Transportation manager responsibilities are to analyze expenditures and other financial information to develop plans, policies, or budgets for increasing profits or improving services; collaborate with other managers or staff members to formulate and implement policies, procedures, goals, or objectives; implement schedule and policy changes; monitor operations to ensure that staff members comply with administrative policies and procedures, safety rules, union contracts, and government regulations; monitor spending to ensure that expenses are consistent with approved budgets; plan, organize, or manage the work of subordinate staff to ensure that the work is accomplished in a manner consistent with organizational requirements.

Set operations policies and standards, including determining safety procedures for the handling of dangerous goods; direct investigations to verify and resolve customer or shipper complaints; direct activities related to dispatching, routing, or tracking transportation vehicles, such as aircraft or railroad cars; direct procurement processes including equipment research and testing, vendor contracts, or requisitions approval; prepare management recommendations, such as proposed fee and tariff increases or schedule changes; supervise workers assigning tariff classifications and preparing billing; conduct employee training sessions on subjects such as hazardous material handling, employee orientation, quality improvement, or computer use; direct and coordinate, through subordinates, activities of operations department to obtain use of equipment, facilities, and human resources; negotiate and authorize contracts with equipment and materials suppliers, and monitor contract fulfillment; recommend or authorize capital expenditures for acquisition of new equipment or property to increase efficiency and services of operations department; serve as contact persons for all workers within assigned territories; promote safe work activities by conducting safety audits, attending company safety meetings, or meeting with individual staff members; direct activities of staff performing repairs and maintenance to equipment, vehicles, and facilities; conduct investigations in cooperation with government agencies to determine causes of transportation accidents and to improve safety procedures; develop criteria, application instructions, procedural manuals, or contracts for federal or state public transportation programs.

Participate in union contract negotiations and settlements of grievances; provide administrative or technical assistance to those receiving transportation-related grants.