I’m going to preface what I’m about to say. I’m a dispatcher but I’ve been a driver. 6 years OTR. I still drive on weekends. So I know what it’s like from both ends.

Respect is a two way street. It doesn’t only start with dispatchers. This is an industry with a lot of bullshit in it. That bullshit tends to flow down hill to drivers. A good dispatcher mitigates what he can, but at the end of the day the driver is usually left holding the bag because he is the one out there on the road.

Its a tough business with slim profit margins though. There will always be some things that just gotta get done. And this sometimes creates a toxic relationship between dispatch and driver, but that’s usually because of a lack of professionalism on one side or the other. Sometimes I have no choice but to ask a driver to handle a shitty situation. A good dispatcher tris their best to push back flagrant bullshit or at worst spread the bullshit out and reward a driver who has to deal with it. But when the choice is someone does it or the company risks losing a contract or goes in the negative, it’s just gotta get done. That said, a good dispatcher never asks you to break the law or drive in equipment or conditions that are unsafe.

Some dispatchers don’t care, some are petty and vindictive, it happens. It’s a problem.

A good driver understands there is bullshit in this industry an they’ll have to deal with it on occasion. And most are willing to deal with a little bullshit from time to time, epically if dispatch has their back or compensates them.

But some driers are the biggest sacks of crap I’ve ever met. Entitled bitchy divas who think they are gods gift to trucking but haven’t showered in two weeks. Not willing to do an ounce of work more than hold the steering wheel. Not willing or capable of rubbing two brain cells together to solve a problem before calling dispatch so I can get the crayons out to explain. Willing to cuss you out and personally insult you over the slightest thing. And they’re like that from the get go.

Bad dispatchers make drivers like that and Drivers like that make dispatchers shitty and burnt out. It’s a two way street and everyone suffers for it.

Bad dispatchers and bad drivers make the industry a nightmare for the professionals here just looking to make a buck and go home.

And it all starts with the customers! Fuck customers!

I respect and appreciate you for saying that. I’m not taking any of the comments personally.

Depends on company. I never really interacted with my dispatchers as a driver. But I’ve got some that call every day to chit chat, I’ve got some that call every day to bitch over the most minor bullshit.