Dispatching (Disposition)

Dispatching – known in German logistics as Disposition – is the planned allocation of resources to tasks. In transport and logistics, dispatching is the heart of daily operations: it decides which driver takes which order with which vehicle, under time pressure, with limited capacity, and with new orders arriving constantly.

Dispatching in a transport company: the tasks

A dispatcher typically owns:

• Order intake: capturing transport orders from phone, email, portals, or booking pages.
• Assignment: choosing driver and vehicle by availability, location, payload, and qualification.
• Route planning: putting stops in an economical order – today usually via route planning software.
• Disruption management: working traffic jams, breakdowns, and urgent orders into the plan, rebuilding tours, informing customers.
• Proof & billing: documenting deliveries (e.g. via proof of delivery) and releasing orders for invoicing.

Dispatching with software instead of shouting

Traditionally, dispatch runs on phone calls and spreadsheets. That works up to roughly three to five vehicles – beyond that, errors creep in: double-assigned orders, missed time windows, constant chasing by phone.

Dispatch software replaces this toolbox with a live board: all orders, drivers, and vehicles appear in one view with a map, assignments go straight to the driver app, and status updates come back automatically. Modern systems like Maxmove add AI suggestions: the software prioritises urgent orders and proposes suitable drivers; the dispatcher approves.

Dispatching in the Maxmove TMS

In the Maxmove TMS, dispatch is connected to route planning, fleet management, and proof of delivery: orders arrive digitally, AI dispatch ranks drivers and vehicles, and every delivery is documented automatically – from a single order to a full day's tour.