Which load goes on which vehicle; in what order is it loaded and along which route is it delivered? In a scattered Excel sheet, this is a puzzle that has to be solved from scratch every morning. This is where dispatching comes in: the task of tying the selected loads to a trip and a vehicle and building the pickup–delivery route. It is the most critical and most time-consuming decision in a logistics operation. In this article we look at why dispatching is hard, the four criteria of good dispatching, and how this work actually flows in Loggerise.
📊 Industry data: Per Eurostat, 21.6% of EU road-freight vehicle-kilometres ran empty in 2024 (25.8% in national transport), underscoring the value of right vehicle-load matching. Eurostat, 2024
What is dispatching, and why is it hard?
Dispatching is the task of planning the loading and delivery route by tying the loads at hand to a suitable trip and vehicle. Its difficulty comes from balancing several variables at once: the weight and route of the load, the capacity and location of the vehicle, the availability of the driver, and the loading and delivery order. When this information sits scattered across different files, dispatching is rebuilt from scratch every morning, by phone and by guesswork. And a single wrong decision means empty kilometers, delays and loss.
The 4 criteria of good dispatching
A correct dispatching decision must consider these four criteria at the same time:
- Occupancy: Efficient use of vehicle capacity; a half-full trip eats into profit.
- Route and order suitability: The load routes matching the vehicle’s direction, and the loading–delivery order being set up logically.
- Vehicle and driver suitability: The permit, capacity and authorization being appropriate for the load.
- Empty return: Reducing unladen kilometers by planning a return load where possible.
How is dispatching done in Loggerise?
In Loggerise, dispatching is not about dragging and dropping loads onto vehicles one by one; it is a flow that builds the trip and the route together. The steps are as follows:
- Select the loads: From the load list, mark the loads to be carried and click Plan Dispatch.
- Set the mode and the vehicle: On the left of the planning screen that opens, choose Own fleet or Hired (external carrier) mode; depending on the mode, you enter the vehicle–driver or the carrier company and plate.
- Build the route with drag-and-drop: Two panels open on the right — Pickup Route (loading order) and Delivery Route (delivery order). Stops are created automatically from the loads; you order these stops, along with manual stops such as breaks and customs, using drag-and-drop.
- Complete it: When ready, click Complete; the system automatically creates the trip, the position and the driver task. The fleet team finalizes the vehicle and driver via the position.
So drag-and-drop is not for throwing a load onto a vehicle, but for clarifying the order of the pickup and delivery route. Occupancy, route and suitability appear on a single screen; unsuitable matches are flagged in advance by the system. The puzzle rebuilt every morning comes down to a few clicks and a few drag movements.
Own fleet or hired carrier?
Dispatching brings two ways of working together in the same flow. In own fleet mode you assign your own vehicle and driver; if the vehicle is free at that moment, the fleet team can also finalize it later. In hired mode you enter the external carrier company, the plate and the price. Both run from the same dispatching screen; this way you manage your own fleet and external carriers from one place, with the same logic.
What regular dispatching delivers
Bringing dispatching into the system increases not only speed but also profit. Occupancy rises, empty returns decrease, and delays caused by wrong assignments are eliminated. When you take planning out of one person’s head and make it visible on the screen, the operation continues without disruption even when that person is on leave. What is more, since the trip and position are created automatically once dispatching is completed, the disconnect between planning and the field also disappears.
In the end, dispatching ceases to be an art based on experience and turns into a measurable process that anyone can repeat; the daily pace of the operation visibly eases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is drag-and-drop used for in dispatching?
It is used to order the pickup and delivery stops, that is, the loading and delivery sequence. It is not for “dragging and assigning” a load onto a vehicle, but for clarifying the order of the route.
Are own fleet and hired managed on the same screen?
Yes. With a single mode choice, you plan both your own fleet and external carriers within the same dispatching flow.
Is the trip created automatically once dispatching is finished?
Yes. When you click Complete, the system automatically creates the trip, the position and the driver task; the fleet team finalizes the vehicle and driver via the position.
Simplify your planning
Select the loads, set the mode, build the route with drag-and-drop; let the system handle the rest — let the trip and position be created automatically. Explore Loggerise ERP 👉 loggerise.com.