No matter what type of transportation business you are in, there are basically three components involved in data-dispatch...

One, the Dispatch Software is an application that resides on a computer system in your office. It keeps track of all your customers, takes care of entering work-orders, trips or pick-ups and deliveries. It also tracks completed orders, pays your driver commissions, sends invoices to your customers, reports on corporate efficiencies, manages all of your corporate contacts, calculates all of your pricing, etc.

Most service companies, such as courier, taxi, limo and field service organizations use a work-force solution as a means to manage their business. Yet, less than 15% incorporate a data dispatch component. New, modern work-force applications typically have optional wireless dispatch modules that are fully integrated. For existing systems that do not have such an option, there are systems available that can be be easily integrated to form a complete solution.

The addition of a wireless dispatch component to an existing work-force system often has an even greater impact on productivity and customer service than the initial software application itself. See the article on Primary Benefits for more in-depth information.

Two, the dispatch software sends and receives all this information to and from your people or vehicles, to a device called a Mobile Data Terminal, or MDT. The MDT displays all this information and provides the driver with simple status keys to press as a job is received, processed and completed. For example, in a Courier company, they might be Accept, Pick-Up, Deliver and so on...

There are several types of MDT's, ranging from cost effective handsets to traditional fixed-in-vehicle units, to PDA's, pen based tablet's, etc. The type of MDT most appropriate for a given business depends on a wide range of factors, such as the required coverage, type and size of message, need for external peripherals, etc.

A wide range of peripheral devices are available for use with MDT's to add further utility for their users, including GPS location devices, Credit Card Processing, Bar Code Scanning, etc. Read the articles on Wireless Devices for more information.

Three, all this information needs to get to the field worker over some sort of Wireless Data Network. In some situations, such as for large, centralized operations such as a Taxi company, a two-way radio system can be used to carry data.

However, thanks to significant advancements in wireless technology, there are now several national packet data networks to choose from, operated by the Cellular companies. These networks are quickly supplanting two-way radio systems as the transmission medium of choice, due to higher data speeds, greater reliability and lower cost. Read the wireless network choices overvieww to gain a solid understanding of Wireless Networks.