Distribution centre dispatcher
Also known as: bulk station dispatcher, distribution centre operator, distribution center operator, product dispatcher, dispatcher at distribution centre, bulk station operator
About this occupation
Distribution centre dispatchers ensure efficient shipping of manufactured goods. They stipulate routes and complete shipping documents.
Essential skills and knowledge
- dispatch order processing
- load products for dispatch
- health and safety measures in transportation
- liaise with transportation companies
- determine itineraries of bulk trucks
- work in an economically efficient manner
- ensure public safety and security
- load bulk trucks
- avoid backlogs in receiving raw materials
- lift heavy weights
- plan the dispatching of products
- oversee shipment routing
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (O*NET 43-5032.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- 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.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Conventional, Realistic, Enterprising
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Monitoring, Coordination, Reading Comprehension, Time Management
US median pay: US$50,340 a year (2025), 202,810 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementVery important (3.9)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.5)
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- 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
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.