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- Make sure goods and passengers reach their destinations safely
- Requires strong organisational skills & excellent budget skills
- You could specialise in other types of transport, like rail, sea or air
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Working with suppliers and customers
- Planning routes and scheduling delivery times
- Managing a team of supervisors, administration staff and drivers
- Making sure the operation meets its targets
- Coordinating staff training
- Putting together performance reports for directors
- Arranging vehicle maintenance, MOTs and tax payments
- Organising vehicle replacements
- Managing contracts and developing new business
- You'll also make sure that operations are carried out in line with UK and EU laws and regulations
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You may do shift work including weekends to cover 24-hour operations. Your time would be split between the office, the transport depot and your clients' premises.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with strong organisational skills for planning schedules, journeys and loads, excellent budget handling skills, the ability to think logically, the ability to work flexibly and to make decisions quickly, excellent communication skills and the ability to deal with people at all levels.
There are no set entry requirements but you may need to get a Certificate of Professional Competence - a Driver CPC - if you're the operator of a haulage or transport business.
You could develop your transport skills as a driver, team leader or administrator. With training and experience you could then apply for a road transport manager's job.
You may also be able to do a passenger transport operations manager higher apprenticeship if you're working for a passenger transport company.
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in: logistics, supply chain management, transport management or business management. You can also do a postgraduate course if you have a relevant degree. After you finish your studies, you can then apply for a place on a management trainee scheme with a transport company.
It would be helpful to join The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and United Kingdom Warehousing Association for professional recognition and training opportunities.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could specialise in other types of transport, like rail, sea or air. You could also move into transport planning and consultancy.