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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Cargo Fleet Coordinator

💰 $45,000 - $70,000

LogisticsTransportationOperationsSupply Chain

🎯 Role Definition

The Cargo Fleet Coordinator is responsible for planning, executing and optimizing the movement of cargo across a company’s fleet of vehicles or containers. This role coordinates day-to-day fleet operations, carrier relationships, scheduling, maintenance, compliance and reporting to ensure on-time, cost-effective, and safe delivery of goods. The Cargo Fleet Coordinator works closely with operations, warehouse, procurement, safety, and customer service teams to minimize delays, control costs and improve asset utilization.

Keywords: Cargo Fleet Coordinator, fleet operations, cargo logistics, carrier management, route optimization, DOT/IATA/IMDG compliance, telemetry, TMS, load planning, freight documentation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Dispatcher / Freight Dispatcher
  • Logistics Coordinator / Shipping Coordinator
  • Warehouse Supervisor or Shipping Lead
  • Driver/Lead Driver with administrative experience

Advancement To:

  • Fleet Manager / Senior Fleet Coordinator
  • Transportation Manager / Logistics Manager
  • Operations Manager / Supply Chain Manager
  • Director of Transportation or Head of Fleet Operations

Lateral Moves:

  • Carrier/3PL Manager
  • Transport Planner / Routing Analyst
  • Safety & Compliance Manager
  • Maintenance & Asset Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage daily fleet operations for cargo movements, including scheduling, dispatching, and prioritizing loads to meet delivery windows and customer SLAs.
  • Coordinate and monitor inbound and outbound shipments across road, rail, sea and intermodal transfers, ensuring accurate handoffs and timely documentation.
  • Plan and execute efficient route optimization and load consolidation to improve utilization and reduce miles, fuel, and empty runs.
  • Track vehicles and cargo in real time using telematics/GPS and TMS; proactively intervene to resolve delays, exceptions, and ETA changes.
  • Maintain accurate shipment documentation: bills of lading (BOL), air waybills (AWB), commercial invoices, packing lists, customs paperwork and dangerous goods declarations.
  • Ensure fleet and cargo compliance with DOT, FMCSA, IATA DGR, IMDG, ADR and regional transport regulations; manage HAZMAT/DGR shipments per regulation.
  • Schedule preventative and reactive maintenance with internal shops and external vendors; coordinate parts, repair downtimes and spare equipment pools.
  • Manage driver and crew scheduling, hours-of-service (HOS) records, driver qualification files and licensing/endorsement tracking.
  • Lead incident and accident investigations, coordinate insurance claims, root cause analysis and corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
  • Maintain and update standard operating procedures (SOPs), contingency plans and emergency response workflows for cargo and fleet incidents.
  • Negotiate and manage contracts, rates and service-level agreements (SLAs) with carriers, brokers and third-party logistics partners (3PLs).
  • Prepare, analyze and present weekly/monthly KPI reports (OTD, cycle time, utilization, cost per mile, dwell time) and actionable insights to stakeholders.
  • Administer fuel card programs, monitor fuel consumption and support fuel purchasing strategies to control operating costs.
  • Control equipment inventory — trailers, containers, spare parts — and manage life-cycle planning including acquisition, refurbishment and disposal.
  • Collaborate with procurement and warehouse teams on capacity planning, load sequencing, palletization and yard operations to reduce dwell times.
  • Oversee tendering, RFP/RFQ processes and carrier onboarding, including performance tracking and service improvement programs.
  • Use Transportation Management Systems (TMS), ERP and fleet telematics for shipment planning, load optimization and financial reconciliation.
  • Reconcile freight invoices, validate billing from carriers and support AP with audit-ready documentation and dispute resolution.
  • Implement continuous improvement projects (Lean/Six Sigma concepts) to drive process standardization and cost reduction across fleet operations.
  • Support customs clearance activities and liaise with customs brokers for cross-border shipments and documentation compliance.
  • Enforce cargo security protocols and chain-of-custody procedures, including seals, manifests and access controls in yards and terminals.
  • Maintain clear communication with customers, sales and operations during schedule changes, delivery exceptions and service escalations.

Secondary Functions

  • Serve as a subject-matter resource for freight-route modeling, seasonal capacity planning and peak-event surge strategies.
  • Conduct ad-hoc data pulls and perform exploratory analysis to validate root causes of delays or cost variances.
  • Support development and execution of the fleet technology roadmap: TMS upgrades, telematics enhancements and mobile driver tools.
  • Conduct supplier performance reviews, quarterly business reviews (QBRs) and support corrective action plans with carriers.
  • Assist HR and safety teams in delivering driver training, safety stand-downs, and compliance refreshers (HOS, FMCSA, DGR).
  • Participate in cross-functional project teams to integrate logistics planning into new product launches or route expansions.
  • Maintain a library of regulatory guidance and training materials for shipment handling, HAZMAT, and international cargo rules.
  • Provide back-up dispatch and customer communication support during high-volume periods or system outages.
  • Coordinate equipment re-positioning and inter-facility transfers to optimize asset availability and reduce detention/park fees.
  • Support environmental and sustainability initiatives by tracking emissions metrics and trialing efficiency measures (route planning, idle reduction).

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Transportation Management Systems (TMS) — planning, execution and exception management (e.g., Oracle Transportation Management, Blue Yonder, Transporeon, MercuryGate).
  • Fleet telematics and GPS tracking platforms (e.g., Samsara, Geotab, Fleetmatics) for live monitoring and analytics.
  • Advanced MS Excel skills: pivot tables, vlookups/index, macros, and data visualization for KPI reporting.
  • Experience with ERP/inventory systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) for order-to-cash and procurement coordination.
  • Knowledge of DOT/FMCSA hours-of-service rules, driver qualification files and safety reporting requirements.
  • Dangerous Goods handling and documentation knowledge (IATA DGR, IMDG, DOT HazMat) and carrier HAZMAT procedures.
  • Load planning and weight distribution principles; experience with load optimization, pallet patterns and containerization.
  • Freight billing, invoice reconciliation and cost allocation experience; familiarity with carrier rate structures.
  • Basic SQL or analytics tool experience (Tableau, Power BI, Looker) to query and visualize operational data is a plus.
  • Contract negotiation and carrier procurement experience; RFP/Tender management.
  • Preventative maintenance planning and basic mechanical understanding for scheduling repairs and shop coordination.
  • Familiarity with customs clearance processes and import/export documentation.

Soft Skills

  • Clear, professional communication with internal teams, carriers and customers; confident phone and email skills.
  • Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail and the ability to translate data into operational decisions.
  • Problem-solving under pressure — decisive, calm and customer-focused during disruptions and delays.
  • Time management and prioritization to handle multiple shipments and exceptions simultaneously.
  • Relationship building and negotiation skills to manage carriers, vendors and cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Adaptability and comfort with shifting priorities in a 24/7 logistics environment.
  • Leadership and influence to drive continuous improvement and coach entry-level coordinators.
  • Conflict resolution skills for handling service disputes and escalations diplomatically.
  • Process-oriented approach with a focus on compliance, safety and documentation accuracy.
  • Team player mindset with the ability to coordinate cross-departmental initiatives.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent; strong logistics/operations experience often accepted in lieu of a degree.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Transportation, Business Administration, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management / Logistics
  • Transportation & Fleet Management
  • Business Administration / Operations Management
  • Industrial Engineering
  • International Trade / Customs

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5 years of logistics, fleet coordination, dispatching or transportation operations experience for intermediate roles.
  • 5+ years preferred for senior coordinator roles or positions managing larger fleets and cross-border shipments.

Preferred:

  • Demonstrated experience using TMS and telematics platforms, managing carrier relationships, and executing load plans.
  • Prior exposure to regulatory compliance (DOT, IATA, IMDG) and HAZMAT handling.
  • Experience reconciling freight invoices, preparing KPI reports and leading process improvement projects.
  • Certifications a plus: Certified in Transportation and Logistics (CTL), IATA Dangerous Goods, DOT Hazardous Materials endorsement, OSHA safety training, Lean/Six Sigma Yellow/Green Belt.
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