Transport Planning Manager jobs
Looking after a fleet of vehicles has never been a simple task, and it could be said that with the advent of technologies to simplify logistics and keep a second by second track of the vehicles, all that has happened is that new complexity has been loaded into the system. In other words, the transport planning manager is still an essential role, which is highly valued in logistics.
There are two main strands to the transport planning manager’s job: ensuring consignments are delivered on time and making the whole process as efficient as possible. Nowadays, sophisticated transport offices are kept informed of the complete status of every vehicle, and planning can take place while they are on the road, with drivers being informed of new destinations and alerted to traffic problems as they go. They will also need to make sure spaces on ferries are booked; it is keeping on top of details like this that make a successful transport planning manager.
The planning manager will also have close contact with the customers, both to inform them of the status of their deliveries and to arrange backhaul availability, for example. He or she will also need to make sure drivers are available and organise backup if drivers become unavailable through illness; likewise, should a breakdown occur, the planning manager will have to be quick thinking enough to arrange the best way to get the load delivered.
The skills required
The transport planning manager is first a planner and second a communicator, and the two roles need to work in harmony with each other. A calm person who thinks in four dimensions will be suited to the job; a day might start out looking perfectly planned out but look like a disaster movie by lunchtime due to events out of his or her control. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated an ability to cope with the stresses of such a chain of events.
The job will be extremely reliant on the company’s IT infrastructure, so computer literacy will be an absolute must for this role too.
Transport Planning Manager Jobs in Carlisle
Carlisle is the north-easternmost city in England, its outskirts lying just 4 miles (6 km) from the Scottish border. It’s roughly equal to Newcastle-upon-Tyne in terms of latitude, although it is much smaller, having a population of only 100,000. The city is served by the M6 which passes along its east side as it makes its way from Preston and Birmingham in the south, and changes into the A74(M) as it goes north towards Glasgow. The road east is the A59 which heads to Newcastle, and westwards, the A595 reaches the coastal towns of Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness. Carlisle is also on the main railway line from Manchester to Glasgow and Edinbugh. It is also the end point of the Settle to Carlisle railway line, which is considered one of the most scenic rail journeys in the UK.
The city can trace its roots back at least to Roman times, where, it is thought, it would have been a settlement connected with Hadrian’s Wall; the Wall would have sliced modern-day Carlisle in two. It must have been considered a strategic hotspot as it continued to be settled after the Romans, and a castle was built there in medieval times, as was the town’s cathedral. The city changed hands many times over the following centuries, most notably in 1745 when it was briefly held by Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Carlisle did play its part in the Industrial Revolution, but its relative isolation meant it was never one of the major players. It did grow a thriving railway engineering industry, however, and textiles were quite an important employer. Carr’s of Carlisle was founded around this time, and it would later become United Biscuits. Metal Box had a factory in the city, and it lives on under the Crown Holdings umbrella. There is still plenty of diversity in Carlisle’s industrial base, and as it’s so well connected it will always be a good place to look for Transport Planning Manager jobs. The logistics industry would be quite different today without one of its Carlisle’s successful companies, Eddie Stobart, which was founded in the 1950s.
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Cast UK’s logistics opportunities
Cast UK’s recruitment consultants work with a host of employers around the UK to ensure positions are filled by the best people, and many of them approach us to create a shortlist rather than advertising jobs nationally or locally. We have specialists for every UK region and all the major cities, so wherever you are, we could have a position for you.
Whether you're moving house, looking to change employer or are simply seeking a change in career, get in touch with Cast UK. Our own staff are all source from within procurement, logistics and supply chain, and these are the backgrounds of our founder members, so we fully understand the needs of the industry.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Transport Planning Manager for your business or find you a job as a Transport Planning Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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