TORONTO, Ont. – Being able to dispatch for a large company takes a lot of speed and accuracy, not to mention knowledge. But doing so with spirit is something Matt Budd – known as ‘the machine’ by his colleagues – definitely has a handle on.

At the 2002 Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) convention last November, Budd was awarded with the Dispatcher of the Year award, sponsored by Cancom Tracking. This is the first year the OTA has included a dispatcher award among those that it doles out.

The OTA thought it was time to recognize those who keep the trucks rolling along our roads. “OTA felt it was time to honor a segment of our industry that is sometimes overlooked,” says David Bradley, OTA president. Even with the letters of recommendation and appreciation from co-workers, customers, and his boss at, J. & R. Transport Inc., flying around, Budd had no idea what was in store for him.

“It’s a job where you don’t get much recognition, and this is a nice way to acknowledge the dispatcher,” says Budd. “It was a great time. I got to meet a bunch of guys, and went to some seminars.”

His seven years at J&R Transport have proven to keep him on his toes, but he started at the bottom learning the trade, obtaining the skills needed to dispatch trucks.

He primarily began dispatching local routes then moved on to city routes, and then to highway dispatching, to where he is now – managing 55 trucks and a busy set of customers. At any one time Budd is able to locate each truck, determine who is driving which truck, which shipment is on each, what time it can be expected, and where its destination lies. On top of this responsibility, his customers are satisfied, and everyone stays safe.

“He is our councilor who listens while frustrations are vented. He is our problem solver who rectifies every problem our drivers and customers experience,” says Jeff Hall, president of J& R Hall Transport.

Although a dispatcher’s duties are extensive, Budd has added to his list of tasks by going the extra mile to help out loading trucks. Fridays are long shifts for Budd, often beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 10 p.m. He says the shipments en route to the West need to get out for on-time deliveries, so Budd goes beyond the call of duty and assists his team with the load.

In his time away from his trucking world, Budd enjoys volunteering with his son’s power skating group, and helps manage the little league T-ball team. It’s no wonder Budd’s co-workers nicknamed him “the machine” – working fast and efficiently is his game. But it’s his added commitment and touch of kindness that give him the winning edge.