A Look at a Career as a Transport Operations Specialist for Students Considering Transportation Courses

Though many people do pursue automotive careers looking for hands-on, mechanical work, this is not the only kind of responsibility you can find within the industry. Many careers in operations will put the skills you develop at school to work in a supervisory capacity instead, and involve a bit more deskwork than other automotive careers.
For people who thrive in management roles, or who aren’t seeking hands-on work, a career as a transportation specialist is a great example of the kind of opportunity you can enjoy after your schooling. Here’s a look at what this career typically involves.

Transportation Specialists Use Transportation Operations Training to Coordinate Shipments

To customers, shipping may seem as easy as ordering something and having it delivered, but transportation specialists do plenty of important work behind the scenes to coordinate shipments and ensure that products arrive safely and on time. This includes planning routes, performing follow-up checks to ensure cargo arrives at its destination in good shape, and more.
Because clients will often be working within a narrow timeframe and on a slim budget, being able to run a transportation operation with exceptional efficiency is a great way to establish yourself as a reliable and capable professional within your field. To do this yourself, pay close attention during transportation operations training, make notes on what does and does not work as you begin your career, and adapt from there. Before you know it, you will be able to run a precise and effective transportation operation.

Customer Service Is Often a Part of a Transportation Specialist’s Duties

Often, professionals who work as transportation specialists will end up performing customer service duties. Therefore if you’re friendly, have good communication skills, and enjoy interacting with others, this could be an excellent career path for you.
The kind of customer service you’ll provide as a transportation specialist could vary from position to position. Some organizations will often interact with members of the public, whereas others deal mostly with clients, governments, and other organizations. In the rare case of an emergency situation, it may also fall to transportation specialists to communicate with concerned members of the public, members of the media, and more.
The biggest trick to effective public speaking is to be confident and knowledgeable, which is why an education from a school of transportation is so important. Having a deep understanding of your workplace and industry will allow you to effectively manage customer and public concerns whenever necessary.

Transportation Courses Can Prepare Specialists for Overseeing Business Operations

A transportation business can involve many different trucks, employees, policies, and other factors, and it often falls to transportation specialists to oversee it all. Working in a career as a transportation specialist, you may be called upon to oversee many different responsibilities, including the following:

• conducting reviews of drivers’ efficiency in delivering cargo
• ensuring that all vehicles are correctly licensed for the areas in which they drive
• directly overseeing a team of employees
• ensuring legal and organizational policies are followed

If you’re a natural leader with a strong ability to analyze detail and follow protocol, this aspect should align well with your strengths. Consider taking on a career in this area to put your talents to good use within the automotive industry!
Do you want to complete transportation courses at automotive school?
Contact CATI to learn more about the program!