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ADMINISTRATION
 Just
like any other industry, the administration component of a
trucking company plays an important role. Just as operations
keeps the trucks rolling, the administration function keeps the
business rolling. The people behind the scenes play a critical
role in keeping the business functional and solvent.
Administrative responsibilities range from sales and marketing,
payroll, accounting and human resource management to the more
trucking specific roles in licensing and sales and fuel tax
functions.
Click on any of the job categories below for more information
on each role.
Business training at a community college or university is a
great place to start for many senior administrative positions.
However, given the unique needs of the trucking industry,
on-the-job learning opportunities are plentiful in the trucking
industry.
For many entry-level positions, a high school diploma is
sufficient.
Accountant /
Bookkeeper / Controller
The accounting and bookkeeping function plays an important role
in a highway transportation company. While the trucks are
responsible for keeping the freight rolling, the accounting
staff is must keep the business rolling. Accounts receivable
personnel ensure that money owed to the company is paid and that
invoices and receipts are kept accurate. Accounts payable
personnel ensure that vendors are paid correctly and on time so
that the company can continue to purchase necessary operating
supplies such as fuel, insurance, and equipment parts and
accessories. Controllers or Accounting Managers liaise with
banks and finance companies to ensure that there is always an
accurate financial picture available on which to base financial
decisions.
Payroll Administrator
A payroll administrator is responsible for ensuring that staff
payroll functions are accurately executed. The trucking industry
offers its own set of unique challenges. While hourly and salary
positions in trucking are handled no differently than other
industries, the way that drivers are paid can vary
significantly. For example, they can be paid by the hour, by the
kilometre, for each pick-up and delivery, or any combination of
these. Payroll administrators are also responsible for making
sure that the appropriate tax deductions are made and remitted
to the government. In addition, other responsibilities can also
include handling workers' compensation and health insurance
benefits packages.
Billing
All loads that are shipped must be “rated” by a carrier in
order to determine what to charge shippers for transporting
their product for them. Criteria used to set the rate include:
points of origin and destination, the shipment’s weight and
density, the shipment’s volume, equipment requirements, load
protection requirements, delivery time demands and the volume of
business generated by a particular customer. Billing personnel
must ensure that the appropriate rate is charged for all
shipments. Many companies offer evening and part-time billing
clerk positions since this function does not have to be done
during normal business hours.
Customer Service
Representative
Trucking is a service-based industry, which means that carriers
do not have tangible products to differentiate themselves in the
marketplace. Therefore, it's the people and customer service
that make the difference. In any highway transportation company,
the customer service representative (CSR) plays an important
part in achieving long-term success. The CSR's job is to
interact with customers on a daily basis. The CSR is responsible
for booking new shipments, following up on customer inquiries
and dealing with customers to sort out freight claims which can
consist of missing or damaged freight. It's the CSR's
responsibility to keep customers satisfied so that shipping
companies will keep coming back.
Licensing/Permitting
This function is unique to the trucking industry. Since
trucking companies seldom operate solely in one province,
companies need to ensure that trucks and tractor-trailer units
are appropriately licensed for each jurisdiction in which it
travels. Each province or state may impose additional
requirements such as road or highway use taxes, which must be
calculated and remitted, based on vehicle mileage records. When
licensing vehicles, trucking companies need to know in advance
where the vehicle will travel, and what the maximum weight it is
expected to carry, since license fees are generally based on the
vehicle's total weight. Since many trucking companies contract
with owner-operators for driving services and equipment, the
licensing and permitting function is also responsible for
licensing and de-licensing these vehicles on an ongoing basis.
Since specific courses are typically not available for this
type of work, training is usually provided on-the-job. This
position provides a great opportunity for individuals to learn
about responsibilities in both the administration and operations
areas, and therefore, offers a great platform to launch a career
in trucking.
Sales & Fuel
Tax Administration
Like the Licensing and Permitting function, the job of a
Sales/Fuel Tax Administrator is unique to the trucking industry.
Trucking is not a static business. The industry's assets - its
vehicles - are mobile, and as such, engage in business in each
state or province that they travel in. As a result, trucking
companies are responsible for meeting the various tax
requirements imposed on them by each jurisdiction. This can
include remitting sales tax based on the value of the vehicles
and fuel tax based on how much fuel is consumed by vehicles in
each state or province. In addition, some jurisdictions impose
other business taxes which are based on the extent of a trucking
company's operations in a particular state or province. The
sales/fuel tax administrator is responsible for ensuring that
each jurisdictions tax requirements are met, and that accurate
records are maintained in the event of a compliance audit.
Sales
Every business environment must include a strategy for
generating new sales, as well as for maintaining the existing
client base. In that regard, trucking is no different. However,
unlike selling cars or dishwashers, the trucking industry does
not sell a tangible product. There is nothing to touch or feel.
In the trucking industry, the sales force can only sell a
service. The service, of course, is the service of moving a
shipping companies freight - be it cars, car parts, dishwashers,
cans of food, or computer equipment - from one point to another.
The sales staff must be fully conversant with the company's
equipment, routes, rate structure, service options, and
limitations. Sales personnel are required to generate new
business, and to ensure that the clients' requirements are met.
Marketing
Again, like the sales component, the marketing function offers
unique challenges in the trucking industry. Marketing a service
is very different from marketing a product. People in the
marketing function of a trucking company are faced with the
complex challenge of differentiating the services of his or her
trucking company from that of the competitors. People in the
marketing function have to be innovative, creative, and fully
understand the range of services being offered by the company,
as well as what additional services can be introduced to
strengthen the company's market position.
Human Resources
While the Human Resources or HR function is one of those
functions that is utilized by virtually all industries, again,
trucking offers it own set of unique challenges. The HR function
includes virtually anything that involves human capital - from
ensuring compliance with the appropriate labour, health &
safety, and highway safety laws, to creating an appealing place
to work. The HR function is responsible for the hiring function
which includes recruiting, screening and interviewing, hiring
and orientating new hires. It is also responsible for developing
and enforcing personnel related policies and procedures. Some HR
functions that are specific to the trucking industry include
contracting with owner-operator drivers, developing and
implementing performance-based incentive programs and training
programs, as well as administering the company's drug and
alcohol testing program for drivers (if it has one). While many
of the responsibilities are associated with the driving
function, a full one-quarter to one-third of positions in a
trucking company are non-driving.
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