What is dispatch?
Dispatch is the operational core of an NEMT company: taking the day's trips, assigning each one to a driver and vehicle that match its level of service, sequencing pickups and drop-offs into efficient routes, and then managing the day as it unfolds, with late riders, cancellations, breakdowns and same-day requests. In small companies the owner dispatches; in larger ones a dispatcher or dispatch team works from software with live vehicle locations.
Why dispatch matters for NEMT
Dispatch quality determines on-time performance, loaded-mile ratio and driver hours, which is to say it determines profit. Manual dispatch on whiteboards and text messages tops out around eight to ten vehicles; beyond that, software that automates assignment and route sequencing pays for itself in driver hours alone. Our NEMT dispatch guide covers the practices that cut rider delays.
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