Firstline Road Solutions

Call Taking Guide

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Every Call — Get This Information

Intake checklist

Work top to bottom. Don’t hang up until you have items 1–7. If the caller is in a dangerous spot, jump to the safety question first.

  1. Account & location
    Which company — Ryder, UPS, other? Which branch or terminal? This decides which portal you dispatch from.
  2. Caller name and callback number
    Get the number first in case the call drops. Repeat it back.
  3. Exact location of the vehicle
    Street address, or highway + direction + nearest exit or mile marker. Ask for a cross street. “On the 5” is not enough.
  4. Is the vehicle in a safe place?
    Shoulder, live lane, blocking traffic? Anyone in the vehicle? This sets the priority of the call.
  5. Unit number and vehicle details
    Unit / truck number, year and make, box truck vs. tractor-trailer, loaded or empty.
  6. What’s wrong?
    Tire, jump start, lockout, fuel, won’t start, accident. Which tire — and which position? Be specific.
  7. Purchase order / reference number
    Required by most accounts before a truck rolls. If the caller doesn’t have one, note who authorized the call.
  8. Anything else on scene
    Police or DOT present? Trailer attached? Cargo issue? Note it in the dispatch.

How a Call Runs

1

Answer and identify

Greet with the company name, your name, and offer help. Confirm which account the caller is with before anything else.

2

Run the intake checklist

Type as you go. Read the location and callback number back to the caller to confirm you have them right.

3

Open the right portal

Go to the hub and pick the account, then find the location in the list to get its dispatch link.

4

Submit the dispatch

Enter everything you collected. Put the safety situation and the PO number where they can’t be missed.

5

Set expectations and close

Tell the caller what happens next and roughly how long. Give them the callback number. Don’t promise an ETA you can’t back up.

6

Follow up

Confirm the dispatch was picked up. If nothing has moved in the expected window, escalate rather than waiting.

If anyone is injured, or the vehicle is in a live traffic lane: tell the caller to call 911 first and stay clear of the vehicle. Dispatch after that.

Common Situations

🛞

Tire call

Get the exact position — steer, drive, or trailer; inside or outside; driver or passenger side. Ask if there’s a spare on the unit.

🔋

Jump start / won’t start

Does it crank or is it silent? Lights and dash coming on? This tells the tech whether to bring a jump pack or plan for a tow.

🔑

Lockout

Confirm the keys are actually in the vehicle and not lost. Is the engine running? Anyone or anything inside that makes it urgent?

⛽

Out of fuel

Diesel or gas, and how many gallons to get moving. Confirm the location is reachable by a fuel truck.

📍

Caller doesn’t know where they are

Ask for the last exit passed, direction of travel, and anything visible — signs, businesses, mile markers. Have them drop a pin and text it.

❓

Location isn’t in the portal

Take the call and get all the details, then submit it through the Employees page so it gets added.

Escalation

Who to call

Escalate when a dispatch hasn’t been accepted, an account is asking for a status you can’t give, or the situation is unsafe.

SituationContactHow
Injury or live-lane hazard Emergency services 911
Dispatch not picked up — add name — — add number —
Account escalation / complaint — add name — — add number —
After hours supervisor — add name — — add number —
Portal or site problem Site admin shaunambanks@gmail.com