Dispatcher Career??

Im looking into the BNSF dispatcher program at Tarrant County College. Im kind of 50/50 on the idea so far. The "good" side is that it pays well with great benefits. The down side is I will be without pay for 3 months and there is no garaunteed position after graduation.

Of course the college is saying there is a good chance of being hired directly out of school but they wont quote a percentage. Not even an estimate. Sooo does anyone out there actually do this for a living that can tell me more about it? How hard/easy is it to find a position? Do they do alot of layoffs? etc.

Thanks,
~James

Anyone?

Answers to be found in the Employment Forum, maybe?

hotrodhendrix wrote:Anyone?

Check your messages. I sent you a PM on this subject

There is always a need for dispatchers at BNSF... I have several friends who left the engine seat to be dispatchers and they love it! BNSF has the highest paid dispatchers in the industry...

BNSF dispatchers are NOT the highest paid in the industry.

dealing with dispatchers all day i would love to do it myself for a day to see how it works. definitely an overlooked yet important job.

Rtrain wrote:dealing with dispatchers all day i would love to do it myself for a day to see how it works. definitely an overlooked yet important job.

To the public it's overlooked. To a train crew their our life line at times are only communication especially since EO#26 the banning of cell phones. A train dispatcher has a lot of responsibility dealing with up to 400 miles of mainline track and rail yards. When I started railroading there was one TD assigned to every subdivision with technology like every other job the railroads put more work on one person. I have a lot of respect for TD's it takes a lot of patience to put up with train crews, yardmasters, track forces, signal maintainers ect...on a daily basis.

I am a dispatcher for a class 1 railroad. I would not pay to go to dispatching school. With the down economy, more than likely you will just be wasting your money. Railroads have a surplus of manpower right now, especially in the operating department

Anyone know if there are any dispatching openings out there for a 9-year towerman? Back here in Beantown they don't seem to think towermen are more qualified to dispatch than ticket sellers and newbies to the rail industry. Just getting a little discouraged is all... wouldn't mind a change of scenery either