Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Transportation Specialist Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Transportation Specialist Supervisor is a hands-on logistics leader responsible for supervising daily transportation operations, ensuring on-time delivery and regulatory compliance, managing drivers and dispatch staff, and optimizing fleet performance. This role combines operational oversight (dispatch, routing, load planning) with people management (coaching, scheduling, performance reviews), contract and carrier management, safety and compliance oversight (DOT, FMCSA, ELD), and continuous improvement initiatives to reduce cost per mile and improve service-level metrics.

Core SEO keywords: Transportation Specialist Supervisor, logistics supervisor, transportation operations, fleet management, DOT compliance, TMS, dispatch coordination, route optimization, on-time delivery, carrier management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Transportation Specialist / Transportation Coordinator
Logistics Coordinator / Dispatch Supervisor
Fleet Coordinator / Driver Manager

Advancement To:

Transportation Manager / Logistics Manager
Regional Operations Manager
Director of Transportation / Head of Fleet Operations

Lateral Moves:

Carrier Relations Manager
Safety & Compliance Manager
Distribution Center Operations Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Supervise and mentor a team of dispatchers, drivers, and transportation coordinators — set clear performance expectations, run regular 1:1s, conduct performance reviews, and lead coaching and corrective action to meet operational KPIs such as on-time delivery, on-time pickup, and driver utilization.
Manage day-to-day dispatch operations including load assignment, driver scheduling, route planning, and real-time problem resolution to ensure efficient cross-dock and point-to-point freight movement while minimizing dwell times and detention.
Oversee fleet utilization and capacity planning — analyze fleet availability, recommend equipment allocation, and coordinate with maintenance teams to reduce downtime and extend vehicle life while meeting demand peaks.
Execute route optimization and load consolidation strategies using Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and routing software to reduce miles driven, lower fuel costs, and improve on-time performance.
Ensure strict compliance with DOT, FMCSA, FMCSA ELD mandates, state regulations, and company safety policies — maintain driver qualification files, hours-of-service logs, and ELD validation.
Partner with carrier partners and 3PLs to negotiate rates, service agreements, and service-level agreements; maintain carrier performance scorecards and escalate / remediate issues that affect service or cost.
Manage freight billing and freight payment processes — validate freight bills, resolve billing discrepancies, authorize carrier invoices, and coordinate with accounts payable to ensure timely vendor payments.
Lead incident response and claims management for accidents, cargo loss/damage, and other transportation incidents — coordinate investigations, manage insurance reporting, and implement corrective actions.
Monitor and report on transportation KPIs (OTIF, cost per mile, empty miles, dwell time, claim ratio) via weekly and monthly dashboards; present trends and improvement plans to operations leadership.
Ensure driver safety and training programs are implemented and maintained — conduct onboarding training for new drivers, run safety stand-downs, and enforce seatbelt, speed, and distracted driving policies.
Oversee preventive maintenance scheduling and repairs with shop or external vendors to ensure regulatory inspections and DOT-required maintenance records are current and vehicles remain roadworthy.
Coordinate load planning and shipment consolidation in close collaboration with warehousing and customer service teams to align pick/pack windows, carrier capacity, and promised delivery dates.
Manage staffing and labor forecasting for the transportation group — prepare shift schedules, manage overtime budgets, approve time-off requests, and support recruitment for open driver or dispatcher roles.
Facilitate cross-functional communication with sales, operations planning, customer service, and procurement to resolve delivery exceptions, capacity issues, and special routing requirements.
Maintain and improve TMS configuration, routing rules, access controls, and TMS user training; collaborate with IT on integrations (EDI) between TMS, WMS, ERP and carrier systems.
Conduct regular carrier audits and safety reviews, ensuring carriers meet insurance, liability, and safety performance thresholds before onboarding and during contract renewals.
Drive cost reduction initiatives such as fuel program management, backhaul optimization, vendor consolidation, and renegotiation of carrier contracts to meet annual budget targets.
Support regulatory audits and internal compliance reviews — prepare documentation, coordinate with external auditors, and implement corrective actions following audit findings.
Lead continuous improvement projects (Lean/Six Sigma principles) within transportation to streamline processes, reduce manual work, and increase automation for dispatch and reporting tasks.
Handle customer escalations related to deliveries and provide timely, accurate updates and mitigation plans; escalate to senior leadership when required to protect customer relationships.
Develop and maintain SOPs, standard routing playbooks, contingency plans for severe weather or capacity disruption, and detailed handover notes for shift changes.
Maintain accurate record-keeping for licensing, hazmat endorsements (if applicable), driver certifications, and safety training to support compliance and reduce organizational risk.

Secondary Functions

Provide subject matter expertise for special projects like network redesign, fleet electrification pilots, or new geography launch plans.
Support ad-hoc analytics requests, preparing transportation data extracts to inform budgeting, tendering, and strategic sourcing decisions.
Participate in vendor selection, RFP evaluation, and 3PL onboarding activities.
Assist HR with driver disciplinary processes and support onboarding/offboarding logistics of transportation personnel.
Contribute to the organization’s continuity planning for transportation disruptions and business contingency preparations.
Mentor junior transportation staff and provide rotational cross-training in dispatch, carrier procurement, and claims management.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Transportation Management Systems (TMS) administration and usage (experience with platforms such as Oracle Transportation Management, SAP TM, Transplace, MercuryGate, Manhattan)
Route optimization and load planning tools and methodologies; proficiency in scheduling software and GPS telematics platforms
Strong understanding of DOT and FMCSA regulations, ELD requirements, HOS rules, driver qualification files, and electronic logs
Fleet operations and preventive maintenance practices; familiarity with CMMS for scheduling vehicle maintenance
Freight rate negotiation, carrier sourcing, and contract management; experience managing 3PL relationships and carrier scorecards
Freight billing, audit and payment processes; experience with freight audit and payment systems and resolving short / lost / damage claims
Data analysis and KPI reporting; advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, macros), and experience building dashboards (Power BI, Tableau)
EDI/TMS/WMS integrations and logistics IT workflows; basic understanding of API/EDI message sets used in transportation
Hazardous materials shipping requirements (HAZMAT) and associated documentation where applicable
Budget management, cost-to-serve analysis, and cost-per-mile optimization techniques
Incident and accident investigation protocols, insurance claims handling, and corrective action plans

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people-management skills with experience coaching and developing front-line operations teams
Clear, concise communicator skilled at cross-functional collaboration and customer-facing escalation handling
Problem-solving mindset with the ability to make rapid, data-informed decisions under pressure
Time management and prioritization skills to balance operational demands during high-volume periods
Conflict resolution and negotiation skills for working with carriers, drivers, and internal stakeholders
Attention to detail and compliance orientation to maintain regulatory and safety records accurately
Adaptability and resilience in dynamic, 24/7 transportation environments
Strategic thinking with the ability to propose and lead continuous improvement initiatives
Analytical thinking with comfort in translating transportation data into actionable insights
Coaching and mentoring skills to grow a high-performing transportation operations team

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent required.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Transportation Management, or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics and Transportation
Business Administration
Industrial Engineering / Operations Management

Certifications (preferred but not always required):

Certified Transportation Professional (CTP), Certified in Transportation and Logistics (CTL), OSHA safety certifications, or Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) where applicable.

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years in transportation or logistics roles; minimum 2–3 years in a supervisory or lead role preferred.

Preferred:

5+ years of progressive experience in transportation operations, with demonstrated experience in dispatch management, TMS operation, DOT compliance, and people leadership.
Prior experience managing carrier relationships, freight negotiations, and transportation budget ownership is highly desirable.