Transport Planner

Transport Planner

Location:

Telford      Salary: £32,000 per annum

Hours:

Monday to Friday, 10:00–19:30      37.5 hours per week      Type:
Permanent

The Role      This is a Transport Planner role for someone who understands that transport rarely behaves itself.
Routes change.
Traffic happens.
Vehicles break down.
Drivers call in sick.
Customers add deliveries.
And somehow, everything still needs to get where it's supposed to be.
You'll take ownership of the planning function, making sure vehicles, drivers and deliveries are organised as efficiently and realistically as possible.
This is not just about plotting dots on a map.
You'll need to understand the practical side of transport — what drivers can actually achieve, what the vehicles can legally and physically do, where access is difficult, how driver hours affect the plan and what to change when things start going sideways.
The right person will be calm, switched on and naturally solutions-focused.
What You'll Be Doing
Planning efficient daily routes for vans, rigids and HGVs

Allocating work to drivers based on experience, availability and vehicle type

Making sure delivery plans are achievable and compliant

Monitoring routes throughout the day and reacting to changes

Replanning where necessary due to traffic, breakdowns, delays or driver availability

Checking driver hours and working time compliance

Using Tacho Master or similar systems to review driver activity and identify potential infringements

Working closely with drivers and understanding the practical challenges they face

Liaising with depots, warehouse teams, customers and management

Managing urgent or time-critical deliveries

Reviewing route efficiency and reducing unnecessary mileage

Looking at opportunities to reduce overtime, agency usage and external haulage costs

Making sure the right vehicle is allocated to the right job

Taking into account payload, dimensions, access restrictions and road limitations

Keeping customers updated when delays or changes occur

Producing reports and keeping transport systems up to date

Supporting the wider transport team with day-to-day operational issues

Identifying problems early and putting practical solutions in place before they become bigger ones

What You'll Need
We're looking for someone with previous experience in transport or logistics planning.

You'll need a good understanding of how a busy transport operation actually works and what it takes to keep deliveries on track.

You'll ideally have experience of:

Transport planning

Route planning

Working with drivers

Vans, rigids and/or HGV operations

Drivers' hours rules

Working Time Regulations

Tachograph compliance

Tacho Master or a similar system

Vehicle and payload restrictions

Route restrictions and access issues

Delivery planning

Transport Management Systems

Excel and reporting

Cost-efficient planning

Good geographical knowledge is also really important.

You don't need to know every road in Britain off by heart, but you do need to understand that the shortest route on a screen is not always the smartest route in real life.

What Will Make You Good At This      You'll be organised.
But more importantly, you'll be adaptable.
Transport planning can be beautifully organised at 10:00am and look completely different by lunchtime.
You'll need to be able to make quick decisions without losing your head.
You'll also need to communicate properly.
Drivers need clear instructions.
Customers need realistic updates.
Warehouse teams need to know what is happening.
Management needs to know when there is a risk.
And sometimes you'll be the person joining all of that together.
Strong problem-solving skills will make a huge difference here.
If your first reaction to a breakdown, failed delivery or route issue is:
“Right, what are our options?”
rather than:
“Well,…