Transportation Route and Crew Scheduler

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:

• 2006 NOC: Transportation Route and Crew Schedulers (1476) 
• 2006 NOC-S: Transportation Route and Crew Schedulers (B576) 
• 2011 NOC: Transportation route and crew schedulers (1526) 
• 2016 NOC: Transportation route and crew schedulers (1526) 

Transportation route and crew schedulers prepare schedules for transportation equipment and operators using computer software and other methods. They are responsible for assigning personnel to appropriate equipment and routes and scheduling work shifts. They also keep records of their organization’s equipment and personnel to make sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently.

A transportation route and crew scheduler’s duties include:

• organize and monitor workloads and task lists
• keep track of available equipment, vehicles and crew
• create, map and adjust routes and schedules to ensure all necessary tasks are completed efficiently and on time
• assign crews to equipment and vehicles
• distribute routes and schedules for use by operators and passengers
• monitor progress and adapt routes and schedules to weather, traffic, equipment failures and other complicating factors
• communicate with and provide support for crew
• coordinate, schedule and create purchase orders for delivery and return of equipment and vehicles
• obtain quotes from transport vendors
• perform recordkeeping and maintain daily traffic logs
• monitor and analyze schedule adherence and passenger or freight loads to improve future scheduling.

Transportation route and crew schedulers spend most of their time in office settings. Evening and weekend work may be required occasionally.

Working conditions vary by employer. Transportation route and crew schedulers may work in small offices with simple telephone systems, or large offices with high levels of technology including vehicle tracking, computerized systems and ergonomically designed work stations.

Transportation route and crew schedulers work for:

• municipal government transit departments
• delivery, trucking and courier companies
• railways, airlines and other transportation or transit industry companies.

Mobility between occupations for transportation route and crew schedulers can be limited, since specific transportation sector experience is typically needed.

Advancement to supervisory positions is possible with sufficient experience. Transportation route and crew schedulers may be provided with opportunities to advance to analyst, planner or management positions, or other administrative roles within a company.

In Alberta, 76% of people employed as transportation route and crew schedulers work in the following industries:

• Transportation and Warehousing [pdf]
• Public Administration [pdf]
• Manufacturing [pdf]
• Wholesale Trade [pdf]
• Utilities [pdf]

The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors, including:

• trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions)
• size of the occupation.

In Alberta, the 1526: Transportation route and crew schedulers occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 0% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 0 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as the number of people retiring increases over the next few years.

Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA) website: www.supplychaincanada.com

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.