Road Transport Manager
What is the work like?
Road transport managers plan and coordinate road haulage, distribution and passenger transport operations, routes and schedules. Transport managers make sure that goods and passengers reach their destinations safely, on time and in the most cost-effective way.
As a transport manager your duties would vary, depending on the size of your organisation but may include:
- 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 would also make sure that all operations are carried out in line with UK and EU laws and regulations. These govern vehicle safety, environmental controls on fuel emissions, driver hours, customs requirements, and food, livestock and hazardous goods transportation.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
A common route to becoming a road transport manager is to develop your skills and experience by working in this field as a driver, teamleader or administrator before applying for promotion to road transport manager. You could also move into this work if you have management experience from other sectors.
It is recommended that you take the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). Every site operating a road transport business is required to have at least one person (usually a manager) with this qualification.
There are four types of Certificate: National or International Road Haulage Operations, and National or International Passenger Transport Operations. You would train for the Certificate related to your business. The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) has details about the CPC, along with other relevant courses.
If you already have a foundation degree, BTEC HND, degree or postgraduate award in a relevant subject, larger companies may offer you a place on a management trainee programme. Suitable courses would include logistics, supply chain management, transport management and business management.
To search for colleges and universities offering foundation degrees, HNDs and degrees see Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
The Skills for Logistics and GoSkills websites have information about careers and qualifications in road transport.
What further training and development can I do?
If you are working in road transport in a administrative, driving or warehousing job, you may be able to develop your career by taking NVQ awards on the job, for example:
- Traffic Office levels 2 and 3
- Managing Road Passenger Transport levels 3 and 4
- Transportation levels 3, 4 and 5.
You could also study for the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualifications. You have to register as an Affiliate member with the Institute and you would take the award which matches your level of experience and responsibility. The courses cover all aspects of the job, including:
- freight operations
- passenger operations
- transport planning
- project management.
You can search for training providers on the CILT website.
Where can I go for more information?
14 Warren YardWarren Farm Office Village
Stratford Road
Milton Keynes
MK12 5NW
Tel: 0870 242 7314
Trinity Park
Solihull
Birmingham
B37 7UQ
Tel: 0121 635 5520
Earlstrees Court
Earlstrees Road
Corby
Northants
NN17 4AX
Tel: 01536 740100
If you would like to discuss your career options with a learning adviser, call 0800 100 900 or use our online enquiry form
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Starting salaries are usually between £19,000 and £23,000 a year.
- Experienced managers, especially those working for larger companies, can earn between £24,000 and £35,000.
- Some senior managers can earn over £45,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
You would normally work about 40 hours a week, but this may include shiftwork and weekends to cover 24-hour operations.
You would split your time between working in the office, the transport depot and at your clients' premises.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- strong organisational skills for planning schedules, journeys and loads
- excellent financial management 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
- computer skills
- good leadership and motivational skills
- a good understanding of transport regulations
- good geographical knowledge.
What opportunities are there?
Road transport accounts for about 55% of all freight movement around the country and, according to Skills for Logistics, the Sector Skills Council for the logistics industry, job opportunities in road transport are forecast to grow between now and 2014.
You can look for opportunities within a range of organisations, including distribution, bus and coach companies, parcel couriers, manufacturers and retail chains, vehicle hire firms and contract fleets.
Road transport management offers you the chance to move between different sectors or to specialise in other modes of transport, such as rail, sea or air. If you work for a large multinational company, you may have the chance to work overseas. Once you have built up some experience, you can move into transport planning and consultancy.
Skills for Logistics has a national and regional breakdown of facts and figures for the industry in on its website. GoSkills also has further details about passenger transport growth. See their websites for more details.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading: (links open in new window)
Transport Office
Jobs in Transport
Transport Jobs Network
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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