Senior Transportation Manager

Job Description

Position Summary

The Director of Transportation is responsible for providing strategic leadership, operational oversight, and continuous improvement for all transportation and distribution activities within an industrial laundry operation. This position ensures safe, efficient, compliant, and cost-effective delivery and pickup of linen, uniforms, healthcare textiles, and other customer products. The Director of Transportation leads route operations, fleet management, regulatory compliance, driver performance, customer service support, and transportation budgeting while aligning transportation strategies with organizational goals.

The Director of Transportation works closely with Production, Customer Service, Sales, Maintenance, and Executive Leadership to ensure exceptional service levels, optimized logistics performance, and customer satisfaction.

This is a senior leadership position responsible for the overall transportation strategy, compliance, safety, fleet performance, customer service execution, and financial success of the transportation function within a large-scale industrial laundry organization. The role requires a highly experienced leader capable of managing complex logistics operations while delivering exceptional customer service and operational efficiency.

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Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Transportation Operations Leadership

· Direct all transportation and distribution operations, including route delivery, pickup services, shuttle transfers, and logistics planning.

· Develop and implement transportation strategies that improve service, productivity, and operational efficiency.

· Establish departmental goals, KPIs, and performance metrics.

· Ensure all customer deliveries and pickups meet established service commitments.

· Lead transportation managers, supervisors, dispatchers, and drivers to achieve operational objectives.

Fleet Management

· Oversee company-owned and leased fleet operations.

· Develop preventive maintenance programs in partnership with fleet maintenance teams.

· Monitor vehicle utilization, replacement schedules, fuel consumption, and operating costs.

· Evaluate and recommend fleet expansion, right-sizing, and capital investments.

· Ensure all vehicles are maintained in accordance with federal, state, and company standards.

Route Optimization and Logistics

· Analyze routing efficiency and implement route optimization initiatives.

· Manage territory design and route balancing to maximize productivity.

· Utilize transportation management systems (TMS), GPS technology, and analytics tools to improve performance.

· Reduce mileage, fuel consumption, idle time, and delivery costs.

· Develop contingency plans for service interruptions and emergency situations.

Safety and Regulatory Compliance

· Ensure compliance with all DOT, FMCSA, OSHA, CDL, and state transportation regulations.

· Maintain transportation safety programs and driver qualification files.

· Monitor Hours of Service (HOS) compliance were applicable.

· Lead accident prevention, investigation, and corrective action programs.

· Promote a culture of safety and accountability throughout the transportation department.

Financial Management

· Develop and manage transportation budgets.

· Monitor labor, fuel, maintenance, and fleet operating expenses.

· Identify opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement.

· Prepare financial forecasts, capital expenditure requests, and performance reports.

· Ensure transportation operations meet budgetary and profitability objectives.

Team Development

· Recruit, hire, train, and develop transportation personnel.

· Conduct performance evaluations and succession planning initiatives.

· Foster employee engagement and retention.

· Support leadership development for supervisors and managers.

· Ensure ongoing training in safety, compliance, customer service, and operational excellence.

Customer Service Support

· Partner with customer service and sales teams to resolve service issues.

· Monitor delivery performance and customer satisfaction metrics.

· Participate in major customer meetings and service reviews as needed.

· Maintain strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement

Lead process improvement initiatives focused on cost, quality, and service.

· Utilize performance data to drive decision-making.

· Benchmark transportation performance against industry standards and best practices.

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Preferred Qualifications

Education

· Bachelor's degree in Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

· Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

· Must hold a CDL license

Experience

· 10+ years of progressive transportation, logistics, or distribution management experience.

· 5+ years of leadership experience managing multi-site transportation operations.

· Proven experience managing large driver teams and fleet operations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

· Strong knowledge of transportation regulations and compliance requirements.

· Expertise in fleet management and route optimization.

· Financial management and budgeting skills.

· Strong leadership, coaching, and employee development capabilities.

· Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

· Proficiency with transportation management systems, GPS tracking software, and Microsoft Office.

· Excellent communication and customer relationship management skills.

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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Director of Transportation will be measured on:

· Customer On-Time Delivery Percentage

· Route Productivity

· Transportation Cost per Pound Delivered

· Fleet Utilization

· Fuel Efficiency

· Driver Retention

· DOT Compliance Scores

· Safety Incident Rate

· Preventable Accident Frequency

· Customer Satisfaction Metrics

· Budget Performance

· Service Recovery Performance

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Physical Requirements

· Ability to travel to customer locations and company facilities.

· Ability to inspect vehicles and transportation equipment.

· Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds.

· Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings and weekends as required.

Hospital Cooperative Laundry (HCL) is a cooperative association serving the hospitals on the Front Range of Colorado and Southern Wyoming.

Company Description