The following article discusses the career path of Transportation Manager. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Transportation Managers.
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Job Duties
Transportation managers have overarching responsibility for everything that is transported in or out of the company. These include everything from receiving raw materials to shipping finished products, and also ensuring that employees are able to get to meetings and working out how much compensation should be allowed per mile traveled. Transportation managers play a pivotal role in organizations that want to lower the cost of their transportation, as well as in those that want to become more environmentally sustainable.
Besides focusing on logistics, transportation managers are also responsible for line managing other employees that are involved in transportation. They have various managerial roles, including providing employees with guidance, directly line managing them, and handling any disciplinary and conflict issues that may occur. Usually, they take on full time positions and work from an office, although they may be required to do overtime and to travel as part of their role.
Other job duties of the transportation manager include:
- Managing the various shipping logistics, determining which routes are most efficient, according to which schedules people should drive, which vehicles to use, and who should drive them
- Maintaining and analyzing data relating to shipping in order to find ways to increase efficiency
- Developing and implementing safety and shipping policies and procedures, enforcing compliance with those and particularly with DOT regulations
- Ensuring that transportation is done on time and within budget, while minimizing costs as much as possible.
Where We Work
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 148,700 logisticians in 2016, a profession closely related to that of a transportation manager. The largest employers of these professionals were:
- Manufacturing: 25%
- Federal government: 20%
- Professional, scientific, and technical services: 17%
- Management of companies and enterprises: 10%
- Wholesale trade: 9%
How to Become
It is generally expected for a transportation manager to have a bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to transportation, and preferably to the industry in which they work.
Education Requirements
Transportation managers have to be able to manage the complexities of supply chains and logistics. As a result, a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management or bachelors degree in logistics is usually the minimum requirement. Supply chain management, systems engineering, and business are common study subjects. During the bachelor’s degree, they will learn about system dynamics, database management, and operations. Furthermore, they can be exposed to common logistics software, such as RFID (radio-frequency identification).
There is no legal requirement for a transportation to become certified. However, certifications do demonstrate commitment to excellence and a broader knowledge. Hence, transportation managers may choose to become certified through the International Society of Logistics (SOLE) or through the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS). Work experience and education are required for these certifications. Other options are offered through the DUA (Defense Acquisition University), which are required for those who work as a transportation manager for the Department of Defense.fsu
Work experience is also vitally important. Transportation managers must have gained several years’ experience in supply chains, logistics, and business. Some start in logistical support, such as clerks or dispatchers, and many have a military background. Through work experience, these specialists get to know about supply chain and production processes.
Traits & Qualities
The most effective transportation managers have the following traits to some degree or other:
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
- Strong critical thinking skills
- Great customer service skills
- Excellent organizational skills
- Strong problem solving skills
Minimum Education
Bachelor’s Degree
The national average salary estimate for Transportation Manager was $93,639. This number is estimated from over 138,824 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $48.77 and monthly of $7,803.
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$22,000
$213,000
The following section lists Transportation Manager salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, California had the largest quoted salary of $112,845 while Delaware had the smallest quoted salary of $26,160.
| Alabama | Florida | Minnesota | Pennsylvania |
| Arizona | Georgia | North Carolina | Texas |
| California | Illinois | New York | Virginia |
| Colorado | Massachusetts | Ohio | Washington |
| Delaware | Maryland | Oklahoma |
According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Transportation Manager. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.
| Employer Name | Location | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Mackenzie Stuart plc | Texas | $190,191 |
| City of Irvine | California | $168,450 |
| DSJ Global | Florida | $164,734 |
| GovHR USA | Illinois | $159,885 |
| CyberCoders | California | $150,867 |
| AppleOne | California | $150,000 |
| AC Transit | California | $147,951 |
| City of Mesa | Arizona | $139,539 |
| The SearchLogix Group | Florida | $131,939 |
| Federal Way Public Schools | Washington | $126,417 |
| City Of Raleigh | North Carolina | $123,199 |
| Tacoma Public Schools | Washington | $115,580 |
| Baltimore County Public Schools | Maryland | $114,444 |
| PSG | Ohio | $110,000 |
| Nigel Frank International | California | $107,926 |
| Arlington Public Schools | Virginia | $107,513 |
| JK Headhunting | California | $94,869 |
| New York City Department of Education | New York | $94,249 |
| City of Newton, MA | Massachusetts | $82,388 |
Learn More
- 11-3071.01 – Transportation Managers – O*NET OnLine
- Salary Outlook with a Masters in Supply Chain
- Supply Chain Management Careers
- TRANSPORTATION MANAGER – Oklahoma
- Salary Outlook with Logistics Degree
| Career Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Director of Nursing | $95,821 |
| Disaster Recovery Manager | $94,956 |
| Network Manager | $94,442 |
| Treasury Manager | $94,000 |
| Data Manager | $93,937 |
| Director of Human Resources | $93,347 |
| Compensation Manager | $93,104 |
| Director of Operations | $90,674 |
| Director of Purchasing | $90,585 |
| Director of Marketing | $90,048 |
