Transport

TRANSPORT Jobs

Air Traffic Controller • Bus Driver • Conductor • Deck Officer • Dispatcher • Flight Attendant • Fork Lift Operator • Freight Forwarder • Logistics Specialist • Lorry Driver • Pilot • Railroad Conductor • Taxi Driver • Traffic Analyst • Travel Coordinator • Van Driver • Yard Person

air traffic controller

You would calmly and carefully guide aircraft pilots during their take off, their flight and landing

You would help them avoid other aircraft and deal with difficult weather conditions so the crew and passengers arrive safely and on time.

You would be responsible for giving clear instructions to make sure that aircraft travelling through UK airspace are kept a safe distance apart.

You would also respond to emergency distress calls, working under pressure to help the aircraft land safely. For example, this might include instructing and guiding a light aeroplane that has lost its way in bad weather.

There are three specific roles for air traffic controllers.

If you work as an area controller you would be based in a regional control centre where you would track and guide aircraft safely through your sector.

As an approach controller, you would manage aircraft as they get close to the airport and arrange them into the correct landing order.

As an aerodrome controller, you would work from a control tower and give pilots instructions for landing as they descend. You might also have ground control duties. For example you'd direct the aircraft on the runway after landing and before take off, and guide them to and from parking stands and holding areas.

This is a responsible job where you'd need to concentrate. You would receive and need to interpret and check a lot of information quickly.

bus driver

You would take people from one place to another whether that’s just a few streets, between towns and cities or on a holiday.

It’s a responsible job; passengers will rely on you to get them to the right place as safely as possible.

You might transport passengers on local, national or overseas journeys.

You would travel along planned routes, making scheduled stops along the way to pick up and drop off passengers.

You would:

Take fares and give tickets
Check transport passes
Give timetable or route information
Help passengers who are having difficulty getting on or off the vehicle

You could also work in community transport, where you would be driving schoolchildren, hospital patients and the elderly to their destinations.

If you are a coach driver you would do the same kind of work but the journeys would be longer. You could, for example, drive between cities, or drive people on day trips or holiday tours.

You would:

Load and unload luggage
Check tickets and passes
Make sure that all passengers are back on board for the return journey, and after any scheduled stops

You would be responsible for keeping the coach clean, doing basic vehicle checks before taking your vehicle out and reporting any incidents to inspectors back at the depot.

If you drive to overseas destinations you’d keep passengers up to date with travel information and work with foreign authorities, for example, when going through border controls.

You would need excellent driving skills and knowledge of traffic regulations. Understanding health and safety issues would also be important.

conductor

You would issue tickets to passengers and make sure that their journey is safe and comfortable.

You would:

Check the vehicles were clean before the start of a journey
Make sure equipment, doors and controls are working properly
Walk through carriages during the journey, checking tickets and travel documents
Answer passengers' questions about routes, arrival times and connections
Make announcements over the public address system
Make sure passengers get on and off the vehicle safely
Deal with unexpected delays or emergencies such as a passenger falling ill
Write reports on any delays or issues that occur

It would be important to have a good understanding of rail regulations, safety procedures, fares and timetables.

deck officer

You would navigate across the world’s oceans to ensure your ship’s crew and cargo arrives safely at their destination.

You would be responsible for navigation, communications, crew and cargo on board the ship. You would also take care of passengers and oversee safety.

You would work in watches: the system in which a team will work for a few hours and then take several hours off in a rota that runs continually throughout the day and night.

All UK-owned commercial ships are part of the Merchant Navy.

This includes:

Cruise ships
Container ships
High tech ferries
High quality oil, gas and chemical tankers
Modern bulk carriers carrying ores, grain and coal
Specialised support vessels

As a deck officer, you would work at one of four levels, depending on your experience.

As Master or Captain you would be responsible for the overall running and safety of the ship, crew, passengers and cargo. You would handle legal and commercial matters and keep all the ship's records up to date.

As Chief Officer you would assist the Master and oversee work on deck and maintenance around the ship, cargo handling and storage. You would also plan the work schedules and supervise other officers.

As Second Officer you would be responsible for navigation, using radar, satellite and computer systems. You would also check the vessel's position, speed, direction and weather reports, and carry out watch duties at sea and in port.

The post of Third Officer would usually be your first job after training. You would look after the ship's safety equipment and lifeboats. You would assist the Second Officer and carry out watch duties.

Some very large cargo ships and passenger liners may have a fifth officer level.

As a deck officer in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary you would work on civilian-crewed ships operated by the Ministry of Defence.

You could be responsible for:

Monitoring helicopter movements
Specialised navigation
Nuclear biological chemical damage control – the process used to tackle fires and other emergencies

dispatcher

You would make sure all the services that get a plane ready for a flight work efficiently and quickly together, so it can leave safely and on time.

You would be responsible for organising important tasks so the plane can be prepared as quickly as possible.

You would check that cleaning, refuelling and standard safety checks are done. You would also make sure that the luggage or cargo has been loaded on to the plane.

Once the plane is ready you would tell the airline crew to open the gates to allow passengers on and, if someone arrives late, you would decide whether there is still time to let them board the plane.

You would give the pilot information such as the weight of the plane with the luggage, passengers and cargo. It may also be up to you to check the weather and landing conditions at the destination and advise on the route so the flight is safe, fast and efficient.

You would work closely with baggage handlers, aircraft mechanics, catering and cleaning staff, the cabin crew and pilots.

It would be important to be able to use IT and radio systems.

You would also need to be very conscious of health and safety requirements. You would need to be aware of potential hazards and know how to minimise the risks associated with the dispatch of aircraft.

Many entrants to this job have previous experience in check-in and ticketing operations. Others may be qualified pilots looking for aviation experience and to make contacts in the industry.

flight attendant

You would look after airline passengers and be responsible for their comfort and safety during their flight.

You would make passengers feel welcome and safe on the aircraft, inform them about services on the flight and help them enjoy a comfortable journey.

You would be firm and polite in telling passengers what to do in an emergency. You would reassure them if they are nervous about flying.

Before a flight you would:

Go a meeting about the flight and the schedule
Check that there are enough supplies on the plane and that emergency equipment works properly
Greet passengers and help them find seats and put their hand luggage away
Demonstrate the emergency equipment and procedures to passengers.
Check that passengers have fastened their seatbelts

During a flight you would:

Make sure that passengers are comfortable and deal with any requests
Serve food and drinks and sell duty-free items
Deal with payments in cash, including foreign currency, and credit cards
Make announcements on behalf of the pilot
Calm nervous or sick passengers and give first aid
Reassure passengers in the event of an emergency and make sure that they follow safety procedures

At the end of a flight you would:

Make sure that passengers leave the plane safely and with all their hand luggage
Write a flight report, including about any unusual incidents
Add up and record details of food and drink orders, and duty-free sales

You would need to be assertive but polite when dealing with difficult customers.

fork lift operator

You could work at any site that has goods going in and out. This could be a warehouse, a storage facility, a factory, a construction site, an airport or docks.

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

Checking equipment daily and using it safely
Loading and unloading goods from lorries, ships or aircraft
Using radio frequency equipment to keep in touch with other staff
Manually handling goods when necessary
Stacking goods and moving them around in storage bays
Picking and packing orders
Completing paperwork for delivery notes and stock control

You will need to follow personal and protective equipment (PPE) requirements and health and safety regulations.

freight forwarder

You would organise how to move goods and cargo around the UK and overseas. You would plan the best ways to transport the cargoes by road, rail, air and sea for your customers.

You would work with various carriers – the companies that provide transport services – and work out the time and costs of getting goods from one place to another.

You would:

Arrange routes and schedules
Book cargo space with carriers
Negotiate the rates
Arrange insurance
Calculate weight, volume and cost of goods to be moved
Record details on a computer system
Clear goods through customs and arrange for any duties or taxes to be paid

You would liaise with your customers to agree contracts, deliver quotations and invoices and give advice about the arrangements that have been made. You would also do general administrative tasks such as filing.

logistics specialist

You would handle the shipping, general warehousing and receiving for the company and make sure that shelves are properly stocked, invoices are correctly filled and orders are tracked accordingly.

You would be responsible in loading trucks and vehicles for delivery as well as cargo ships. A logistics specialist may also bargain other manufacturing salesperson regarding the costs, load and even unload trucks for delivering goods.

You would:

Obtain appropriate knowledge on the company’s products and know how these products should be handled and stored.
Keep up to date on new trends, makes recommendations to appropriate management regarding new products and services that can make the company profitable.
Have a full understanding of proper handling of various equipments and packaging that are used to store and ship merchandise.
Be responsible for the proper upkeep of the company’s warehouse.
Be well- organized analytical and quick problem solvers.

You should possess good communication skills as you frequently deal with lots of people from company management including merchandise salespeople.

lorry driver

You would drive on long journeys around the UK and abroad to deliver goods and raw materials to customers.

You could move everything from food to fuel, transporting loads from depots, distribution centres and warehouses to shops, factories and businesses.

You would drive commercial vehicles over 7.5 tonnes including:

Rigid trucks
Articulated lorries
Tankers
Transporters
Trailer wagons

Apart from driving, you would:

Plan delivery schedules and routes with transport managers
Supervise or help with loading and unloading goods
Make sure loads are safely secured
Follow traffic reports and change your route if necessary
Complete the delivery paperwork and log books

You might also do basic routine maintenance such as checking the oil, tyres and brakes before and after journeys.

You would spend a lot of time by yourself. You would need to be a good driver and able to concentrate for long periods. You would need to follow the safety regulations for driving and handling the loads.

pilot

You would fly people and cargoes thousands of miles around the world. Everyone on board would rely on you to make sure the plane leaves and arrives safely and on schedule.

You would direct the work of the aircraft crew during the flight and take charge to lead the team calmly in an emergency.

You would:

Carry out pre-flight checks of instruments, engines and fuel
Make sure that all safety systems are working properly
Work out the best route based on weather reports and other information from air traffic control
Follow airport approach and landing instructions from air traffic control
Check flight data and make adjustments to suit weather changes
Keep passengers and crew informed about journey progress
Write flight reports after landing, including about any aircraft or flight path problems

If you pilot a small plane you might help to load and unload luggage or cargo.

On flights taking a short amount of time - short haul flights - you would normally work in a two-person team with a pilot (captain) and co-pilot (first officer).

On long haul flights, you would often also have a flight engineer on board, who would check the instruments. You would need to be able to read maps and 3D displays.

You might also work in other areas of aviation, such as crop spraying, flight testing and flight training.

railroad conductor

You would issue tickets to rail passengers and make sure that their journey is safe and comfortable.

You would:

Check the carriages are clean before the start of a journey
Make sure equipment, doors and controls are working properly
Walk through carriages during the journey, checking tickets and travel documents
Answer passengers' questions about routes, arrival times and connections
Make announcements over the public address system
Make sure passengers get on and off the train safely
Deal with unexpected delays or emergencies such as a passenger falling ill
Write reports on any delays or issues that occur

It would be important to have a good understanding of rail regulations, safety procedures, fares and timetables.

traffic analyst

You will look at the impact of large and small scale transport issues on the public. This could be a village bypass proposal, or road safety measures outside a school.

You will plan and advise on transport policies for new systems and on improvements to existing ones.

Your day-to-day duties could include:

Simulating transport problems using computer models to work out solutions
Analysing and interpreting data from transport studies
Forecasting the impact of new developments like shopping centres
Looking at schemes to manage traffic, like congestion charging or parking controls
Studying accident 'black spots' to design road safety improvements
Writing reports for funding bids and planning authorities
Acting as an expert witness during public enquiries

You will also encourage people to use their cars less and walk, cycle or use public transport.

travel coordinator

You would book trips, sell holiday packages and give advice to help make travel easier for people.

You could be based in a high street travel agent or a call centre.

You would:

Help customers to find a package holiday or plan independent travel
Check the holiday availability by phone or computer
Make bookings using a computer
Collect deposits and fill in booking forms
Contact customers when their tickets arrive, and collect final payments
Tell customers about any changes such as cancelled flights, and arrange an alternative
Advise customers about passports, travel insurance, visas, vaccinations and tours
Arrange refunds and handle complaints

You might also manage travel for business people. You would deal with documents, tickets, car hire and accommodation.

taxi driver

You would pick up passengers and take them to their destination by the quickest and safest route.

Taxis are an important part of any town or city's transport system. Taxis can be either a ‘black cab' or a licensed saloon car. Both types have a licence plate and roof sign that states they are a taxi.

The other type of passenger transport around town is a private hire vehicle that runs through an operator.

When working in a taxi or private hire vehicle, you would:

Take job details over the radio from the operator at the office or by an in-car computer
Help to load and unload passengers' luggage
Help passengers to get in and out of the vehicle if needed
Take payments
Keep the vehicle clean and roadworthy
Keep accounts and records, if self-employed

As a taxi driver you might be booked in advance, wait on an official taxi rank or pick up passengers while on the move, for example in a busy shopping area.

If you work as a private hire driver you would only collect passengers that have pre-booked through your operator. You cannot be flagged down in the street.

You could combine normal 'pick-up' jobs with contract work such as school runs. You might also make longer-distance trips such as taking people to airports, or to and from concerts in other towns.

van driver

You would collect goods, load them into a van and deliver them to customers on time.

You could deliver a wide range of items, for example:

Supermarket shopping orders
Furniture
Domestic appliances like washing machines and fridges
Money, for example a company’s wages

You would:

Collect goods from a depot, warehouse or pick-up point
Load the vehicle in a order that matches the deliveries that you will make
Plan the route to make sure that deliveries are made on time
Unload goods at the right addresses
Get signatures for goods and give invoices when you deliver
Update delivery records, often using a hand-held computer
Return undelivered items to your base
Record mileage and the fuel that you buy
Complete record sheets and paperwork

Your vehicle could vary in size, depending on the load and your licence. Many vans are 3.5 tonnes or less, but you might also drive vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes.

If you work for a security firm and deliver valuables or cash, you would drive a specially adapted van with a time-lock safe and other security features.

yard person

You might work for a construction supplier, in a road haulage depot, a retail distribution centre or factory warehouse.

Your day-to-day duties could include:

Loading and unloading delivery vehicles by hand or with a forklift truck
Sorting and grading stock
Moving supplies to storage areas
Picking and packing orders
Dealing with customers