safety and security, or
administration and management
knowledge.
The list below shows several areas in which most Operations Dispatchers might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.
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Knowledge areas
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Importance |
Details |
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Customer and Personal Service
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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.
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Public Safety and Security
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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.
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Administration and Management
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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.
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Administrative
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Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
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Transportation
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Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
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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.
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.
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.
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Important Abilities needed by Operations Dispatchers
Operations Dispatchers must develop a particular set of
abilities
to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.
For example, Operations Dispatchers need abilities such as
oral comprehension,
oral expression, and
speech recognition
in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Operations Dispatchers, ranked by their relative importance.
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Abilities
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Importance |
Details |
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Oral Comprehension
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The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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Oral Expression
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The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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Speech Recognition
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The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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Speech Clarity
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The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
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Deductive Reasoning
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The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Critical Skills needed by Operations Dispatchers
Skills
are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.
Operations Dispatchers frequently use skills like
active listening,
speaking, and
monitoring
to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Operations Dispatchers, ranked by their relative importance.
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Skills
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Importance |
Details |
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Active Listening
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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.
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Speaking
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Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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Monitoring
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Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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Coordination
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Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
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Reading Comprehension
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Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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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.
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
What is the source of this information?
The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.
