Overview of Transport Dispatch Submission Process

Thank you for considering Transport Dispatch (TD) for publication of your manuscript. Different types of articles are eligible for publication with TD: news articles, operational and clinical updates, case reports, original research, review articles, quality improvement projects, letters to the editor, editorials, and opinion pieces. The Editorial Guidelines and Procedures document discusses this, and we encourage you to read that first. You will also need to download author disclosure forms for each author to complete and send back to you for submission with your manuscript. We encourage you to look through the appropriate peer reviewer’s form for your project. This will give you insight into how the expert reviewers grade your work!

Now, you’re ready to finish drafting your paper. Again, pay attention to the requirements for the different types of articles in the Editorial Guidelines and Procedures document. After you’ve completed that, write a brief introduction letter to the scientific editors, Drs. Schwartz and Stroud. The essential things to include are: 1) a brief explanation of why the study or project was conducted and why it’s important for others to learn; 2) a disclosure if generative AI was used for analysis, writing, or image creation (see Editorial Guidelines and Procedures); 3) an indication of whether this project was ever presented at a SOTM program as a platform or poster; and 4) a disclosure of any significant issues with the work that could lead to its rejection (it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s doomed). Next, separate from the manuscript, you’ll need the authors’ names, titles, affiliations, and email addresses on a cover page. This is to increase anonymity when the paper is sent for review. You will also need those author disclosure forms to complete the submission process.

The submission portal walks you through all the information needed and documents to upload. You will be uploading the following as PDFs: 1) introduction letter to the editors; 2) authors cover page; 3) manuscript with tables and figures; 4) author disclosure form #1; 5) author disclosure form #2; 6) author disclosure form #3; etc.
In about two weeks, you’ll hear the initial status of your submission. Most of the time, you will hear that your work has been sent for expert review. This takes a minimum of 7 more weeks, depending on the complexity of the article. When you do hear back, try to have your revisions made and sent back to the assigned associate editor within 2 weeks. If not, it may delay publication to the next quarter. Revisions taking more than 30 days may require starting the submission from scratch.

Good luck! This journal was created as an outlet for you to share your wonderful work, and we’re cheering you on. We are exploring mentoring help for those of you who need additional coaching during the process. More to come on that.

Best wishes, transport trailblazers,

Hamilton Schwartz, Michael Stroud, Tammy Rush, Webra Price Douglas, and Dana Bennett-Tejes, on behalf of Transport Dispatch