What does a transportation planner do?
A transportation planner takes responsibility for developing transportation strategies encompassing transportation needs. Transportation planners work along with government agencies for the selection and development of plans organizing mass transit. They communicate through social media in written, visual, or oral forms. It is part of their duty to design leaflets and questionnaires to communicate and receive feedback from the public. They also take part in meetings more often for note-taking, scheduling, and attendance. They need to be well-versed in algebra, geometry, calculus, and arithmetic.
Transportation planner responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real transportation planner resumes:
- Manage the carrier scorecard, ensuring using proper mode, SCAC code, tending vs acceptance ratio and other KPI's.
- Manage the account by performing detail cost/benefit analysis and WMS analysis.
- Prepare and provide dispatch information to suppliers and freight forwarders, so cargo pick-up can be arrange.
- Provide extensive interaction and communication with freight forwarders and customs brokers globally.
- Work on a variety of transportation planning projects that are NEPA compliant.
- Act as the project leader setting up Manugistics, WMS, AS400.
- Provide support to the plants for LTL, small parcel, expedite shipments, and carrier management.
- Handle rail issues and aid in the implementation of a 3rd party EDI provider for all rail shipments.
- Project lead on several account conversions to a new TMS system, including EDI testing and service provider training.
- Work with co- workers to gather informative and cost-effective quotes for moving client freight via LTL, air, and ocean.
- Establish and maintain technology platform for truckload program.
- Assist contractors in developing master schedules and implementing Primavera P3.
- Test and conduct transit feasibility studies utilizing TBEST sketch modeling software.
- Provide general administrative support, develop GIS maps and provide GIS analysis.
- Leverage experience in logistics and supply chain towards solutions in transportation planning.
Transportation planner skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Transportation Planners are proficient in Customer Service, GIS, and Project Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Leadership skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Transportation Planners that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 10%
Maximize equipment and personnel utilization to ensure on-time customer service and company financial objectives.
- GIS, 9%
Develop specialized computer software routines, internet-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases or business applications to customize geographic information.
- Project Management, 7%
Grant Research and Writing Environmental Reports Transportation Project Management Public Outreach Public Relations County General Plan Update
- Corridor, 6%
Collaborated on several large-scale planning projects including the Roosevelt Boulevard Corridor Transportation Investment Study and Schuylkill Valley Metro Project
- Logistics, 6%
Check scheduled volume if it exceeds DC capacity, immediately notify Dedicated Carrier/Senior Logistics Manager or Logistics Manager.
- Regional Planning, 5%
Administered, evaluated, and monitored transportation local and regional planning programs and projects.
Most transportation planners use their skills in "customer service," "gis," and "project management" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential transportation planner responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a transportation planner to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what transportation planners do because "urban and regional planners analyze information and data from a variety of sources, such as market research studies, censuses, and environmental impact studies." Additionally, a transportation planner resume shows how transportation planners use analytical skills: "evaluated public involvement effects using quantitativeanalysis and visualization methods. "
Leadership skills. Another essential skill to perform transportation planner duties is leadership skills. Transportation planners responsibilities require that "urban and regional planners must be able to manage projects, which may include overseeing tasks and planning assignments." Transportation planners also use leadership skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "assumed leadership roles for special events planning or project management. "
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of transportation planners is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday transportation planner duties, as "urban and regional planners must be able to communicate clearly and effectively because they interact with colleagues and stakeholders, prepare research reports, give presentations, and meet with a wide variety of audiences, including public officials, interest groups, and community members." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "excelled at customer service fostering communication between customer and manufacturer. "
The three companies that hire the most transportation planners are:
- Wsp USA Buildings Inc.38 transportation planners jobs
- AECOM29 transportation planners jobs
- CDM Smith23 transportation planners jobs
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Compare different transportation planners
Transportation planner vs. Housing grant analyst
When it comes to planning an internship, an intern's duties will depend on the directives of supervising staff or a manager. Typically, an intern's responsibilities will revolve around performing clerical tasks such as processing documents, producing reports and presentations, responding to calls and correspondence, and managing schedules. There are also instances where an intern must share ideas and insights, attend meetings, maintain records, update databases, and assist staff in various tasks while under more experienced colleagues' supervision.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between transportation planners and housing grant analyst. For instance, transportation planner responsibilities require skills such as "customer service," "gis," "project management," and "corridor." Whereas a housing grant analyst is skilled in "provide technical assistance," "affordable housing," "appeals," and "financial data." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Housing grant analysts earn the highest salaries when working in the education industry, with an average yearly salary of $55,298. On the other hand, transportation planners are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $81,344.housing grant analysts tend to reach similar levels of education than transportation planners. In fact, housing grant analysts are 2.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.6% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Transportation planner vs. Planning internship
An urban design consultant is in charge of many projects, and so they have to oversee tasks and plan assignments. They are skilled in creating interior design solutions, space planning, sketching, and product selection. They have to analyze information and data gotten from market research studies and censuses. They also have to do presentations and prepare reports.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that transportation planner responsibilities requires skills like "customer service," "logistics," "powerpoint," and "transportation projects." But a planning internship might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "photoshop," "transportation planning," "indesign," and "market trends."
On average, planning interns earn a lower salary than transportation planners. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, planning interns earn the most pay in the professional industry with an average salary of $41,003. Whereas transportation planners have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $81,344.planning interns earn lower levels of education than transportation planners in general. They're 5.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Transportation planner vs. Urban design consultant
An urban renewal manager has a multitude of roles he/she performs in the organization he/she finds himself in. They conduct detailed economic and statistical analysis of market trends. They also develop initiatives to support pricing, brand positioning, and other marketing communications efforts. They may have to design and develop commercial strategic platforms for development planning. They may also need to hire and train new staff.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from transportation planner resumes include skills like "customer service," "project management," "corridor," and "logistics," whereas an urban design consultant is more likely to list skills in "urban design," "landscape architecture," "design guidelines," and "cad. "
Urban design consultants earn the best pay in the telecommunication industry, where they command an average salary of $63,199. Transportation planners earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $81,344.Most urban design consultants achieve a higher degree level compared to transportation planners. For example, they're 22.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Transportation planner vs. Urban renewal manager
Even though a few skill sets overlap between transportation planners and urban renewal managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a transportation planner might have more use for skills like "gis," "project management," "corridor," and "logistics." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of urban renewal managers require skills like "salesforce," "crm," "on-time closure," and "saas. "
In general, urban renewal managers hold lower degree levels compared to transportation planners. Urban renewal managers are 5.8% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of transportation planner
Updated January 8, 2025
