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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Transportation Operations Manager

💰 $ - $

OperationsTransportationLogisticsFleet Management

🎯 Role Definition

The Transportation Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing end-to-end transportation and fleet operations to ensure safe, efficient, compliant and cost-effective delivery of goods and services. This role directs daily dispatch, route planning and scheduling, fleet maintenance programs, driver performance and safety initiatives, carrier and vendor relationships, and transportation-related budgeting and reporting. The manager leverages Transportation Management Systems (TMS), telematics and analytics to reduce cost-per-mile, improve on-time delivery, and drive continuous improvement across routing, capacity planning, and operational processes.

Core keywords: Transportation Operations Manager, fleet operations, route optimization, transportation management system (TMS), DOT/FMCSA compliance, carrier management, telematics, logistics leadership, cost control, on-time delivery.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Dispatcher / Dispatch Supervisor
  • Fleet Supervisor / Fleet Coordinator
  • Logistics Analyst / Transportation Planner

Advancement To:

  • Director of Transportation
  • VP of Logistics or Supply Chain
  • Head of Fleet Operations / Global Transportation

Lateral Moves:

  • Operations Manager (Warehouse & Transportation)
  • Carrier or Brokerage Manager
  • Safety & Compliance Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead day-to-day transportation operations, including dispatch, driver assignments, and carrier coordination, ensuring on-time delivery and adherence to service level agreements (SLAs).
  • Develop and execute route optimization strategies using TMS, route-planning software, and telematics data to minimize miles, reduce fuel consumption, and improve driver utilization.
  • Manage the full lifecycle of fleet operations, including vehicle acquisition, lifecycle cost analysis, preventative maintenance programs, repair scheduling, and disposition of assets.
  • Oversee compliance with federal, state and local transportation regulations (e.g., DOT, FMCSA, HOS rules), maintaining required documentation, license checks, and regulatory filings.
  • Recruit, train, mentor and evaluate drivers and dispatch staff; implement driver performance improvement plans and retention programs focused on safety, service quality and efficiency.
  • Establish, track and deliver on transportation KPIs (on-time delivery, cost per mile, dwell time, fuel efficiency, empty miles, accident rate) and present monthly/quarterly performance reports to senior leadership.
  • Build and manage relationships with carriers, brokers, repair shops, fuel suppliers and other third-party logistics providers to secure capacity, negotiate rates and ensure service quality.
  • Create and manage transportation budgets, forecasting labor, fuel, maintenance, and capital expenditures; drive cost reduction initiatives and identify opportunities for efficiency gains.
  • Implement safety programs and incident management processes, lead root cause analysis of accidents or service failures, and coordinate corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
  • Design and maintain contingency and emergency response plans for weather events, carrier failures, critical equipment outages and other disruptions to transportation operations.
  • Lead contract negotiations for carrier agreements, fuel cards, maintenance contracts and logistics services while ensuring legal and financial risk mitigation.
  • Coordinate cross-functional planning with warehouse, procurement, customer service and sales teams to align transportation capacity with inventory flows and customer delivery expectations.
  • Direct the deployment and optimization of technology solutions (TMS, telematics, ELD/GPS systems, mobile driver apps) to improve visibility, automate workflows and enforce policy compliance.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen) to streamline processes such as load consolidation, route sequencing, and dock scheduling to increase throughput and reduce operating costs.
  • Monitor and manage driver hours-of-service compliance, manage CSA scores and safety performance metrics, and oversee corrective and disciplinary actions when necessary.
  • Conduct freight cost analysis and mode optimization studies (truckload, LTL, intermodal, parcel) to determine the most cost-effective and service-aligned transportation strategies.
  • Manage capacity planning and scheduling for seasonal peaks, promotions or supply chain disruptions to ensure scalable and resilient transportation operations.
  • Oversee fuel management strategies, including fuel purchasing programs, card controls, consumption monitoring and initiatives to reduce fuel spend and emissions.
  • Lead procurement of fleet and transportation services, prepare RFPs/RFQs, evaluate vendor proposals, and administer vendor scorecards and SLAs.
  • Supervise and audit fleet safety documentation, driver qualification files, drug & alcohol testing programs and ensure timely renewals of registrations, permits, and insurance certificates.
  • Implement and maintain KPIs and dashboards that provide end-to-end visibility into transportation performance, cost drivers, and service levels for stakeholders.
  • Manage cross-border and customs-related transportation compliance when applicable, ensuring proper documentation, bonded shipments and alignment with import/export processes.
  • Plan and execute capital projects related to transportation operations, such as facility yard redesigns, gate automation, installation of telematics or charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
  • Facilitate communication and expectation-setting with key customers regarding delivery windows, service disruptions, cost changes and performance improvement plans.
  • Lead sustainability initiatives within transportation operations, including electrification pilots, route efficiency programs, and supplier engagement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc transportation analytics requests and exploratory analysis to quantify opportunity areas for cost reduction and service improvement.
  • Contribute to the organization’s transportation strategy and roadmap, aligning fleet decisions with enterprise-wide sustainability and cost objectives.
  • Collaborate with IT, data teams and external vendors to translate operational needs into technical requirements for TMS, telematics and reporting tools.
  • Participate in cross-functional project teams for warehouse redesign, network reroutes and ERP/TMS implementations; represent transportation operations in project governance.
  • Provide training materials, SOPs and operational playbooks for dispatch, safety and maintenance teams to preserve institutional knowledge and ensure compliance.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Transportation Management System (TMS) configuration and operational use (e.g., MercuryGate, Manhattan, Oracle Transportation, Descartes).
  • Route optimization and routing software experience (e.g., Route4Me, Paragon, OptimoRoute).
  • Fleet telematics and ELD/GPS systems administration (e.g., Samsara, Geotab, KeepTruckin).
  • Strong Excel skills: pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, advanced formulas and data modeling for cost analysis and KPI reporting.
  • Data analysis and visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau, SQL) to create actionable dashboards and performance reports.
  • Knowledge of DOT/FMCSA regulations, Hours-of-Service, driver qualification files, and CSA score management.
  • Budgeting and P&L ownership for transportation cost centers, with experience in forecasting and cost variance analysis.
  • Contract negotiation and carrier procurement, including RFP management and SLA development.
  • Preventative maintenance program design and vendor management for repair facilities and parts suppliers.
  • Familiarity with warehouse-to-transport interfaces (EDI, ASN, freight booking systems) and cross-docking procedures.
  • Experience with freight auditing, billing reconciliation and claims management processes.
  • Project management fundamentals and experience implementing operational improvements or systems rollouts.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate, coach and hold teams accountable.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills for cross-functional collaboration and senior stakeholder reporting.
  • Analytical mindset with problem-solving capabilities and data-driven decision-making orientation.
  • Customer service focus, balancing operational constraints with commitment to on-time, damage-free delivery.
  • Resilience and adaptability to manage high-pressure situations and operational disruptions calmly.
  • Influencing and negotiation skills to manage carrier relationships, internal stakeholders and vendors.
  • Continuous improvement mindset with a track record of process optimization and cost takeout initiatives.
  • Ethical decision-making and attention to detail for safety and regulatory compliance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree preferred in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Transportation Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience may be accepted.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree plus professional certifications such as Certified Transportation Professional (CTP), Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), Lean Six Sigma, or similar.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics & Transportation
  • Business Administration
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 5–10+ years in transportation, fleet management, or logistics operations with progressive leadership responsibilities.

Preferred:

  • Experience managing fleets of 50+ vehicles or multi-site transportation operations, demonstrated success with TMS and telematics implementations, and a strong record of cost reduction and service improvement.
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