What Is Central Dispatch?

If you’ve shipped a car before, you may have heard the term “central dispatch” and wondered what exactly it means. For those inside the world of auto transport, it’s one of the most important resources available, and one that drastically improved the efficiency and quality of the overall industry. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, we’ll explain in the paragraphs below what role that the central dispatch load board plays, and how it affects all parties involved.

The Central Dispatch Load Board was first introduced in 1999 as an effort to streamline the operations of the auto transport industry, allowing an easier and faster ways for carriers to connect with brokers to find available work. If you’re unclear on the difference between carriers and brokers, and the relationship they have to one another, this article explains the key takeaways. At its core, central dispatch is a place where brokers can place the requests they receive from customers, where carriers (who do the shipping) can then bid on or compete to do the job. It effectively creates a common space where brokers and carriers can come together to pair car shipping requests with the available carriers who can do the job.

As far as car shipping brokers and carriers are concerned, central dispatch creates a mutually beneficial environment where they can more efficiently pair their services to deliver on behalf on their customers. Not only does this make the job easier for both parties, but it also helped to streamline the industry as a whole by eliminating the need for more outdated forms of communication like phone calls and faxes. Whereas there used to be a lot more legwork involved in finding the right fit between brokers and carriers, central dispatch gave them a place where they can easily access the necessary information and communicate directly with each other. With a single resource for all shipping jobs (nationwide), central dispatch made the entire process much more efficient and easier to manage on both sides. Likewise, central dispatch also provides an improved experience for customers who need a vehicle transported.

Do you need a car shipped, or have questions about how the process works? If so, give us a call today at (888) 230-9116 to learn more about what we offer! FREE price quotes are available to all interested parties, regardless of the type of vehicle or where it’s being shipped! Just contact us with what you need done, and you’ll receive a competitive, affordable cost estimate right away! No strings attached and no obligation required—just tell us what you need, and we’ll get right back to you with a FREE quote!

How Central Dispatch Helps Customers

In addition to helping brokers and carriers, central dispatch also provides benefits to customers looking to ship a vehicle. Since it is much easier for brokers to find carriers through a single resource, central dispatch makes the process of finding a shipper much easier for brokers, which in turn makes the shipping process go more quickly for customers, as well as the added benefit of potential cost savings. Think of it this way: you contact a broker and submit your request to have a car shipped. They, in turn, post the job on central dispatch where carriers can then bid on the job. With more carriers having access to the job, the bids become more competitive, which allows brokers to submit lower prices to the carriers and go with the more affordable option—a savings that can then be passed along to the customer.

This process is also part of the reason it’s important to find a good broker. They are effectively the ones negotiating on your behalf to help keep the overall cost down. It probably comes as no surprise that brokers and carriers negotiate on the cost of the job since the profit margins of both are tied to the cost of a shipment. A broker who has a good knowledge of the industry will be able to partner with carriers that are willing to do the job cheaper, but without sacrificing the quality of service by dealing with an inexperienced or unqualified shipper. A good broker will know which companies to trust, and which ones should be avoided, all while seeking the best deal for their customers.