CareerGPS

Transportation Managers
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
1,732 1,938 206 11.90% 41 173 214 $43.83 $91,158 High school diploma or equivalent
Description: Plan, direct, and coordinate the transportation operations within an organization or the activities of organizations that provide transportation services.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Direct activities related to dispatching, routing, and tracking transportation vehicles such as aircraft and railroad cars.
  • Plan, organize and manage the work of subordinate staff to ensure that the work is accomplished in a manner consistent with organizational requirements.
  • Direct investigations to verify and resolve customer or shipper complaints.
  • Serve as contact persons for all workers within assigned territories.
  • Implement schedule and policy changes.
  • Collaborate with other managers and staff members to formulate and implement policies, procedures, goals, and objectives.
  • Monitor operations to ensure that staff members comply with administrative policies and procedures, safety rules, union contracts, and government regulations.
  • Promote safe work activities by conducting safety audits, attending company safety meetings, and meeting with individual staff members.
  • Monitor spending to ensure that expenses are consistent with approved budgets.
  • Direct and coordinate, through subordinates, activities of operations department to obtain use of equipment, facilities, and human resources.
  • Analyze expenditures and other financial information to develop plans, policies, and budgets for increasing profits and improving services.
  • Negotiate and authorize contracts with equipment and materials suppliers, and monitor contract fulfillment.
  • Supervise workers assigning tariff classifications and preparing billing.
  • Set operations policies and standards, including determination of safety procedures for the handling of dangerous goods.
  • Recommend or authorize capital expenditures for acquisition of new equipment or property to increase efficiency and services of operations department.
  • Prepare management recommendations, such as proposed fee and tariff increases or schedule changes.
  • Conduct employee training sessions on subjects such as hazardous material handling, employee orientation, quality improvement and computer use.
  • Direct procurement processes including equipment research and testing, vendor contracts, and requisitions approval.

Knowledge

95%
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
77%
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
77%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
72%
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
66%
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
66%
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
66%
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
64%
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
62%
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
59%
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
57%
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
57%
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
50%
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Skills

75%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
75%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
72%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
72%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
72%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
72%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
69%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
69%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
69%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
65%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
65%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
62%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
62%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
62%
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
60%
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
56%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
56%
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
56%
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
53%
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
53%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
50%
Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Abilities

81%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
78%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
78%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
75%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
75%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
72%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
72%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
69%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
69%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
62%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
60%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
56%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
56%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
53%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
53%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
50%
Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
50%
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Work Activities

90%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
88%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
86%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
82%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
81%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
79%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
78%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
78%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
76%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
76%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
75%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
75%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
75%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
74%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
74%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
72%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
71%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
71%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
69%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
69%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
69%
Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
69%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
67%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
64%
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
64%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
62%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
62%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
61%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
60%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
59%
Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
56%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Title Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Overall Experience A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Job Zone Examples Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests

Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Work Styles

Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.