Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vehicle Logistics Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Vehicle Logistics Coordinator is responsible for end-to-end coordination of vehicle movement, delivery, and storage for OEMs, dealerships, rental fleets, remarketing operations, or corporate fleets. This role manages carrier relationships, optimizes routing and scheduling, supervises yard and staging activities, ensures compliance with transportation and safety regulations, and delivers accurate status and inventory reporting to sales, operations, and finance partners. The ideal candidate combines strong operational discipline, excellent communication skills, and experience with transportation management systems (TMS) or yard management systems (YMS).

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Logistics Assistant / Shipping & Receiving Clerk
Fleet Coordinator / Fleet Assistant
Customer Service Representative (transportation focus)

Advancement To:

Senior Vehicle Logistics Coordinator / Lead Coordinator
Fleet Operations Manager / Logistics Supervisor
Transportation Manager / Supply Chain Manager

Lateral Moves:

Inventory Control Specialist
Carrier Relations / Procurement Specialist
Remarketing or Auction Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage day-to-day scheduling and dispatch of inbound and outbound vehicle shipments, ensuring on-time delivery to dealers, wholesalers, rental locations, and auction houses using TMS and manual processes where required.
Coordinate carrier selection and manage relationships with auto transport carriers, driver contacts, and third-party logistics providers (3PLs), negotiating rates and service levels to meet budget and service KPIs.
Create, validate, and transmit detailed shipping manifests, bills of lading, and carrier instructions, ensuring accurate VINs, license plate numbers, damage disclosures, and pickup/drop-off windows.
Monitor real-time shipment statuses and GPS tracking feeds; proactively communicate delays, exceptions, and ETA changes to internal teams and external customers.
Oversee yard and staging operations, including vehicle check-in/check-out, lot organization, blocking and parking assignments, and staging for dealer delivery or transport pickup.
Conduct or coordinate pre-shipment vehicle inspections, capture and document vehicle condition, and report discrepancies or damage claims to claims administrators and carriers.
Maintain accurate vehicle inventory records, update VIN location, title status, and paperwork in ERP/TMS/YMS systems, and reconcile physical counts with system records.
Plan and optimize multi-stop routes and consolidated loads to minimize cost, reduce transit time, and improve carrier utilization while maintaining delivery windows.
Manage return-to-lease, repossession, or remarketing movements, coordinating with remarketing teams, auctions, and repair centers to stage vehicles for sale or disposition.
Ensure compliance with DOT, state, and local transportation regulations including load securement, driver hours-of-service, and hazardous material rules when applicable.
Process and audit inbound/outbound transportation invoices, freight bills, and accessorial charges; resolve billing disputes with carriers and AP teams to ensure accurate payments.
Generate and distribute daily operational dashboards and weekly/monthly performance reports (on-time delivery, claims, carrier performance) for leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
Lead root-cause analysis for recurring shipment exceptions, implement corrective actions, and drive continuous improvement initiatives in processes and carrier performance.
Manage appointment scheduling and coordination with dealers, transport terminals, repair shops, and ports, including appointment confirmations and bump policies.
Support title and registration activities by coordinating paperwork transfers between dealerships, finance, and titling agencies to maintain legal compliance.
Coordinate cross-dock and transload operations, ensuring accurate documentation, sequencing, and secure handling of vehicles in multi-leg moves.
Handle claims intake and resolution: document damage, collect evidence (photos, inspection reports), liaise with carriers and insurers, and track claim status to closure.
Provide daily communication and escalation management for high-priority or time-sensitive shipments, including weekend or after-hours coordination as needed.
Execute vehicle hold, release, and quarantine processes when vehicles require repair, reconditioning, or fraud prevention holds, and coordinate with service centers.
Maintain and enforce yard safety protocols, vehicle movement policies, and vendor access procedures to reduce risk and accidents.
Support seasonal peaks and project-based surges in vehicle volume through temporary routing plans, overtime scheduling, and carrier capacity sourcing.
Train and mentor junior logistics staff, coordinate shift handoffs, and maintain shift logs to ensure continuity and knowledge transfer across the team.
Participate in cross-functional projects such as new site openings, dealer network changes, or systems implementations to ensure transportation requirements are integrated.
Continuously evaluate and recommend software, automation, and process improvements (TMS/YMS integrations, EDI, APIs) to increase efficiency and data accuracy.

Secondary Functions

Produce ad-hoc operational reports and analytics to support forecasting, capacity planning, and cost-to-serve analysis.
Support implementation and testing of TMS/YMS features and integrations; validate data flows and mapping with IT partners.
Collaborate with sales, remarketing, reconditioning, and finance teams to align vehicle flow with commercial objectives and inventory targets.
Assist procurement with RFPs and carrier contracting, including service level agreements and insurance verification.
Participate in weekly carrier performance reviews and corrective action plans; update carrier scorecards and escalation registries.
Maintain and update SOPs, training materials, and checklists for yard operations, shipping/receiving, and carrier onboarding.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Transportation Management System (TMS) proficiency — scheduling, dispatch, and load optimization.
Yard Management System (YMS) or dealership inventory systems experience.
Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, data validation) and experience with reporting tools (Power BI, Tableau) for operational dashboards.
Familiarity with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), API integrations, and carrier web portals.
VIN decoding, vehicle titling, and registration process knowledge.
Understanding of DOT regulations, driver hours-of-service, and compliance documentation.
Experience with carrier rate negotiation, freight billing audit, and freight cost reconciliation.
GPS/telematics monitoring and shipment tracking platforms.
Claims handling workflow and damage documentation procedures (photo capture, inspection reporting).
Basic ERP knowledge (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Dealer Management Systems) or CRM familiarity.
Route planning and load consolidation techniques, including multi-stop optimization.
Experience with appointment scheduling platforms and terminal/port coordination.

Soft Skills

Exceptional written and verbal communication for cross-functional coordination and carrier negotiation.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy in paperwork, VINs, and system records.
Problem-solving mindset with ability to prioritize high-impact exceptions and make quick operational decisions.
Time management and multitasking in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Relationship-building skills to develop trusted carrier partners and dealer contacts.
Resilience under pressure and adaptability to changing volumes and schedules.
Analytical mindset for trend analysis, KPI tracking, and continuous improvement.
Customer-service orientation with an ability to manage expectations and escalations.
Team leadership and coaching capability for mentoring junior staff.
Ethical judgment and discretion when handling sensitive vehicle and customer information.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED

Preferred Education:

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Transportation Management, or Automotive Technology

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain / Logistics Management
Transportation Management
Business Administration
Automotive Technology / Automotive Management
Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years in vehicle logistics, transportation coordination, or related fleet operations role

Preferred:

3–5+ years working with vehicle transport, dealer/distribution networks, or remarketing operations
Experience with TMS/YMS implementation or configuration and carrier network management
Prior exposure to OEM, dealer, rental car, or fleet management environments