# Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance

US SOC code 43-5032. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/43-5032

Also called: Dispatcher, Truck dispatcher, Fleet dispatcher, Freight dispatcher, Transportation dispatcher.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **202,810** US dispatchers (except police, fire, and ambulance), with median pay of **$50,340** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **211,000**, in May 2024, close to the May 2025 count. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Railroad_Telegraphers) of **78,000** from 1922, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for dispatchers: Algorithmic rideshare dispatch and ELD mandate, 2012 to 2020. NBER research confirmed that rideshare entry causes measurable exit by incumbent taxi workers, primarily at the lower earning end.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to change -0.7% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-5032&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **65.2%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1851
- Latest US employment: 202,810 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $50,340 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [6]
- Outlook: -0.7% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [20]

### All 26 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1922 | 78,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Order of Railroad Telegraphers [1] |
| 1980 | 165,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Motor Carrier Act of 1980 [2] |
| 2000 | 167,180 | $28,410 | BLS OEWS 2000 [3] |
| 2003 | 161,790 | $30,390 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 165,910 | $30,920 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 172,550 | $31,390 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 185,410 | $32,190 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 190,190 | $33,140 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 193,210 | $33,850 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 185,100 | $34,480 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 180,540 | $34,560 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 182,310 | $35,200 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 184,890 | $35,690 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 185,270 | $36,390 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 190,330 | $36,690 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 196,940 | $37,150 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 197,910 | $37,940 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 198,520 | $38,790 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 199,880 | $39,470 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 199,360 | $40,190 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 188,450 | $40,980 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 194,330 | $44,050 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 206,370 | $44,830 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 206,090 | $46,860 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 211,000 | $48,880 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 202,810 | $50,340 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (84)

### Employment series

1. [Order of Railroad Telegraphers — Wikipedia (peak membership 78,000 in 1922)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Railroad_Telegraphers), Wikipedia (sourced from union historical records)
2. [Motor Carrier Act of 1980 — Wikipedia (motor carrier industry scale reference; dispatcher workforce estimated from industry employment)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Carrier_Act_of_1980), Wikipedia (Motor Carrier Act of 1980 article; industry employment context)
3. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

5. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

7. [Charles Minot (railroad executive) — Wikipedia (first telegraph train order, September 22, 1851)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Minot_%28railroad_executive%29), Wikipedia
8. [Order of Railroad Telegraphers — Wikipedia (peak membership 78,000 in 1922; founded 1886)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Railroad_Telegraphers), Wikipedia
9. [History of the trucking industry in the United States — Wikipedia (Motor Carrier Act 1935; industry expansion 1920s-1930s)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_trucking_industry_in_the_United_States), Wikipedia
10. [The Evolution of Booking and Dispatching Taxis: From Pen to Paper to Radio to Seamless Technology](https://www.taxi-point.co.uk/post/the-evolution-of-booking-and-dispatching-taxis-from-pen-to-paper-to-radio-to-seamless-technology), Taxi-Point
11. [Taxi! Seattle's Turbulent Taxicab Industry — HistoryLink.org (1947: Farwest two-way radio installation)](https://www.historylink.org/File/23056), HistoryLink.org
12. [Transport Management System History: A 50-Year Timeline — TrackTrans (Descartes 1981, Roadnet 1983, EDI/EDIFACT 1987)](https://tracktrans.com/blog/transport-management-system-history/), TrackTrans
13. [Computer-aided dispatch — Wikipedia (CAD system origins in 1960s-1970s; commercial adoption in 1980s)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-aided_dispatch), Wikipedia
14. [History of GPS Tracking and Fleet Telematics — TrackYourTruck (PHH InterActive 1997; commercial GPS access 1993)](https://www.trackyourtruck.com/blog/history-gps-vehicle-tracking-and-fleet-telematics/), TrackYourTruck
15. [Transport Management System History — Cargoson (GPS fleet tracking following 2000 GPS full availability; TMS evolution 1980s-2000s)](https://www.cargoson.com/blog/transport-management-system-tms-history), Cargoson
16. [Rideshare Entry and Taxi Industry Employment — NBER Digest, November 2024 (Uber/Lyft entry drives incumbent taxi worker exit)](https://www.nber.org/digest/202411/rideshare-entry-and-taxi-industry-employment), National Bureau of Economic Research
17. [Locus DispatchIQ -- AI-led dispatch orchestration modeling 250+ real-world constraints (2025)](https://locus.sh/scheduling-dispatch-optimization-software/), Locus
18. [McKinsey -- AI can transform workforce planning for travel and logistics: virtual dispatcher agents, $30-35M savings (2024)](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel/our-insights/ai-can-transform-workforce-planning-for-travel-and-logistics-companies), McKinsey
19. [AI Changing Work -- Will AI Replace Dispatchers? Route Planning 82% Automated (2026 Data)](https://aichanging.work/en/blog/will-ai-replace-dispatchers), AI Changing Work

### Forecasts and exposure studies

20. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 43-5032 Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance (2025: 203.5 thousand; 2035: 202.1 thousand; -0.7%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-5032&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
21. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 43-5032.00, human-rated β 0.652)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

22. [Charles Minot (railroad executive) -- Wikipedia (first telegraph train order, September 22, 1851)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Minot_%28railroad_executive%29), Wikipedia
23. [Order of Railroad Telegraphers -- Wikipedia (founding 1886, peak membership 78,000 in 1922)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Railroad_Telegraphers), Wikipedia
24. [History of the trucking industry in the United States -- Wikipedia (Motor Carrier Act 1935; 500,000 trucks by 1937)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_trucking_industry_in_the_United_States), Wikipedia
25. [Motor Carrier Act of 1980 -- Wikipedia (industry growth 1M to 2M workers; GAO Teamsters employment impact reference)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Carrier_Act_of_1980), Wikipedia
26. [Rideshare Entry and Taxi Industry Employment -- NBER Digest, November 2024](https://www.nber.org/digest/202411/rideshare-entry-and-taxi-industry-employment), National Bureau of Economic Research
27. [History of GPS Tracking and Fleet Telematics -- TrackYourTruck (ELD mandate December 2017)](https://www.trackyourtruck.com/blog/history-gps-vehicle-tracking-and-fleet-telematics/), TrackYourTruck

### Predecessors & successors

28. [Charles Minot (railroad executive) — Wikipedia (origin of civilian dispatch from railroad telegraph operations, 1851)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Minot_%28railroad_executive%29), Wikipedia
29. [History of the trucking industry in the United States -- Wikipedia (motor carrier dispatcher roles, 1920s-1940s)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_trucking_industry_in_the_United_States), Wikipedia

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (43-5032.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-5032.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS OES May 2024 — 43-5032: Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (national flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), accessed 2026-10-07
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [AI Changing Work — Will AI Replace Dispatchers? Route Planning 82% Automated (2026 Data)](https://aichanging.work/en/blog/will-ai-replace-dispatchers), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Locus — DispatchIQ: AI-led dispatch orchestration modeling 250+ real-world constraints (2025)](https://locus.sh/scheduling-dispatch-optimization-software/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Numeo AI — AI Dispatch for Enterprise Carriers (200+ trucks): autonomous load-to-truck matching (March 2026)](https://numeo.ai/blog/ai-dispatch-for-enterprise-carriers), accessed 2026-06-05
- [ServiceTitan — Dispatch Pro and Titan Intelligence: AI-driven job assignment for field service (Spring 2025)](https://www.servicetitan.com/blog/pantheon-2025-pro-products-automation), accessed 2026-06-05
- [TMA Solutions — The Impact of AI on the Logistics Workforce: Automation vs. Employment](https://www.tmasolutions.com/insights/the-impact-of-ai-on-the-logistics-workforce-automation-vs-employment), accessed 2026-06-05
- [McKinsey — AI can transform workforce planning for travel and logistics companies](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel/our-insights/ai-can-transform-workforce-planning-for-travel-and-logistics-companies), accessed 2026-06-05
- [DispatchMVP — AI assistant Otto: processes tenders and rate confirmations in seconds from all major load boards](https://dispatchmvp.ai/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [ServiceTitan — AI Voice Agents: inbound call handling and automated job booking (Spring 2025)](https://www.servicetitan.com/blog/spring-2025-release-guide), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.