The efficient movement of materials into and finished products out of an industrial firm is the responsibility of an industrial traffic manager.
In the course of their work, traffic managers analyze various transportation possibilities—rail, air, truck, or water—and select the method most suited to the company's needs. They select the carrier and the route; prepare necessary shipping documents; handle claims for lost or damaged shipments; consult company officials about purchasing, producing, and scheduling shipments; and sometimes appear before rate-making and government regulatory agencies to represent their company.
Because many aspects of transportation are subject to federal, state, and local government regulations, industrial traffic managers must be well versed in all such regulations and any other legal matters that affect the shipping operations of their company. They must also be informed about advances in transportation technology and the present and future prices and availability of fuels necessary for the company's transportation requirements. Traffic managers often make decisions on or advise top management about the advisability of purchasing versus contracting for railcars or trucking fleets.
Most traffic managers work for manufacturing firms. A substantial number are employed by wholesalers, large retail stores, and chain stores.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Industrial traffic managers usually have standard working hours but may put in some extra time on paperwork, meetings, or travel to hearings before state and federal regulatory bodies.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
The ability to work independently, to analyze technical and numerical data, and to present facts and figures in a logical and convincing manner are all necessary for a traffic manager.
The high school curriculum should include mathematics courses.
Although some traffic managers arrive at their positions through experience only, college training is becoming more and more important in this field. Traffic managers who argue cases before the Interstate Commerce Commission, for instance, must have at least two years of college education.
Some employers prefer to hire graduates of trade or technical schools or two-year college programs in traffic management. Other employers require a college degree with a major or course work in transportation, logistics, physical distribution, business administration, economics, statistics, marketing, computer science, or commercial law.
Potential and Advancement
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the demand for traffic managers will shrink by 4% between 2014 and 2024, indicating poor job prospects in this field.
Industrial traffic workers can advance to supervisory positions and to assistant traffic manager and traffic manager positions. Experienced industrial traffic managers very often advance by moving to a larger company where job responsibilities are more complex.
Income
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for traffic managers in 2015 was $93,940.
Additional Sources of Information
- American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
- Institute of Transportation Engineers
