Psychology 409a – Presented
My Sixth Outline of Assigned
By Julie Gersh
Truck Drivers and Their Dispatchers: A
Seldom Exposed Problem
Rothe, J. Peter. Driving
Lessons. The
Instructions for
this activity are found at:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy23/409a-g23-oral.htm
Instructor: Dr. Leon James
Concept 1 – The
Dispatcher and the Driver Relationship
Definition:
The relationship between a truck driver and their dispatcher is similar to that
of a teacher and a student: the student wants to vocalize when something is
troublesome but is afraid that too much complaining or if said in the wrong
tone may lead to punishment. The truck driver is the student and the dispatcher
is the teacher in this analogy. The truck driver is blue collar while the
dispatcher may appear as white collar in many companies as they are middle
management.
Example and significance: The truck driver represents the
working class. “Over-the-road” truckers are those who are typically not married
and work for long hours, often over night and inter-state. The Dispatcher
represents middle class. They are seen as the “go-between” between drivers and
shippers of a larger company. Dispatchers often (if not always) have the power
in the relationship: they are seldom blamed for drivers’ problems. Because both
driver and dispatcher are working for the money, the dispatcher can push the
driver and the driver must accept in order to accomplish the job. The problem
is, the dispatcher may be requesting unreasonable desires such as completing a
task in a time period that would force the driver to speed.
Opinion: When I think of a truck driver, I think of a
middle aged man, a speeder, a tailgater, and someone whose vehicle I want to be
far away from. I chose this concept as I honestly never considered the
go-between person: the dispatcher. I do not feel as though drivers should not
hold any responsibility for their seemingly renowned poor driving habits
however this concept did allow me to think twice about blaming the driver.
Concept 2 – Bending
the Rules
Definition:
Pressure to make money for both driver and dispatcher is stressful. Under these
circumstances, breaking the rules of the road does not seem as immoral as it
otherwise would.
Example and significance: Behaviors such as driving with
fatigue, speeding (a big one!), driving with overweight loads, etc. is common
for a truck driver. Many (if not all) drivers are given times and locations
that are specific to the demands of the company. If the driver is in a rush,
they are being bombarded by the dispatcher, drive extra loads for more money,
etc. they will likely bend the rules by driving dangerously. Dispatchers also
tend to encourage the driver to drive in these dangerous ways and are very
seldom (if ever) reprimanded by their own bosses for this. Drivers do not want
to turn in dispatchers for encouraging them for fear they will lose their jobs
or more reprimanding if their jobs are kept.
Opinion: I often observe truck drivers tailgating other
drivers (including myself). On one hand, they are working to complete their
duties on time so they can get paid and move on to the next load. However, this
is more dangerous than the driver realizes. They are putting other drivers’
safety at risk, as well as their own well-being and safety. I also did not
realize what a big deal this was. This is certainly a topic that is not
publicized or in the media very often. It appears that it is a problem within
the driving community and the general public is not very aware.
Concept 3 – It’s All
for the Money
Definition:
Drivers are pressured by dispatchers and dispatchers are pressured by their
bosses to complete runs within a time frame. The more that is completed, the
more money people receive in the short and long run. Time is both pressure and
money.
Example and significance: The more loads that the driver
carries, the more money they will receive in the end. The problem is that if
they are caught at the weigh-station, they have to pay a fine. At the same
time, a lighter load means bombardment from the dispatcher to carry more. Thus,
many drivers pay others to carry part of their load, but they are losing money
this way. Additionally, many drivers will cheat in their log books and say they
have not driven as many hours as they realistically did. This allows the
drivers to produce more runs and although many companies know this occurs, they
choose to ignore it because it means more money for their company.
Opinion: I did not realize before what a double-edged
sword this predicament was for drivers and dispatchers. Driving and dispatching
is truly all for the money. Drivers would not drive long and seemingly
irrational hours as volunteer work but because this is their living, they are
clearly willing to bend the rules a little bit. It’s all for the money.
Helpful links
http://www2.cio.com/higher/report2751.html
- An article describing new a wireless logging book technology for truck
drivers
http://www.trucksafety.org/default.asp?contentID=489
– The Crash Foundation: Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways
The Driver’s RoundTable: The
Trucking Industry’s Discussion Forum
My homepage: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2005/gersh/home.htm
Class homepage: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/leonj/leonpsy23/classhome-g23.htm