Assignments and dispatch

A load assignment names the load, driver, vehicle, start and end of the commitment. Its status separates a held option from a confirmed one and a dispatched assignment from completed or cancelled work. Dispatcher uses this record when deciding whether the planned load is ready to leave. A load status alone cannot identify the crew that will perform the work or show when the vehicle is occupied.

Driver eligibility has a date and an external authority reference. Vehicle records carry equipment class, capacity, active state, readiness and an external fleet identifier. Fleet Manager reviews these alongside defect severity, repair evidence and release time. Dispatcher checks them before promising the same vehicle or driver to another load. The assignment interval gives the team a concrete window for that check.

• Propose. Hold an assignment while the driver, vehicle and load timing are checked.
• Confirm. Commit the interval only after eligibility, readiness and conflicting work are reviewed.
• Dispatch. Move the load and its assignment into execution with the responsible crew visible.

Agree who checks interval overlap and which record is authoritative for a driver’s eligibility. Define the operating meaning of a vehicle marked Ready, Held or Maintenance. Fleet Manager needs a rule for critical defects and what repair evidence is sufficient before a release time is entered. Dispatcher needs an escalation path when a vehicle becomes unavailable after an assignment has been confirmed.

For capacity checks, connect the source that supplies shipment weight and name who compares it with vehicle capacity. Match the load and vehicle equipment classes before committing the assignment. Keep a named reviewer on the dispatch decision rather than treating a status change as proof that every precondition was checked.

Use a morning load with a promised delivery time and a vehicle that appears Ready. Hold a driver and vehicle across the pickup and last delivery windows. Confirm that the driver’s eligibility date covers the interval, the vehicle’s equipment class is suitable, and neither is committed to an overlapping assignment. Dispatcher then confirms the assignment and dispatches the load. The driver receives a specific vehicle and period, rather than a verbal handoff.

For a second pass, mark that vehicle Held and record a major defect. Fleet Manager reviews the defect and repair evidence before any release. Dispatcher keeps the assignment held or selects another vehicle. If a competing load already occupies the selected driver, revise the interval or choose another driver. A later exception can be traced to the exact assignment that was in force.

• Load Assignments Default List — Held, confirmed and dispatched crew commitments with start and end times.
• Fleet Readiness Board — Vehicle readiness, equipment class and capacity for planning.
• Drivers Roster — Active drivers with eligibility dates and external authority references.

See planning to dispatch and fleet readiness. Review the roles before granting dispatch access.