To become a train dispatcher, you must first complete some formal training in train dispatching or a related field such as transportation, logistics, or engineering. Because so much of the modern train dispatching system is computer-controlled, prior experience with information systems is also beneficial. Candidates with prior experience working in air traffic control, which has some similarities to modern train dispatcher responsibilities, are frequently given priority for job openings. Good analytical skills are also required, as is the ability to thrive in a fast-paced work environment where multitasking is the norm. One important requirement is that the ability to distinguish colors for video monitor track and switch indicator lights is not impaired.
In the United States, becoming a train dispatcher may be easier than you think, as large national train system companies provide on-the-job training. A typical course lasts 28 weeks and covers everything from field safety to hands-on instruction in dispatching rules. To complete the course, students are usually required to take a simulated computer-aided dispatching exam. After that, they must complete additional weeks of on-the-job training to become a dispatcher. Train dispatcher and rail traffic controller trainees must have another source of income during the 13-14 week on-the-job training period because it is not paid.
Train dispatchers earn good starting pay, with a year on the job putting them in the upper middle class in the United States. However, the job comes with a significant amount of stress. Candidates with two years of experience in air traffic control or train dispatching are given strong consideration for any job openings, as they are likely to be familiar with the job’s normal stressors.
Train dispatchers in the United States are also unionized, allowing for collective bargaining on working conditions and pay rates. The industry, like air traffic control, must adhere to federal standards and safety regulations. Furthermore, most of the major train companies in the United States only offer train dispatcher training at one or two locations across the country, and completing the required coursework does not guarantee a job offer.
Several technical colleges across the United States also offer train dispatching courses, which may be accepted as a condition of employment some train companies. Qualifications for becoming a train dispatcher in the United States may be transferable to other countries’ requirements. To work as a train dispatcher in Saudi Arabia, for example, you must have certification and/or vocational training as well as three years of experience.
Rail traffic controller is a title that many countries use to describe people who work in the field. Train dispatchers are also known as Supervisory Control And Data Acquisitions (SCADA) operators. The monitoring of computer control systems involving infrastructure, such as publicly and privately owned rail networks, falls under this category.