| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Logistics and Warehousing |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Transport Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in route planning, dispatch or transport operations |
Route Planner job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Route Planner
Department: Logistics and Warehousing
Reports to: Transport Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Route Planner designs the daily delivery and pickup routes for a fleet. They group orders by area, sequence stops, match loads to vehicles, and set the plan that drivers run each day. Their goal is to serve every drop within its time window while cutting kilometres, fuel and vehicles used. A good Route Planner builds tight, realistic routes that account for vehicle capacity, traffic and customer timings, balances the load across the fleet, and adjusts fast when orders, cancellations or breakdowns change the picture.
Key responsibilities
- Group the day's orders by area and build delivery and pickup routes that cover every drop.
- Sequence stops to cut total kilometres while respecting customer time windows.
- Match each route to the right vehicle by capacity, weight and access restrictions.
- Balance the load across the fleet so vehicles are well used and none is overloaded.
- Account for traffic, one-way roads, no-entry timings and delivery access in the plan.
- Adjust routes quickly for late orders, cancellations, breakdowns and returns.
- Share clear route sheets and drop sequences with drivers and the dispatch team.
- Track planned versus actual kilometres and stops and refine the planning rules.
- Coordinate with dispatch and last-mile teams on cut-offs and priority deliveries.
- Maintain area, distance and customer timing data that the plan depends on.
Requirements
- Graduate in any discipline
- Comfort with maps, distances and route planning tools
- A diploma in logistics or operations is an advantage
- 2 to 5 years in route planning, dispatch or transport operations
KRAs and KPIs for a Route Planner
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Route efficiency | Kilometres per delivery reduced against the baseline while windows are met |
| Window adherence | Deliveries planned within customer time windows above 95 percent |
| Vehicle utilization | Average vehicle fill rate above the target on planned routes |
| Plan stability | Planned versus actual stops matching above the agreed level |
| Cost per drop | Transport cost per drop held within budget |
| Replanning speed | Route changes for late orders issued within the cut-off |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Route optimisation software, Google Maps, MS Excel, Transport management system, GPS data.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Transport Supervisor, Logistics Analyst, Transport Manager
Interview questions for a Route Planner
- How do you build routes that cut kilometres but still meet every delivery window?
- How do you match orders to vehicles when loads and capacities vary?
- A big order comes in after routing is done. How do you fit it in?
- How do you plan around city no-entry timings and one-way roads?
- How do you measure whether your routes are actually efficient?
- Tell me about a day when many things changed and how you replanned.
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What does a Route Planner do?
A Route Planner designs the daily delivery and pickup routes for a fleet. They group orders by area, sequence stops, match loads to vehicles, and balance the load across the fleet. The aim is to serve every drop within its window while cutting kilometres, fuel and vehicles used, and to replan quickly when orders or vehicles change.
What skills does a Route Planner need?
Route optimisation and load-to-vehicle matching are the core skills, along with strong map and area knowledge and comfort with planning software and Excel. They need to plan around time windows, traffic and access rules, and replan fast when the day changes. Clear communication with drivers and dispatch keeps the plan working on the ground.
What is the difference between a Route Planner and a Transport Supervisor?
A Route Planner designs the routes before the day starts, deciding which vehicle serves which stops in what order. A Transport Supervisor runs the operation on the ground: releasing vehicles, managing drivers and handling issues in real time. The planner sets the plan; the supervisor makes sure it happens at the depot and gate.