Within the transport industry, you can find a wide assortment of jobs ranging from warehouse and distribution jobs to upper management and executive-level positions. Typically, people consider only truck driving positions when they think of the transportation field, but it can be much more complex than this. Logistics and transportation involve drivers, support personnel, mechanics, managers, warehouse staff, and executive positions.
The transportation industry can lead to an exciting new career and is a field that is always changing and growing. All employees must be flexible and able to adapt to new rules, operation plans, and schedules. To be an efficient worker in almost any area of the transportation field you have to keep abreast of a number of rules about freight and trucking. Companies have their own rules for employees that relate to their job titles and descriptions. There are also state and federal regulations that have to be adhered to by everyone who is involved in the transportation industry. If you think that this could be a field with challenges that you can handle, there are companies that are looking for you.
Job seekers can find transportation jobs at many different levels which can lead to high paying positions. If you are willing to commit yourself to hard work and excel at necessary duties, advancement is a definite possibility. If you have experience in transportation and logistics, you may find transportation management jobs for which you are qualified. Many of the job openings within transportation facilities prefer to promote qualified employees from within their ranks.
There are a number of people who hold distribution manager jobs who once held lower level warehouse and distribution jobs. This experience helped give them a serious edge over their competition when it came to applying for higher positions. Education is very important for management positions, but having the necessary background and experience in a related transportation field will help move your name to the top of any short list.
Positions for distribution managers are often the senior-level jobs that are on the site itself, and these people will often report to other managers at more centralized locations. These people will hold the responsibility for the ongoing management and coordination of distribution and operations at many warehouses and other logistics-related facilities. They will oversee activities that pertain to filling customer orders and shipping.
Distribution managers deal with budgets for their facility, inventory management, and customer service. A large part of their time will be spent in making sure that their facility and employees are working in a cost efficient manner. These managers will also maintain OSHA standards and work to maintain a safe workplace for all employees.
Transportation management includes services such as order acquisition, shipment planning and monitoring, auditing and payment for all freight bills, and overseeing of all other driver and freight-related services.
As a distribution manager, you are expected to hire, train, and handle evaluations of your staff. You should also adhere to the mission statement of the company, develop operational plans, and oversee schedules. Review of all invoices will also be in the job description of distribution managers.
To be considered for distribution managers jobs, candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in business or a related area. Most companies prefer if a master’s degree has already been acquired. You must also have several years experience in an operations and distribution environment and at least 1-2 years of experience in some type of management or supervisory position. Having experience within the facility will make many of these duties much easier, and this is why experience is given such importance in the job hiring process. Having good computer and organizational skills will be very beneficial as well.
Transportation positions will always include jobs for drivers. Many of these positions are openings for regional trucking jobs. There are always companies and carriers that are searching for skilled CDL drivers for their vans, tankers, or flatbeds. Some of these companies even provide CDL driver training in order to reach their quota of drivers. For these positions, a high school diploma or GED is preferred, and you must be fluent in English. Driver records will be checked and accidents or DWI charges will prevent you from being hired by many trucking companies. Most of the companies will also have a driving test for employees before they are hired.
There are also some very good jobs in the transport industry that can be found with your state department of transportation (DOT). These are government jobs and the requirements are a little more stringent than many other positions. These job listings can vary from clerical and marketing positions to truck drivers and truck and auto mechanics.
Department of transportation jobs will have great security and benefits and the pay is above average. If you are interested in applying for one of these openings you can check out the job postings they have online. These sites are state and city specific, so you can find what openings are located close to you. There are specific job requirements that must be met for any of these jobs and background checks and references will be required before you can officially be offered any of their available jobs.
