A transportation coordinator is a broadly defined job role, which can mean many things according to the specific setup and scope of the employing business. Some transportation coordinators will be effective top-level managers of transportation functions within a company or department, where others may be more involved in day-to-day operations. Individual employers, including both private businesses and school districts, or other government employers, hire transportation coordinators to make sure that specific projects related to customer, employee, or public transportation are effective.
Some transportation coordinators will be mainly involved in clerical work. These professionals might monitor travel logs of drivers employed by the company, or keep track of vehicle service records. They might oversee changes to an existing transportation structure, such as the addition of shuttles for overflow in a particular business location. Some people in this position might carry the title of dispatcher. Some of these individuals might also be asked to help promote new transportation programs or make sure that changes take place in an efficient manner.
In a smaller business, the transportation coordinator may be actively engaged in providing transportation for a target group, whether it’s the public or a specific set of company employees or customers. These professionals might drive large vehicles, service a fleet of business vehicles, or otherwise help to manage the day-to-day logistics for transportation. In other job roles, transportation coordinators may be administrative workers, but may be “on call” to take the place of a driver if an emergency situation arises.
For school districts, transportation coordinators might work closely with school bus driver staff. They may analyze and suggest changes for bus routes or otherwise fine tune the existing system of transportation to be cost-effective and serve students well. These professionals might administer critical first aid training or other training programs. They might be in charge of overall quality control an efficiency for the transportation department of the school district, which typically includes many employees and vehicles.
In general, a transportation coordinator works with different departments to undertake the goals of transportation projects, which often come from top-level executives. Coordinating transportation frequently involves both broader analysis of projects, and detailed observation of daily tasks. The transportation coordinator provides a critical eye for ensuring that all logistics and operations fit the greater objectives of the company. This usually includes record keeping for software aided decision making, tax filing, and other necessities. For example, these coordinators might quantify, calculate, and analyze fuel costs, mileage, or other aspects of transportation with a business.