One software is rarely sufficient to handle an entire trucking operation. Expectations for delivery companies and transportation providers have become far too complex. If a business owner hopes to stay relevant with today’s demands and continue to thrive, it may be necessary to invest in several different programs.
Each one of Syntelic’s products is beneficial on its own, but when combined, the overall effects can be monumental. Transportation Analytics can measure data, Load Planning streamlines the loading process, and Route Planning handles all necessary outbound routing decisions.
A large portion of Route Planning relies on dispatch and scheduling software to determine which trucks are going out and when/where they are going.
What Is Dispatch Scheduling?
Dispatch scheduling refers to a subcategory of route planning that deals with organizing outbound delivery drivers and times. With access to the available drivers, estimated load times, and delivery deadlines, a good service dispatching software will develop an effective overarching agenda for your fleet to abide by.
What Does Scheduling and Dispatch Software Do?
Dispatch Planning gathers a wide variety of different metrics and uses them to create a schedule for your operations. Dispatching is the act of sending things out, so it only makes sense that a dispatching software optimizes the outbound flow of merchandise or ordered products.
Dispatch Software Features
Similar to the big three programs we offer—Route Planning, Load Planning, and Transportation Analytics—Dispatch Planning is an aggregation of multiple smaller features. Some of them may be more useful than others for your industry.
Syntelic allows you to customize a software package that includes only what you need. Here are some aspects of Syntelic Dispatch Planning that help it stand out from its competitors.
Resource Visibility
By providing visibility into resource availability and business requirements, Syntelic Dispatch Planning enables dispatchers to make effective route assignments for drivers and equipment. Dispatch Planning not only operates as a forward-looking planning tool, but also reacts quickly to unexpected events to assist the dispatcher in making necessary dynamic adjustments.
Matching Demand to Available Resources
Building a daily dispatch involves many factors. Dispatch Planning considers the availability of drivers based on their current assignments, hours of service (HOS), vacation requests, unplanned absences, and possible overtime implications. Tractor availability depends on the status of current assignments and maintenance schedules.
Syntelic Dispatch Planning brings together all of the factors that go into making smarter assignments. It knows the route plan and the status of all drivers and tractors. It eliminates the need to cross reference hand written notes or multiple systems that can make dispatch planning so confusing and challenging. Dispatch Planning will even tell you when a route returning late may cause a future conflict.
Power of the Timeline
When building a dispatch plan with Syntelic, you can look into the past, the present, and the future to assign drivers and equipment to routes quickly and efficiently. Syntelic pulls together route histories from the onboard computer system and driver electronic logs. It then compares that history with information about future routes from master route schedules, schedule requests, planned leave, bid packages, and tractor maintenance schedules. Dispatch Planning’s graphical resource view provides an intuitive look at each resource’s entire timeline.
All schedule conflicts are highlighted for immediate review. Conflicting resources can be dropped from their assignments with a simple click. For each missing assignment, Syntelic recommends the best resource for the job—and the new assignments can be made with another simple click.
Benefits of Dispatch Planning From Syntelic
Dispatch Planning is an investment in your business efficiencies and growth.The increased productivity of your delivery operation will improve profits and ultimately result in higher profitability. Here are some benefits business owners experience with Syntelic software.
Stay Ahead of HOS Violations
Our dispatch planning software takes Department of Transportation (DOT) rules into account so you can prevent any regulatory mishaps. There are both national and state rules that can apply to driving semi-trucks. Understanding the guidelines can help you make the best possible decisions for your company.
Meeting your deadlines does not matter if you can’t do it the right way. Syntelic Route Planning will account for driving limits to keep drivers safe and prevent any legal issues.
Flexibility to Your Business Requirements
Perhaps your operations utilize master routes with bid packages, use preassigned equipment, or have other requirements that further complicate planning.Because every company is different, Dispatch Planning can be configured to your business rules and your workflow.
For example, if multiple drivers are eligible to take a route, you decide how to rank them to put the most appropriate choice at the top of the list—is it the driver with the least hours so far that week, or is it the driver with the most seniority? For tractor assignments, is it the tractor that has been driven the least per month, or is it the oldest tractor not marked as a reserve unit? It’s up to you.
Syntelic’s easy dashboard builder allows you to set up custom panels by combining views of routes, drivers, available equipment, or any other relevant transportation data.
Driver Satisfaction
Not only does this customization help you optimize your productivity, it can also be used to keep drivers happy. The even distribution of routes based on a reliable system means drivers are aware of their responsibilities. To lower turnover rate, improve internal motivations, and develop a good environment, you want to treat your employees with respect.
Full Equipment Utilization
One of the largest expenses in trucking is actually not an expense at all, it’s a missed opportunity. Equipment for delivery operations costs a lot of money, and if you don’t use that equipment, you never justify the return. A dispatch planning software will help you recognize which areas of your fleet are underused.
How Dispatcher Software Ties in With Route Planning
Dispatching works in direct cooperation with Route Planning to develop the most efficient schedules for truckers. Route planners will rely on Syntelic to send out vehicles at the right time and with the best driver.
Beyond Route Planning, our truck dispatch software also ties in with Transportation Analytics and Load Planning. It can keep track of which trucks are properly packed and monitor their performance. The full Syntelic package does not just automate simple tasks, it also centralizes your entire operation and presents the benefits directly to you.
Optimize Your Trucking Company With Our Dispatch Scheduling Software
Do not hesitate to invest in our scheduling and dispatch software. By automatically scheduling around planned vacation leave, DOT hours-of-service regulations, unexpected leave, and sick time, you can also increase driver satisfaction. Don’t take your employees for granted, give them the delivery routes they deserve.
At the same time, you can use the dispatch software to manage late returns and hold vehicle operators accountable for their duties. This mix of expectation and reward incentivizes your drivers to perform at their best.