If a transport order contains multiple time references, why does a single trip seem to have so many different moments? Because each of these times addresses a distinct question regarding the trip. Pickup time means the vehicle or the driver should be present at the location to begin the operation. Departure time means the vehicle should leave this point. Arrival window specifies that the vehicle, cargo, or people should arrive at the destination during this period. When these are thought of as interchangeable, a timetable seems simple, and it only becomes complicated when loading, waits, traffic conditions, or gate restrictions arise.
If you examine a short transport order and just look at the times (ignoring the details of the itinerary), you can explain them in two different sentences. Explain pickup time in a separate sentence from departure time, and explain the arrival window separately from both. An order that says “pickup at 9:00, delivery 11:00 to 12:00” does not necessarily state that departure must be at 9:00. Some time will be needed for loading, administrative paperwork, passenger boarding, or confirmation of the task. By distinguishing these elements, the route planner avoids basing the itinerary on an implicit assumption.
Pickup time is related to when the driver will be ready at the starting point. The driver should be present before the start of loading when transport is for goods. Or the driver should be present when the passengers should arrive when the transport is for people. The first-time planner may misunderstand the time of pickup as “the transport should start,” when there can be waiting time, a wait to check the cargo, a check to confirm the delivery order, or a need to find the entry gate for access. When access to the site is restricted, the address is not complete, or other details of the location are missing, pickup time can also be affected.
Departure time is the moment when the route can actually start to unfold. The transport order must have all the items that can be loaded in, the driver must be at the place with the goods, and the driver must be ready to drive away. An order that says “pickup at 9:00” but does not give a different departure time does not necessarily mean 9:00 is the departure. There may be an order to load 20 minutes, and if so, then 9:00 is not the departure time without additional instruction. If dispatch does not make this difference, someone will expect the status update to be given early on, or think the vehicle has not started. Saying something like “pickup at 9:00, departure after loading” will be more accurate than giving a single time to everyone at the moment.
Arrival window will be different because it is possible to have an arrival period (for example 11:00 to 12:00). Even though the arrival window leaves the driver a time period to deliver to, checking for a suitable route is still needed, checking for delays in the traffic, a time period to unload, and details of contact with the arrival location will be needed. In cases where a small arrival window has been set, the risk of minor delays at the point of origin being transmitted along the full itinerary will be greater, and the order status must be kept in mind when near the boundaries of the time. If the order is near the boundary of an arrival window, the order status needs to be changed accordingly.
The easiest way to clarify the times in a request is to think of writing a small dispatch request yourself. Can you state when you need the vehicle at the pickup location, when you need the vehicle to depart, and the time period when you need it at the arrival location? Can you explain anything that might happen in between? If these questions are not answerable, that is not due to a lack of knowledge on your part. The transport request order could have additional information on the times given, or the dispatch order should explain which of the times is not known.
Being more clear about the use of the different time words will make the other aspects of transport planning easier. The review of the route, the assignment of the vehicle to the transport order, the updates for the driver on the route, the printout of the transport orders on the transport vehicle, and the order of delivery at the arrival location all need an understanding of the purpose of the different times. When thinking that a dispatch request has been fully understood, consider if the spaces between pickup time, departure time, and arrival window are clear. These spaces will contain the time for loading, waits at the origin, access delays, and the arrival location.