Client Routing Specialist (Dispatcher)

For over 80 years, Ernest has been committed to the success of our extended family, our customers, our employees, and the packaging industry itself. When you work with Ernest, you’ll enjoy the advantages of learning proven methods of success, a proactive approach, and having fun while earning what you’re worth with a lot of really awesome people.

Location: On-site in Commerce, CA

Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 10AM - 7PM

Pay range: $30 - 32/hour

Client Routing Specialist

At Ernest, we don't just deliver products, we help create seamless experiences for our customers through planning, communication, and execution. As a Client Routing Specialist, you'll play a critical role in supporting our transportation operations by coordinating routes, managing fleet-related processes, and ensuring deliveries and pickups are executed efficiently and accurately. Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment where customer service and operational excellence go hand in hand.

Essential Responsibilities

• ELD Maintenance – Monitor and maintain electronic logging device (ELD) systems for drivers. We utilize mobile applications to track hours of service, which are maintained and managed through office-based PC systems.
• GPS Maintenance – Visually track and monitor drivers through GPS systems. Maintain and update driver and vehicle assignments daily.
• Truck Maintenance, Repairs & Preventive Maintenance – Coordinate with Penske to schedule preventive maintenance services and repairs. Communicate with drivers regarding all truck-related maintenance activities.
• Returns Deliveries – Print, schedule, and log customer return deliveries.
• Delivery Scheduling & Route Planning – Print delivery tickets through SAP and route deliveries based on geographic area and available cubic space on trucks. Prepare final route schedules for the loading team and manage driver schedules accordingly.
• Delivery Appointment Scheduling – Coordinate delivery and pickup appointments as needed via phone and email.
• Delivery Monitoring (Open Tickets) – Monitor and maintain open delivery tickets within the SAP system. Review and manage open tickets on a weekly basis.
• Freight Management – Arrange the most effective method for shipping freight outside of our delivery area through our network of carriers. Create Bills of Lading (BOLs) and upload signed copies into SAP after carrier pickup.
• Interdepartmental Communication – Communicate and collaborate with internal teams regarding delivery requests, pickups, and transportation-related needs involving our fleet.
• Plan and execute approximately 20 delivery routes per day within a strict two-hour planning window prior to night crew deployment, ensuring accuracy and efficiency under time-sensitive conditions.
• Navigate and build routes manually using Thomas Guide maps and physical street maps. Routing software and digital navigation tools are not utilized in this role.
• Analyze product dimensions and pallet configurations to maximize truck capacity, ensuring full loads are dispatched without exceeding safe weight or space limitations.
• Coordinate and integrate vendor pickups at the end of delivery routes, sequencing stops to minimize drive time and maximize operational efficiency.
• Demonstrate strong spatial awareness and logistical judgment to balance route density, delivery windows, and pickup schedules simultaneously.
• Maintain a working knowledge of customer receiving hours and delivery appointment requirements, balancing those constraints with operational realities to build the most effective routes possible.
• Identify overflow demand and create second runs when necessary to accommodate orders that cannot be absorbed into the primary route structure without compromising service levels or truck capacity.
• Effectively manage competing priorities by routing time-sensitive deliveries while simultaneously addressing end-of-day warehouse correspondence and operational communications.

Requirements

• Minimum of 2–3 years of experience as a Route Specialist, Transportation Specialist, or similar logistics-focused role.
• Previous experience managing delivery drivers and delivery routes is required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook.
• SAP experience is a plus.

Ernest is a nationwide company, but did you know that our humble roots started in a Los Angeles garage? Brothers Ernie and Charles Wilson founded the company in 1946 with a dedication to customized service. Even after decades of delivering great packaging to our customers, that commitment has never changed. We always find the best solution to fit our customers’ needs, even if we have to invent it!