What does a route supervisor do?
A route supervisor works with the delivery and logistics department of the company. The route supervisor oversees the dispatching of vehicles and drivers to take specified routes determined by the company. A company needs to ensure on-time and consistent deliveries. The route supervisor also checks each predetermined route if it is free from heavy traffic and congestion. Alternate routes must be immediately provided for deliveries to take during emergencies and delays. Customer satisfaction is of utmost concern, and it is achieved only by safe and speedy deliveries.
Route supervisor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real route supervisor resumes:
- Manage and audit team member's timekeeping.
- Provide proper training to delivery driver to obtain CDL license when need.
- Direct a team of 3 people and drive a truck with CDL permit.
- Translate business needs and priorities into actionable logistics strategies.
- Deliver packages to customers in a friendly, professional manner while using FedEx scanning device.
- Serve as liaison between employees, owners, and FedEx corporate to maintain exemplary working relationship.
- Add new customers while keeping older clients renew with Orkin.
- Maintain, build and service existing customer base for Orkin.
Route supervisor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 31% of Route Supervisors are proficient in DOT, CDL, and OSHA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Hand-eye coordination, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Route Supervisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- DOT, 31%
Reviewed and developed delivery methods for safety and improving efficiency in accordance with DOT regulations.
- CDL, 11%
Organize routes for 100,000 + daily product shipments and 150 CDL driving staff.
- OSHA, 10%
Trained drivers on safe handling of hazardous materials, OSHA standards, and FDA regulations.
- Route Delivery, 9%
Supervised eleven employees including route delivery drivers, sales representatives and yard workers.
- Customer Service, 8%
Overhauled salary structure to incorporate a variable pay system resulting in elevated levels of customer service, consolidation, increased efficiency/profitability.
- Relief, 3%
Branch General Manager relief during vacation or personal leave and was responsible for all Branch General Manager duties during those times.
Common skills that a route supervisor uses to do their job include "dot," "cdl," and "osha." You can find details on the most important route supervisor responsibilities below.
Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a route supervisor to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "when completing deliveries, drivers often interact with customers and should make a good impression to ensure repeat business." Route supervisors often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "create schedules for the following day of service provide in bound telephone customer support. "
Hand-eye coordination. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling route supervisor duties is hand-eye coordination. The role rewards competence in this skill because "drivers need to observe their surroundings at all times while operating a vehicle." According to a route supervisor resume, here's how route supervisors can utilize hand-eye coordination in their job responsibilities: "oversee and supervise daily transit and fixed-route operations; lead and scheduled complex coordination of route to staffing. "
Math skills. route supervisors are also known for math skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to route supervisor responsibilities, because "because delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers sometimes take payment, they must be able to count cash and make change quickly and accurately." A route supervisor resume example shows how math skills is used in the workplace: "applied mathematics skills with customer service skills in order to collect payments for services rendered. "
Patience. route supervisor responsibilities often require "patience." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "when driving through heavy traffic congestion, delivery drivers must remain calm and composed." This resume example shows what route supervisors do with patience on a typical day: "handle customer complaints and concerns with patience, courtesy, and professionalism. "
Sales skills. A commonly-found skill in route supervisor job descriptions, "sales skills" is essential to what route supervisors do. Route supervisor responsibilities rely on this skill because "driver/sales workers are expected to persuade customers to purchase new or different products." You can also see how route supervisor duties rely on sales skills in this resume example: "motivated sales force to gain space, build customer relations, and promote company positively. "
The three companies that hire the most route supervisors are:
- Waste Pro10 route supervisors jobs
- Cintas7 route supervisors jobs
- Brink's7 route supervisors jobs
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Compare different route supervisors
Route supervisor vs. Transportation coordinator
A transportation coordinator is responsible for monitoring the timely deliveries of goods and services based on the shipment agreement. Transportation coordinators track the delivery logistics, assigning fast routes to drivers to avoid possible delays, and adhere to the deadline. They assist in loading and unloading merchandise from the distribution trucks, inspecting the items for defects and inconsistencies, and move the products in safe storage areas. A transportation coordinator may also operate warehouse tools and equipment, as well as perform data processing to update stock information on the software system and investigate delivery issues.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, route supervisor responsibilities require skills like "dot," "osha," "route delivery," and "relief." Meanwhile a typical transportation coordinator has skills in areas such as "patients," "data entry," "safety rules," and "medical appointments." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Transportation coordinators tend to make the most money working in the government industry, where they earn an average salary of $46,415. In contrast, route supervisors make the biggest average salary, $47,257, in the utilities industry.The education levels that transportation coordinators earn slightly differ from route supervisors. In particular, transportation coordinators are 3.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a route supervisor. Additionally, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Route supervisor vs. Driver manager
The job of driver managers involves the recruitment, training, and assessment of drivers and their qualifications pursuant to driving laws. Driver managers manage vehicles confirming their safety and working order. They monitor the fleet to make sure that the deliveries are done as scheduled. It is part of their responsibilities to serve as mentors for drivers. They address drivers' communications and offer the necessary data to drivers. Also, they set periodical inspections of the vehicles in operation.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real route supervisor resumes. While route supervisor responsibilities can utilize skills like "osha," "route delivery," "relief," and "customer accounts," driver managers use skills like "good communication," "on-time delivery," "otr," and "driver retention."
On average, driver managers earn a lower salary than route supervisors. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, driver managers earn the most pay in the energy industry with an average salary of $44,532. Whereas route supervisors have higher pay in the utilities industry, with an average salary of $47,257.In general, driver managers achieve similar levels of education than route supervisors. They're 1.2% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Route supervisor vs. Yard manager
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from route supervisor resumes include skills like "dot," "osha," "route delivery," and "relief," whereas a yard manager is more likely to list skills in "equipment maintenance," "cash handling," "yard inventory," and "employee scheduling. "
Yard managers earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $49,723. Comparatively, route supervisors have the highest earning potential in the utilities industry, with an average salary of $47,257.Most yard managers achieve a similar degree level compared to route supervisors. For example, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Route supervisor vs. Dispatch manager
Even though a few skill sets overlap between route supervisors and dispatch managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a route supervisor might have more use for skills like "osha," "route delivery," "customer service," and "relief." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of dispatch managers require skills like "safety regulations," "driver logs," "dispatch operations," and "emergency situations. "
In general, dispatch managers earn the most working in the professional industry, with an average salary of $59,844. The highest-paying industry for a route supervisor is the utilities industry.The average resume of dispatch managers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to route supervisors. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 1.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.Types of route supervisor
Updated January 8, 2025
