Road Freight Subsector
ROAD FREIGHT SUBSECTOR
The road freight industry involves the movement of freight:
✇ Into and out of airports
✇ Into and out of rail yards
✇ Into and out of ports
✇ Into and out of warehouses and distribution centres and
✇ From pipeline depots to petrol stations.
Road freight links all modes of transport and completes the integration of the freight logistics supply chain. Road freight subsector handles on average, 80% of the total freight moved around South Africa each year.
The key players in the sector are:
✇ Dry bulk transport carriers,
✇ Hazardous chemicals carriers
✇ Retail fleets [Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
✇ Furniture removal companies
✇ Courier companies
✇ Waste management companies
OCCUPATIONS IN THE ROAD FREIGHT SUBSECTOR
1. OPERATIONS
DRIVER TRAINER - Occupational code: 242401
✇ Conduct required in-house driver training requirements to improve driver performance
✇ Assessment of new drivers
✇ Liaise with external training providers to arrange delivery of specific training and development programme
FLEET CONTROLLER/MANAGER - Occupational code: 132405
✇ Responsible for selecting vehicles to keep deliveries and distributions on schedule
✇ Manage operating costs and ensures the efficient use of resources
✇ Set up maintenance schedules to ensure each vehicle is kept in good condition
✇ Monitor drivers’ habits and vehicle location using fleet management software
✇ Overseeing the selection, training and performance of staff
ROAD TRANSPORT MANAGER - Occupational code: 132403
✇ Coordinate and implements transport operations for the movement of passengers or fleet to their respective destinations
✇ Plan, prepare and maintain vehicle management systems and transport infrastructure
✇ Vehicle costing and budgeting
2. TECHNICAL
DIESEL MECHANIC - Occupational code: 653306
✇ Perform preventative and scheduled maintenance on diesel vehicles
✇ Including engines, mechanical parts, transmissions, suspension, steering and brakes.
✇ Locating problems by using diagnostic equipment
3. SUPPORT SERVICES
Information
Every organisation within the road freight subsector has also support service found in any organisation in South Africa. Within the support services you will find careers in:
✇ IT
✇ Contact centre management
✇ Sales and marketing
✇ Finance
✇ HR management
✇ Legal services
✇ Research and development
These careers are adapted to the subsector to support operations.
TRUCK DISPATCHER - Occupational code: 432301
✇ Schedule drivers to pick up and deliver loads to customers or vendors
✇ Keeping records, monitoring driver daily logs for errors or violations and monitoring drivers’ working hours and equipment availability
✇ Knowing the weather of all your drivers’ locations to flag potential issues
PROFESSIONAL DRIVER - Occupational code: 733201
✇ Transports goods from one destination to another
✇ Can transport to other countries as well.
✇ It Requires a specially endorsed class of driving licence
The following careers have been covered in the Freight Forwarding and Clearing OR Freight Handling subsector chapters:
✇ Crane Operators
✇ Forklift Drivers
✇ Freight Handlers
✇ Logistics Manager
✇ Operations Manager
✇ Purchasing Officer
✇ Supply and Distribution Manager
✇ Warehouse Manager
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRICIAN - Occupational code: 671208
✇ Inspecting and testing manufactured electrical parts of vehicles
✇ Inspecting and testing electrical systems and equipment to locate and diagnose malfunctions in vehicles
✇ Repairing or rebuilding equipment such as starters, generators, distributors, or door controls, using electrician’s tools
HARD TO FILL VACANCIES THE ROAD FREIGHT SUBSECTOR
✇ Truck Driver (General)
✇ Delivery Driver
✇ Diesel Mechanic
✇ Dispatching and Receiving Clerk / Officer
✇ Logistics Manager
✇ Mechanical Engineering Technician
✇ Supply and Distribution Manager
✇ Sales Representative (Business Services