Transportation Supervisor Salary

Transportation supervisors are responsible for all aspects of the delivery of goods and maintenance for the delivery crew. They receive order delivery information from a distribution center manager and schedule appropriate delivery routes and schedules according to their drivers’ availability. Transportation supervisors manage the distribution center’s mechanics and drivers. They ensure worker safety in the shop and at the loading docks. If applicable (in the food industry for example), they address all health concerns related to food preservation and handling during loading and travel. Transportation supervisors are also responsible for maintaining the vehicle fleet. This includes scheduling regular maintenance, directing mechanics on repairing broken equipment, and ordering replacement vehicles when necessary. They must also ensure vehicles and drives meet all state and federal regulations regarding transportation vehicles, such as scheduled hours, proper licensing and inspections, and safety issues.

Transportation supervisors work in a busy warehouse environment, typically during a standard 40-hour work week. A typical day involves examining outgoing orders and scheduling driver routes, directing any necessary repairs to vehicles, and reporting to the distribution center manager on progress. They may make adjustments to current practices to improve efficiency. Some continual training and conference and seminar attendance is required to maintain current knowledge of industry trends and practices as well as regulatory changes.

Transportation supervisors are generally required to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Larger companies with larger transportation fleets and needs usually require a bachelor’s degree and five or more years’ experience in the field to reach the supervisory level. Smaller companies may not require a bachelor’s degree and require a minimum of two or more years’ experience in the distribution field. (Copyright 2017 PayScale.com)

Transportation Supervisor Tasks

• Supervise dispatch team, drivers, and hourly employees to meet delivery goals.
• Audit driver and delivery logs, noting complaints and issues.
• Provide routing and handling instructions for specific products and training for common products.
• Monitor and forecast delivery schedules and staffing needs.

With a pay rate for Transportation Supervisors that is 50 percent greater than the national average, New York offers a comfortable salary for those in this profession. Transportation Supervisors will also find cushy salaries in Indianapolis (+17 percent), Seattle (+15 percent), Pittsburgh (+13 percent), and Dallas (+12 percent). Transportation Supervisors in Columbia make 25 percent less than the national average, proving that location is a major factor in pay. Not at the bottom but still paying below the median are employers in Los Angeles and Cincinnati (18 percent lower and 17 percent lower, respectively).