Road transport manager

Road transport managers work in either passenger or freight transport. They are responsible for budgets, vehicle safety, and allocation of transport staff.

Also known as:

Fleet manager

Work activities

Road transport managers take overall responsibility for the efficient and safe running of vehicles carrying passengers and/or goods. Responsibilities can vary a lot because of the variation in size and type of company in this industry. Duties could range from allocation of drivers, through to customer negotiation over freight rates and industrial relations negotiations with trade unions. Although they may have overall responsibility for efficient and safe vehicle operation, in some businesses transport managers may be removed from the direct operations and have a greater planning role.

Some managers may be referred to as commercial/operations managers. They are responsible for a fleet of vehicles and their drivers. They ensure that deliveries get to customers on time and in good condition. In passenger transport, managers are responsible for scheduling services, trips and coach holidays. Both passenger and freight managers also have to apply for, and make sure they keep, an operator’s licence. Transport managers might spend a lot of time on the telephone liaising with customers and employees. They also spend time dealing with paperwork and communicating with people by letter or email. In some companies, transport managers may also be involved in the recruitment and training of staff, and the purchase and sale of vehicles.

Personal qualities and skills

To do this job well, you’ll need:

Good written and spoken communication skills.
To be tactful, diplomatic and calm, especially when dealing with tired drivers and difficult customers.
Good planning skills.
The ability to work well under pressure.
To be an organised person, as your workload can be varied.
Good number skills.
Knowledge of travel routes.
IT skills.
An understanding of the law and how it relates to vehicles and transport staff.

Future skills shortages for this job have been identified. They include management experience and good business skills.

Pay and opportunities

Salaries vary widely depending on the type and size of company. Road transport managers start on around £23,000, rising to as much as £55,000 with experience and extra responsibilities.

Transport managers usually work 37-44 hours per week, which may include shift work, split shifts, early starts, late finishes and weekend work.

Demand for road transport managers is steady.

Employers are haulage companies, which operate locally, nationally and internationally. Some run a few vehicles, others run 50 plus, while the largest run up to 250. Some also deal with warehousing, stock control and distribution. A number of large wholesale and retail organisations run their own transport fleets. Opportunities for road transport managers occur in transport depots in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

New entrants are sometimes graduates. However, smaller businesses may prefer to recruit road transport managers from existing employees. There are a number of higher education courses available in subjects related to this career. Titles include:

Logistics and supply chain management.
Transport management.
Transport and business management.

You don’t always need a higher education qualification to get into this career. It may be possible to enter after A-levels or equivalent. It is also possible to get into this career via a level 3 (advanced) apprenticeship in the role of transport and warehouse operations supervisor.

Regardless of your entry path, training is mainly on-the-job with part-time study for the examinations of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and leads to CILT Certificates. These include the introductory certificate for new entrants to the industry.

For anyone wanting to be a transport manager, it is very useful to hold the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). This can be studied on a part-time basis at local colleges or by distance learning. Road transport managers do not always need to hold the CPC. However, one person within the organisation must have one. The CPC tests the basics of road transport management, such as how many hours a driver is allowed to be on the road before stopping to rest.

A list of recognised courses is available from the CILT. All CILT courses can be studied by distance learning or by attending a Registered or Approved Training Centre. Postgraduate courses related to this career are available. Titles include logistics and supply chain management.

Some transport managers study for the CILT’s qualifications to make progress within this career. In some businesses, senior transport managers move into roles with greater planning responsibilities. Others in this career sometimes move into different areas of transport, such as rail or sea.

Qualifications

For entry to a relevant degree course, the usual minimum requirement is:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English and maths.

To gain entry to the CILT’s Introductory Certificate course, you do not need any formal academic qualifications. However, a good level of numeracy and literacy is expected, so GCSEs in maths and English at grades 9-4 will be useful.

For entry to a relevant foundation degree or HND, you’ll need:

One A-level.
A GCSE at grades 9-4 in your A-level subject.
A further three to four GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English, maths, and a science subject.
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

To get onto an advanced apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in maths and English, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education, or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Working in the road haulage business as a driver/clerk/supervisor can lead to entry into trainee management-level posts. Some business experience and commercial awareness is important.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges. A number of centres throughout the country offer the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) in Road Haulage Operations. This is available full-time, part-time or by distance learning.

Related careers

Bus/coach driver
Bus/rail customer service assistant
Distribution manager
Freight forwarder
Lorry driver
Manager
Production planner
Transport planner