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Dispatcher

Last Updated: February 2026

Your hub for everything you need as a dispatcher at Scott Recycling. You are the operations center for all route activity — assigning drivers, managing schedules, monitoring routes in real time, and handling the unexpected.

Get Started

If you're new, work through these in order:

  1. Getting Started with Odoo — Login, navigation, finding your apps
  2. Dispatcher Sandbox Workout — Hands-on practice with route creation, truck assignment, and schedule management
  3. Shadow the current dispatcher — spend 2-3 days observing live dispatch operations before working independently

Your Daily Apps

App What You'll Do There Guide
Scott Recycling Create and manage routes, view pickup schedules, monitor route status, communicate with drivers Scheduling Pickups · Service Visit Calls
Truck Schedule Interactive route calendar, TSP optimization, Samsara route pushing Truck Schedule Guide
Fleet Manage vehicles, check availability, track mileage, assign trucks to routes Fleet Management
Attendance Check which drivers have clocked in, monitor attendance Attendance Guide
SR Operations Monitor dispatch KPIs, schedule fill rates, on-time performance KPI Dashboard
Time Off Request time off, check your balances Time Off Guide
Helpdesk Track vehicle maintenance tickets, report fleet issues Helpdesk Guide

Daily Routine

Early Morning (6:30 AM)

  1. Review today's schedule — open Scott Recycling and review all routes for the day
  2. Check truck availability — open Fleet and confirm all assigned trucks are in service (not in maintenance or out of commission)
  3. Check Attendance — see which drivers have clocked in and are available
  4. Assign drivers to routes — match available drivers to the day's routes based on experience, truck type, and geography
  5. Handle gaps — if a driver called out or a truck is down, reassign stops or adjust routes immediately

Morning Departures (7:00 – 8:00 AM)

  1. Brief drivers — confirm each driver's route, highlight any special instructions, time-sensitive stops, or changes from the original schedule
  2. Monitor departures — make sure all trucks leave on time
  3. Distribute printed route sheets if used as backup
  4. Confirm first-stop ETAs — verify drivers are headed to their first stops on schedule

Daytime Operations (8:00 AM – 3:00 PM)

  1. Real-time route monitoring — track driver progress through the system, watch for delays
  2. Handle schedule changes — add stops, remove cancellations, reorder stops as needed
  3. Customer calls — take calls from customers about pickup status, provide ETAs, handle rescheduling
  4. Driver communication — respond to driver calls about no-shows, overweight loads, breakdowns, or other issues
  5. Coordinate with CSRs — if a customer calls in to schedule a same-day or next-day pickup, work with the CSR team to fit it into the schedule
  6. Monitor capacity — watch for trucks approaching weight or space limits and reroute as needed
  7. Handle emergencies — if a truck breaks down or there is an accident, coordinate coverage immediately (see "What to Do When" section)

End of Day (3:00 – 4:00 PM)

  1. Review returns — as trucks come back, confirm all routes were completed and note any open issues
  2. Review unfinished stops — if any stops were missed or deferred, schedule them for the next available day
  3. Check final KPIs — review stops dispatched, on-time rate, and schedule fill
  4. Plan next day — review tomorrow's schedule, pre-assign drivers and trucks, flag any potential issues (short-staffed, high-volume areas, maintenance scheduled)
  5. Update notes — document anything the next dispatcher (or you tomorrow) needs to know

How Do I...?

Task Where to Go Steps
Create a route Scott Recycling → Routes → New Select the date, assign stops from scheduled pickups, set the driving order, assign a driver and truck
Assign a truck to a route Scott Recycling → Route → Edit → Assign Vehicle Choose from available vehicles in Fleet
Handle over-capacity Monitor truck loads vs. capacity If a truck is full, call the driver to stop loading. Create a second trip or assign another truck to pick up the remaining stops
Change a route mid-day Scott Recycling → Route → Edit Add, remove, or reorder stops. Call the driver to communicate changes
Deal with a breakdown Coordinate via phone and system Call the driver. Arrange a tow through Fleet/Helpdesk. Reassign remaining stops to another driver or schedule them for the next day
Plan next-day schedule Scott Recycling → Routes → Calendar view Review scheduled pickups for tomorrow, assign to routes, balance stop counts, assign drivers and trucks
Add a same-day stop Scott Recycling → Route → Edit → Add Stop Insert the new stop in the optimal position on an active route. Call the driver with the update
Check truck availability Fleet → Vehicles Filter by status (In Service). Check for vehicles in maintenance or out of commission
Handle a no-show Driver calls → Update system Mark the stop as No-Show, note the time, decide whether to attempt again later today or reschedule
Check my KPIs SR Operations → My Performance See KPI Guide

What to Do When...

A Driver Calls Out Sick

  1. Check which route they were assigned to
  2. Look for an available driver — check Attendance for who is clocked in and unassigned
  3. Reassign the route to the available driver
  4. If no driver is available, redistribute the stops across other routes (prioritize time-sensitive stops first)
  5. Defer low-priority stops to the next day if necessary

A Truck Goes Down (Maintenance)

  1. Check Fleet for another available truck of the appropriate type
  2. If a swap is possible, assign the new truck and update the route
  3. If no truck is available, redistribute stops to other routes or defer to the next day
  4. Submit a Helpdesk ticket for the broken-down truck if one has not been created already

A Customer Cancels Same-Day

  1. Remove the stop from the route
  2. Call the driver to skip it (do not let them drive to a cancelled stop)
  3. Update the schedule in the system
  4. Notify the CSR team so they can update the customer record

Multiple Drivers Running Behind

  1. Identify which routes are most behind
  2. Check for routes running ahead that could absorb extra stops
  3. Consider rebalancing: move stops from the behind route to the ahead route
  4. If stops cannot be covered today, communicate with customers about rescheduling
  5. Notify your manager if widespread delays indicate a systemic issue

Severe Weather

  1. Monitor conditions — check road closures and advisories
  2. If drivers are already out, call them to assess conditions on the ground
  3. Consider recalling drivers if conditions are dangerous
  4. Reschedule affected stops for the next clear day
  5. Notify customers of cancellations proactively

Your KPI Targets

Metric Daily Target
Stops Dispatched 50
Schedule Fill Rate > 80%
On-Time Performance > 90%

For full details, see Understanding Your KPIs.

Training Courses

Course What You'll Learn
Dispatcher Sandbox Workout Hands-on practice creating routes, assigning trucks, managing real-time changes
Driver Fundamentals Understanding the driver workflow helps you support them effectively
Employee Handbook Safety rules, PPE requirements, timekeeping, company policies

Questions? Ask the operations manager or your supervisor.