THE PRACTICAL ANSWER
Check the size, where the container actually is, and whether someone has already booked it. An empty, inspected container in the yard can go on the dispatch board. A scheduled pickup is a call to make before promising delivery.
Questions about the tracker? Email Gravel at doit@ongravel.com.
Try this spreadsheet in Gravel or price a haul.
Want to track your containers in Gravel? Get started
It’s Thursday and a roofer wants a 20-yard dumpster for Friday. Three 20s show up on the board: one in the yard, one due back, and one earmarked for a swap. Only one is ready to assign.
Find the unit you can actually offer
On the Dispatch desk tab, choose Friday, November 6, 2026 and 20 yd³ to follow the fictional example. The board shows the first unit in each category. Filter the Decision column in Fleet register to see all matching units.
| Unit | What dispatch knows | Friday decision |
|---|---|---|
| R-204 | Empty and inspected at Main yard; no next job. | Ready in yard. Check the truck slot and assign the roofer’s job. |
| R-221 | On rent at Maple remodel. Pickup planned for Thursday. | Verify pickup. It may still be full, blocked or waiting to be tipped. |
| R-225 | In the yard, already assigned to the Pine St swap. | Booked. Being physically in the yard doesn’t free it for Friday. |
Record a swap without losing the incoming container
Suppose Pine St has R-242. Dispatch sends R-225 as the empty replacement. Keep R-225 booked until the driver confirms the drop; then set it to On rent, change its location to Pine St, clear the fulfilled booking and enter its next pickup if known.
Update R-242 separately. Once the driver lifts it, set it to In transit and clear the old pickup date. After tipping and inspection, set it to Yard and enter the actual yard, or Shop if it needs repair. If the gate was locked, leave it on rent at Pine St. A dispatched truck is not proof that either move happened.
Set up your own fleet
Replace the sample rows with one permanent ID per physical container, its size in cubic yards, current status and location. Enter your records in columns A through F of Fleet register. Column G calculates the dispatch decision. Use the next booked job field as a hold; the unit stays unavailable until you clear it. The sheet flags duplicate IDs so neither copy counts as ready.
Choose the requested date and size for each call. A pickup due on or before that date is only a candidate. The board is a snapshot: it does not optimize truck routes or maintain a booking calendar. Once you commit a unit, enter the job immediately. Use the daily dispatch checklist to plan the actual move.
Sources & further reading
These references support the workflow principles discussed above. The checklists and worked examples are original Gravel guides.
- Gravel’s roll-off dispatch and inventory workflow ↗
- A roll-off operator using Gravel: NorthStar Rolloff ↗
Published by Gravel, a rental business software provider. Examples are illustrative, and operators set their own rental rates and terms.
