Logistics/Transport planning interview advice
Discussion
I’ve been invited for an interview with a large uk retailer for a job at one of their distribution centres as a transport planner. I’m not exactly sure how as I have no experience in this area at all, I can read maps and have experience in another industry as an operations manager but know nothing at all about logistics other than it involves (in this case) putting things into trucks and getting them to places when they are needed.
Probably a gross oversimplification there but if anyone has any experience of this kind of work and tips you can pass to help me deal with a lack of experience in interview it would be greatly appreciated and I will send you virtual magic beans as a thank you.
Probably a gross oversimplification there but if anyone has any experience of this kind of work and tips you can pass to help me deal with a lack of experience in interview it would be greatly appreciated and I will send you virtual magic beans as a thank you.
In very brief terms, transport planning involves taking your deliveries for a forthcoming day and assigning them to vehicles based on the constraints given to you (delivery time, special requests) and limitations (vehicle size, capacity, availability)
It could be as complex as planning multi-drop runs nationwide on a large, multi vehicle fleet
It could be as simple as planning loads onto 40ft trailers for single drop work
It’s not something you can blag your way through. You need to know about various truck sizes and capacities, aswell as driver working hours and other legislation.
It could be as complex as planning multi-drop runs nationwide on a large, multi vehicle fleet
It could be as simple as planning loads onto 40ft trailers for single drop work
It’s not something you can blag your way through. You need to know about various truck sizes and capacities, aswell as driver working hours and other legislation.
Chrishum said:
I’ve been invited for an interview with a large uk retailer for a job at one of their distribution centres as a transport planner. I’m not exactly sure how as I have no experience in this area at all, I can read maps and have experience in another industry as an operations manager but know nothing at all about logistics
Sounds like the same kind of typical useless planners you find in many "logistics" company transport offices then
. If you get the job be prepared for every one of your drivers to hate you. No driver will accept a planner that hasn't done their job because they have absolutely no understanding of the real life conditions that a driver faces when trying to get from A to B to C and the myriad of problems that arise at customer premises when trying to get loaded/unloaded. All the planner cares about is that on his planning software it says it's 200 miles from A to B and so the driver should be there in 4 hours. The planner does not care about traffic, roadworks, accidents, road closures, nor the fact it's blowing a 50mph side wind putting the driver at high risk of injury from a blow over, nor the fact that 6" of snow is forecast over Shap.Muzzer79 said:
It’s not something you can blag your way through. You need to know about various truck sizes and capacities, aswell as driver working hours and other legislation.
This, too ^. OP you're about as unfit for the role as you can possibly get. I'm struggling to understand how you've even been invited to an interview unless you've lied on your application form about your experience.Haven’t lied about anything, sent a very honest cv.
I had all of the attributes they wanted apart from previous logistics experience. But I have a good knowledge of the road system in the area they’re covering and would always be sceptical about just pinging postcodes into a bit of software and trusting it.
I’m going to brush up on the lorry types they have on their fleet. Then take it from there, how hard can it be?
I had all of the attributes they wanted apart from previous logistics experience. But I have a good knowledge of the road system in the area they’re covering and would always be sceptical about just pinging postcodes into a bit of software and trusting it.
I’m going to brush up on the lorry types they have on their fleet. Then take it from there, how hard can it be?
I worked in a similar role for many years.
You need to demonstrate logical thinking, problem solving skills, excellent communication (to drivers who often won’t like you, see above, and customers who are often frustrated, see above!)
The ability to work under pressure and proactively think about and plan for ‘what if’ scenarios seemed to sort the good ones from the bad ones....
ETA, also depends if it’s outbound or inbound, depends on the particular challenges you might face.
Good luck.
You need to demonstrate logical thinking, problem solving skills, excellent communication (to drivers who often won’t like you, see above, and customers who are often frustrated, see above!)
The ability to work under pressure and proactively think about and plan for ‘what if’ scenarios seemed to sort the good ones from the bad ones....
ETA, also depends if it’s outbound or inbound, depends on the particular challenges you might face.
Good luck.
Chrishum said:
Haven’t lied about anything, sent a very honest cv.
I had all of the attributes they wanted apart from previous logistics experience. But I have a good knowledge of the road system in the area they’re covering and would always be sceptical about just pinging postcodes into a bit of software and trusting it.
I’m going to brush up on the lorry types they have on their fleet. Then take it from there, how hard can it be?
I had all of the attributes they wanted apart from previous logistics experience. But I have a good knowledge of the road system in the area they’re covering and would always be sceptical about just pinging postcodes into a bit of software and trusting it.
I’m going to brush up on the lorry types they have on their fleet. Then take it from there, how hard can it be?
With all due respect you're being naive in the extreme. A "good knowledge of the road system" isn't even scratching the surface. Do you know where the 7.5t restrictions are? Do you know where the 13'6 bridges are? Do you know where the width restrictions are? Do you know that Dave has already broken into 3 reduced rests and so doesn't have the time to complete your planned run on Friday? Do you know that John is over his 48 hours average and needs to bring it down to stay legal? Do you know that the backload you've planned for your 18 tonner with 14 pallets at 700kg each will all nicely fit on the bed to the back doors but can't actually be driven because it puts the front axle half a ton overweight and they can't be double stacked over the drive axle because of the shape of them?
The first 3 are not going to show on your planning software and that's why ex-drivers (truckers) make the best planners because they've done the job and know that it's 50 miles and an hours drive between 2 places quarter of a mile apart on the map because there's a 13' bridge in the way or 7.5t restriction. An ex-driver also knows that planning a run A to B to C to D to E to F to A based on a logical route and shortest distance is rarely the best way to do it. Usually it's better to plan it A to C to B to F to E to D to A, because B doesn't accept deliveries before 9am and C has a delivery restriction afer 9.30am because no vehicles are allowed on the precinct. Drop F doesn't take a lunch break but E does and you need to do D last to avoid getting caught up in their shift change where the site closes down for an hour. And those are just your deliveries. You've got it all again for your collections.
A planner also needs to have a very good understanding of the driver hours law and that isn't something you'll learn quickly. It will take you months - if not years - to have a good knowledge of them and also EC Regulation 561/2006 WTD for Mobile Workers.
No transport company would take on a planner with no experience unless they were absolutely desperate for a bum on a seat and that should be raising red flags with you. When the drivers find out you've got no experience (and they will), your life will become hell.
unless its actually a "trainee" planner role I have to agree with the others and i think you might find you will be out of your depth. Ex drivers would make for really good planners but i see no reason why companies shouldnt train up folk from scratch so maybe you get in on that basis.
Lemming Train said:
Lots and lots of stuff
Everything referred to can now be built in to planning software. These systems are so very, very advanced now. And keep getting smarter.And it won’t take years to have a good knowledge of drivers’ hours. In any case, the software can monitor all that
OP, on a more useful note:
I would expect a large UK retailer to have a planning team to compile the plans, and a transport team to deploy them. The transport team will deal with any changes due to ‘live’ issues (road closures, agency driver no show etc.)
A planner will be more bothered about running the software properly than what’s coming out of it. I’d expect the fleet to be pretty big with a background team to ‘feed’ the software with it’s parameters. The system will tell you if something is wrong, and in most cases, the software won’t even let you do something wrong without warning you.
These retailers will also expect planners to run dummy plans for seasonal peaks and changes to the network.
I would expect a large UK retailer to have a planning team to compile the plans, and a transport team to deploy them. The transport team will deal with any changes due to ‘live’ issues (road closures, agency driver no show etc.)
A planner will be more bothered about running the software properly than what’s coming out of it. I’d expect the fleet to be pretty big with a background team to ‘feed’ the software with it’s parameters. The system will tell you if something is wrong, and in most cases, the software won’t even let you do something wrong without warning you.
These retailers will also expect planners to run dummy plans for seasonal peaks and changes to the network.
Fun Bus said:
Everything referred to can now be built in to planning software. These systems are so very, very advanced now. And keep getting smarter.
And it won’t take years to have a good knowledge of drivers’ hours. In any case, the software can monitor all that
And it won’t take years to have a good knowledge of drivers’ hours. In any case, the software can monitor all that
Yes, those "very, very advanced" systems that the likes of Stobart use 
. Yet hardly a week goes by without a fresh news piece showing a picture of a Stobart truck wedged under a 12' bridge or laid on its side in a ditch down some farmer's dirt track in Ruralshire.No computer system can replace a good planner's knowledge and experience. There are too many variables.
And yes it does take years to know the drivers hours rules inside out. Most drivers that have been doing the job for 30+ years since logbook days still can't tell you what the maximum permitted working and driving time is in a week/fortnight, nor what and when reduced rest compensation needs to be done by, nor do they know what split rests are and when they can be done, and let's not even start on POA or the 6hr rule. Even DCPC trainers don't understand the 6hr rule and give the drivers false info and I've yet to meet a planner that understands it correctly.
Chrishum said:
Haven’t lied about anything, sent a very honest cv.
I had all of the attributes they wanted apart from previous logistics experience. But I have a good knowledge of the road system in the area they’re covering and would always be sceptical about just pinging postcodes into a bit of software and trusting it.
I’m going to brush up on the lorry types they have on their fleet. Then take it from there, how hard can it be?
Assuming it’s a ‘proper’ transport planner and not planning simple drop and swap single vehicle runs, you’re massively over-simplifying thisI had all of the attributes they wanted apart from previous logistics experience. But I have a good knowledge of the road system in the area they’re covering and would always be sceptical about just pinging postcodes into a bit of software and trusting it.
I’m going to brush up on the lorry types they have on their fleet. Then take it from there, how hard can it be?
It’s not just about lorry types and winging it.
I work in this field. Again, if it’s a ‘proper’ planner job and they employ you, I’d first of all question why, when you patently are not qualified and then look for something else as you’ll soon be found out.
Lemming Train said:
Yes, those "very, very advanced" systems that the likes of Stobart use . Yet hardly a week goes by without a fresh news piece showing a picture of a Stobart truck wedged under a 12' bridge or laid on its side in a ditch down some farmer's dirt track in Ruralshire.No computer system can replace a good planner's knowledge and experience. There are too many variables.
And yes, there are many variables, but many systems can take all these in to account if they are properly set up in the first place.
Just to add, a ‘proper’ old school planning job takes many years of experience. That I do not deny.
A retailer will use systems though, and that is very, very different than needing to know when Joe needs to leave the yard to be at Jack’s for a 6am tip on a Friday morning before a bank holiday weekend in the Scania because the Volvo is in for it’s 6 weekly.
A retailer will use systems though, and that is very, very different than needing to know when Joe needs to leave the yard to be at Jack’s for a 6am tip on a Friday morning before a bank holiday weekend in the Scania because the Volvo is in for it’s 6 weekly.
Well thanks for telling me I wasn’t qualified without seeing my cv 
Turns out that the manager and ex driver interviewing thought my cv, experience and attitude was a good fit for them and I was very open about my lack of knowledge. Turns out they would rather have someone with the right skills who is willing to learn than someone who ‘knows’ everything from another company.
So onwards and upwards.
Turns out that the manager and ex driver interviewing thought my cv, experience and attitude was a good fit for them and I was very open about my lack of knowledge. Turns out they would rather have someone with the right skills who is willing to learn than someone who ‘knows’ everything from another company.
So onwards and upwards.
Chrishum said:
Well thanks for telling me I wasn’t qualified without seeing my cv
Turns out that the manager and ex driver interviewing thought my cv, experience and attitude was a good fit for them and I was very open about my lack of knowledge. Turns out they would rather have someone with the right skills who is willing to learn than someone who ‘knows’ everything from another company.
No. It means that they have a reputation and no experienced planner will touch them with a barge pole. Or the money is minimum wage so you're the only person that's applied and they're so desperate that they'll take on anyone.. anything with a pulse.Turns out that the manager and ex driver interviewing thought my cv, experience and attitude was a good fit for them and I was very open about my lack of knowledge. Turns out they would rather have someone with the right skills who is willing to learn than someone who ‘knows’ everything from another company.
I’m sorry, but it really doesn’t mean that.
Like I said earlier in this thread, the big retailers don’t plan with old school, manual planners. It’s heavily automated. I’m fact, most operations are now planned with automated tools and not an ex-driver with a whiteboard and mobile phone.
Like I said earlier in this thread, the big retailers don’t plan with old school, manual planners. It’s heavily automated. I’m fact, most operations are now planned with automated tools and not an ex-driver with a whiteboard and mobile phone.
Lemming Train said:
Most drivers that have been doing the job for 30+ years since logbook days still can't tell you what the maximum permitted working and driving time is in a week/fortnight, nor what and when reduced rest compensation needs to be done by, nor do they know what split rests are and when they can be done, and let's not even start on POA or the 6hr rule.
So either it's knowledge not vital to their day to day and is monitored elsewhere or they're s
t at their job? I'm assuming the former, but happy to be corrected if you think it's the latter.Fun Bus said:
I’m sorry, but it really doesn’t mean that.
Like I said earlier in this thread, the big retailers don’t plan with old school, manual planners. It’s heavily automated. I’m fact, most operations are now planned with automated tools and not an ex-driver with a whiteboard and mobile phone.
Yes, you've said already, and I've already replied. I feel for the poor drivers having some know-nothing pointy shoed office wallah that doesn't know one end of a truck from the other ordering them around because according to the fancy planning software it will only take them 4 hours to get their load of baked beans from Leeds to London at 6am on Monday morning and you must be at Thurrock no later than 11am for your backload because the planning software says there's plenty of time. Like I said earlier in this thread, the big retailers don’t plan with old school, manual planners. It’s heavily automated. I’m fact, most operations are now planned with automated tools and not an ex-driver with a whiteboard and mobile phone.
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