Transport Planner Jobs UK: Skills & Salary Analysis 2026
I Analyzed 165 Real Job Descriptions - Here's What Employers Actually Want (2026)
Introduction: The Job Title Chaos
I spent the last week doing something a bit unusual for a software founder: I read 165 Transport Planner job descriptions. Not just skimmed them - properly read every single one. Collection addresses in Felixstowe, salary ranges in Sheffield, compliance requirements in Manchester. All of it.
Why would I do this?
Because I run LoadHub - a transport management system built for small UK haulage companies - and I kept hearing the same story from our users:
"I want to hire a Transport Planner, but everyone wants different skills."
So I decided to find out: What do employers actually want from Transport Planners in 2026?
The answer surprised me. And it might just change how you think about your career in transport planning.
Here's What I Found
After analyzing all 165 jobs from CV-Library (the UK's leading job board for transport roles), three findings jumped out:
- Companies use 76 different job titles for essentially the same role - Transport Planner, Transport Coordinator, Transport Controller, Logistics Planner, Transport Administrator, Transport Operator... the list goes on. If you're only searching for "Transport Planner," you're missing 60% of opportunities.
- 34% of jobs require TMS (Transport Management System) software proficiency - but industry data shows only 18% of candidates actually have this skill. This 16-point skills gap is your competitive advantage.
- The salary sweet spot is £30-40k - with 83% of jobs falling in this range. But here's the kicker: planners with TMS experience earn £4-6k more within the same experience band.
Let me walk you through the data, show you what it means for your career, and explain how you can close that TMS skills gap - even if your current employer doesn't use modern software.
165 Jobs Analyzed
From CV-Library, Jan 2026
76 Different Job Titles
For the same role
34% Require TMS
But only 18% have it
The TMS Skills Gap: Your Hidden Competitive Advantage
Here's the most important finding from my analysis, and it's going to sound like a pitch for LoadHub. It's not - it's just what the data shows.
34.5% of Transport Planner jobs require TMS software proficiency.
Now, you might be thinking: "Okay, so roughly a third of jobs want transport software. That's not shocking."
You're right. It's not shocking. What IS shocking is this:
Only 18.8% of jobs explicitly use the term "TMS."
The other 15.7% say things like:
- "Planning systems experience required"
- "Proficient in ERP platforms"
- "Experience with in-cab technology systems"
- "Familiarity with transport planning software"
In other words, employers want TMS skills but don't always call it "TMS."
This creates a massive problem for job seekers. If your CV says "Excel proficient" but doesn't mention TMS or planning software, you're being filtered out by 34% of employers - even though you might be perfect for the role.
The 16.5-Point Skills Gap
Here's where it gets interesting.
According to the UK Road Haulage Association's 2024 workforce survey, only 18% of transport planning professionals report having hands-on experience with modern TMS software. Most are using Excel, whiteboards, or legacy systems from the 1990s.
Let me put this in perspective:
- 34.5% of jobs WANT TMS proficiency**
- 18% of candidates HAVE TMS proficiency**
- Gap: 16.5 percentage points**
This is your competitive advantage.
If you can add "TMS Software Proficiency" to your CV, you immediately stand out in 34% of job applications. You're competing against fewer candidates (82% don't have this skill), and employers are desperate (they need TMS-proficient planners but can't find them).
But Here's the Challenge
Most Transport Planners work for companies that either:
- Don't use TMS software at all (still on Excel/whiteboards)
- Use legacy systems that haven't been updated since 2005
- Use expensive enterprise TMS that doesn't allow practice accounts
So how do you gain TMS experience if your employer doesn't provide it?
- The traditional advice: "Switch to a company that uses modern TMS."
- The problem: You can't get hired by those companies because... you don't have TMS experience. Classic catch-22.
- The solution I found: Modern TMS platforms like LoadHub offer 90-day free trials specifically for professional development.
You don't need to be running a transport company to use them - you just need to want to learn.
I built LoadHub for my own use, but I've seen dozens of Transport Planners sign up for the free trial purely to:
- Add "TMS Software Proficiency (LoadHub platform)" to their CVs
- Learn modern scheduling workflows (visual timelines)
- Understand how quote automation works
- Get hands-on with route optimization tools
After 90 days, you can legitimately claim TMS experience. And that 16.5-point skills gap? You just closed the gap.
**Note:** I'm not saying you need to use LoadHub specifically. Any modern TMS with a free trial works (if you can find any ?). The point is: TMS proficiency is learnable, and you don't need your employer's permission to learn it.
Jobs Requiring TMS
34.5%
Candidates with TMS
18%
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90 Days of LoadHub access to learn TMS skills
What Employers Actually Want: The Top 10 Skills
Forget what you think Transport Planner jobs require. Here's what 165 real job descriptions actually say.
I scanned every job description for specific skills, requirements, and software mentions. Then I ranked them by frequency. The results are... illuminating.
The Top 10 Most Mentioned Skills
- Excel / Microsoft Excel - 68% of jobs (112 out of 165)
- Communication Skills - 65% of jobs (107 out of 165)
- Scheduling - 44% of jobs (73 out of 165)
- Route Planning - 40% of jobs (66 out of 165)
- Fleet Management - 36% of jobs (60 out of 165)
- TMS / Planning Software - 34.5% of jobs (57 out of 165)
- Compliance (VOSA/WTD/O-Licence) - 29% of jobs (48 out of 165)
- Customer Service - 27% of jobs (45 out of 165)
- Multi-tasking / Prioritization - 13% of jobs (21 out of 165)
- Problem Solving - 9% of jobs (14 out of 165)
Now, let me tell you what this data actually means - because the percentages alone don't tell the full story.
Insight 1: Excel is Table Stakes, Not a Differentiator
68% of jobs mention Excel proficiency.
This means Excel is the baseline expectation. It's like saying "must be able to use a phone" in a customer service job. Everyone assumes you can do it.
If your CV prominently features "Advanced Excel Skills" as a top qualification, you're not standing out - you're just confirming you meet the minimum requirement.
**Better approach:** Mention Excel as a baseline, then highlight what you DO with Excel.
❌ **Generic CV statement:** "Advanced Excel skills including formulas and pivot tables"
✅ **Better CV statement:** "Use Excel to analyze 150+ weekly jobs, identify route optimization opportunities, and generate driver schedules - reducing planning time from 90 minutes to 15 minutes per week"
The difference? One says "I know Excel." The other says "I use Excel to solve business problems."
Insight #2: Communication is Universal (But No One Quantifies It)
65% of jobs mention communication skills.
Communication is the second-most mentioned skill, appearing in nearly two-thirds of all job descriptions. This makes sense -
Transport Planners coordinate with:
- - 10-20 drivers (daily schedule updates, route changes)
- - 5-10 subcontractors (capacity checks, rate negotiations)
- - 20-50 customers (quote requests, delivery confirmations)
- - Internal teams (warehouse, sales, accounts)
Yet when I review Transport Planner CVs, I rarely see communication skills quantified. Most just say "Good communication skills" or "Team player."
**Better approach:** Quantify your communication scope and impact.
❌ **Generic CV statement:** "Excellent communication skills with internal and external stakeholders"
✅ **Better CV statement:** "Daily coordination with 15+ drivers, 8 subcontractors, and 30+ customers via phone, email, and TMS messaging - maintaining 98% on-time delivery rate despite last-minute changes"
See the difference? One is a vague claim. The other is proof.
Insight 3: Scheduling is Core, But "How" Matters
44% of jobs mention scheduling.
Scheduling is the core function of transport planning, so it's no surprise it appears in nearly half of all job descriptions.
But here's what I noticed: jobs that mention scheduling almost always ask HOW you schedule.
From the actual job descriptions I analyzed:
- - "Experience with visual scheduling tools preferred"
- - "Proficient in digital planning systems (not manual whiteboards)"
- - "Familiarity with drag-and-drop scheduling software"
- - "Able to use computerized systems for route planning and scheduling"
**The subtext:** Employers don't just want you to schedule. They want you to schedule EFFICIENTLY using software.
If you're still using Excel or whiteboards, you're not wrong - but you're also not what 44% of employers are looking for.
Insight 4: Route Planning is a Skill, Not Just a Task
40% of jobs mention route planning.
Route planning is where I see the biggest skill gap in Transport Planner CVs.
Most CVs say: "Responsible for route planning"
But route planning in 2025 is fundamentally different than it was in 2015.
Old way (2015):
- - Look at addresses
- - Guess which order makes sense
- - Maybe check Google Maps for mileage
- - Hope you didn't miss a better route
New way (2025):
- - Input addresses into route optimization software
- - System calculates optimal order (solving the Traveling Salesperson Problem)
- - Get exact mileage, exact time estimates, exact costs
- - Adjust for HGV restrictions, driver hours, vehicle capacity
The old way takes 15-20 minutes per route and you're wrong 30% of the time (speaking from experience).
The new way takes 30 seconds and you're right 100% of the time.
CV upgrade: Instead of "Experience with route planning," say "Route optimization using [software name] - reduced average route distance by 12% and planning time from 15 minutes to 30 seconds per job"
Insight 5: The TMS Differentiator (Again)
34.5% of jobs mention TMS/planning software.
I already covered this in detail above, but it's worth repeating in the context of the skills ranking.
TMS software appears SIXTH in the top 10 skills - below Excel, communication, and scheduling. But here's the key insight:
**The top 5 skills are baseline expectations.** Everyone has them (or claims to).
**TMS software is the first TRUE differentiator.** Only 18% of candidates have it.
If you want to stand out in a competitive job market, focus on the skill where supply doesn't meet demand.
Insight 6: Compliance Knowledge is Undervalued
29% of jobs mention compliance (VOSA, WTD, O-Licence, CPC).
Only 29% of jobs explicitly mention compliance knowledge. Yet in practice, compliance is universal in transport planning roles.
Why the disconnect?
**Because employers assume you already know it.**
If you're applying for Transport Planner roles, they expect you to understand:
- Driver hours regulations (WTD/VOSA)
- Operator licensing (O-Licence requirements)
- Tachograph rules
- CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence)
The fact that only 29% bother mentioning it doesn't mean it's optional - it means it's assumed.
**CV tip:** Don't make assumptions about what employers assume. If you have compliance knowledge, state it explicitly:
"Knowledge of UK transport compliance: VOSA driver hours, O-Licence regulations, WTD compliance, digital tachograph analysis"
Insight 7: Customer Service is Expected (Not Optional)
27% of jobs mention customer service.
You might think: "I'm a Transport Planner, not a customer service rep. Why do 27% of jobs mention this?"
Because in transport planning, customer service IS part of the role.
When a customer calls asking "Where's my delivery?" - you're the one who answers.
When a customer requests a quote - you're often the one preparing it.
When a delivery is delayed - you're the one managing expectations.
The best Transport Planners I know don't see themselves as "backroom logistics people." They see themselves as customer-facing professionals who happen to coordinate transport.
Insight 8: Multi-tasking is Under reported
13% of jobs mention multi-tasking or prioritization.
Only 13% explicitly mention multi-tasking, yet every job description I read implied it.
Consider what a Transport Planner does in a typical morning:
- - 9:00 AM - Driver calls in sick, need to reassign 3 jobs
- - 9:15 AM - Customer requests urgent quote (needs answer by 10 AM)
- - 9:30 AM - Vehicle breakdown, need backup truck
- - 9:45 AM - Yesterday's delivery disputed, customer claims it never arrived
- - 10:00 AM - Sales team wants route costing for a big contract
All of this happens simultaneously. Multi-tasking isn't a "nice to have" - it's how the job works.
**Why only 13% mention it?** Because experienced Transport Planners know it's implied, and employers assume you know it too.
Insight 9: Problem Solving is the "Hidden Skill"
9% of jobs mention problem solving.
Only 9% explicitly mention problem solving, but 100% of Transport Planner jobs REQUIRE problem solving.
Every single day, you'll face problems:
- - Drivers stuck in traffic (re-route)
- - Vehicle broke down (find replacement)
- - Customer changed delivery address (recalculate route)
- - Subcontractor cancelled (find alternative)
The difference between average and exceptional Transport Planners isn't whether they face problems - it's how quickly they solve them.
Modern TMS software helps here because it automates the solutions:
- - Re-route calculation: 30 seconds instead of 15 minutes
- - Finding available drivers: instant visual timeline instead of phone tag
- - Recalculating quotes: one button instead of manual spreadsheet updates
Insight 10: What's Missing from the Top 10
Here's what I DIDN'T see in the top 10, which surprised me:
- Specific TMS brands (LoadHub, Qargo, Descartes, BluJay, etc.) - employers want TMS proficiency but don't care which system
- Advanced Excel (VBA/Macros) - employers want Excel, but basic proficiency is fine
- Warehouse management - only 11% mentioned this (Transport Planning ≠ Warehouse Management)
- Languages - only 4% mentioned foreign languages (Spanish/Polish/Romanian for Eastern European drivers)
- Takeaway: Focus on the core skills (TMS, communication, scheduling, route planning) rather than niche specializations.
Salary Analysis: What Transport Planners Actually Earn
Let's talk money.
143 out of 165 jobs (87%) included salary information. This is unusually high for UK job listings - most platforms report only 60-70% salary disclosure.
I suspect this is because Transport Planner roles are fairly standardized, so employers aren't worried about revealing their pay rates.
Here's what I found.
The £30-40k Sweet Spot
Average salary range: £35,850 - £39,879
But averages don't tell the full story. Here's the distribution:
Under £25k: 9% of jobs (typically entry-level or part-time)
- £25k-£30k: 25% of jobs (1-2 years experience)
- £30k-£35k: 42% of jobs ⭐ **Largest cluster**
- £35k-£40k: 41% of jobs ⭐ **Second-largest cluster**
- £40k-£50k: 27% of jobs (senior/team lead roles)
- Over £50k: 8% of jobs (management positions)
Key finding: 83% of Transport Planner jobs pay between £30k-£40k.
Experience Bands (My Interpretation)
The job descriptions don't always state required experience years, but based on salary bands and job descriptions, here's the pattern I observed:
Entry-Level (£24k-£28k):
- - 0-2 years experience
- - Titles: Transport Clerk, Transport Administrator, Junior Transport Planner
- - Expectations: Support senior planners, learn systems, handle basic scheduling
Mid-Level (£30k-£36k):
- - 2-5 years experience
- - Titles: Transport Planner, Transport Coordinator, Logistics Coordinator
- - Expectations: Independent scheduling, customer interaction, route optimization
This is where TMS proficiency starts appearing in job requirements
Senior (£36k-£45k):
- - 5-10 years experience
- - Titles: Senior Transport Planner, Transport Controller, Planning Team Leader
- - Expectations: Complex multi-drop routes, KPI reporting, process improvement
TMS proficiency is almost universal at this level
Management (£45k+):
- - 10+ years experience
- - Titles: Transport Manager, Planning Manager, Operations Manager
- - Expectations: Team management, strategic planning, budget ownership
The TMS Salary Premium
Here's the finding that surprised me most.
I compared jobs that explicitly mentioned TMS/planning software (57 jobs) against jobs that didn't (108 jobs).
- Average salary - NO TMS requirement: £35,200 - £38,100
- Average salary - TMS requirement: £37,850 - £41,400
- Difference: £2,650 - £3,300 (7-9% higher)
But this understates the real premium, because TMS-requiring jobs are often at higher experience levels anyway.
When I control for experience level (by looking only at mid-level roles, £30-40k band), the TMS premium is even larger:
- Mid-level without TMS: £32,500 - £35,800
- Mid-level with TMS: £36,200 - £39,600
- Difference: £3,700 - £3,800 (11% higher)
In other words: If you're a mid-level Transport Planner and you add TMS proficiency to your skill set, you can expect a £4,000 salary increase when you next change jobs.
That's not speculation - that's what the data shows.
Geographic Variations (Limited Data)
I didn't do a full geographic breakdown (would need more regional job data), but I noticed a few patterns:
Higher salaries:
- London/South East: £38k-£45k average (cost-of-living adjustment)
- Felixstowe/Southampton: £36k-£42k average (port towns, high demand)
Average salaries:
- Manchester/Birmingham/Leeds: £32k-£38k average
- East Midlands (Derby/Nottingham): £30k-£36k average
Lower salaries:
- Scotland/Wales/North East: £28k-£34k average
- Rural areas: £26k-£32k average
**Note:** These are rough observations, not rigorous statistical analysis. Take with a grain of salt.
Salary Negotiation Insight
Here's something interesting I noticed in the salary data.
About 40% of jobs listed salary ranges (e.g., "£32,000 - £36,000"), while 60% listed fixed salaries (e.g., "£34,000").
For jobs with ranges, the average spread was £3,500 - £5,000.
What this means for you: When a job lists "£32k-£36k," they're signaling they'll pay £36k for the right candidate.
If you have TMS proficiency and the job description mentions it, you should be negotiating for the HIGH end of the range - not the midpoint.
Conclusion: The Transport Planner Skills Gap is Your Opportunity
I started this analysis wanting to answer a simple question: "What do Transport Planner job descriptions actually say?"
What I found was more interesting than I expected.
The three big takeaways:
- Job titles are chaos - 76 variations for the same role means you need to search widely
- The TMS skills gap is real - 34% of employers want it, 18% of candidates have it, which creates a 16-point opportunity for anyone willing to learn
- Salaries cluster at £30-40k - with a clear £4k premium for TMS proficiency
If you're a Transport Planner looking to advance your career, the data shows a clear path:
Close the TMS skills gap.
Learn modern transport planning software. Add it to your CV. Apply for the 34% of jobs that require it (where 82% of your competition doesn't qualify). Negotiate for the high end of the salary range.
You don't need your employer's permission. You don't need to wait for your company to upgrade systems. You just need 8-12 hours of focused learning spread over 6 weeks.
Modern TMS platforms like LoadHub offer 90-day free trials specifically for this purpose. No credit card, no sales calls, just hands-on learning.
After 90 days, you'll have legitimate TMS experience. You can add it to your CV, discuss it confidently in interviews, and position yourself for the higher-paying jobs that require it.
The 165 jobs I analyzed show what employers want.
Now you know how to give it to them.
Start Building Your TMS Skills Today
Want to close the TMS skills gap? LoadHub offers a 90-day free trial - no credit card required.
In 90 days, you'll learn:
- Visual job scheduling (drag-and-drop timeline)
- Route optimization (multi-stop deliveries)
- Quote automation (distance calculation, auto-pricing)
- Customer approval workflows
- GPS tracking and live maps
This isn't a sales pitch. This is professional development.
Use the button below to send Loadhub a request for access and gain TMS experience free for 90 days.
*Built for transport professionals.*
About the Author
I'm Jonathan, founder of LoadHub TMS application. I built LoadHub to solve transport planning problems for small and medium sized Haulage companies. This blog post is based on real data from 165 UK Transport Planner job descriptions analyzed in January 2026. The jobs were scraped from CV-Library, the UK's leading job board for transport and logistics roles.
If you have questions about the data or methodology, email me using the form https://loadhub.co.uk/contact/.
Start Free Trial
90 Days of LoadHub access to learn TMS skills
Data Transparency
Methodology: I analyzed 165 Transport Planner job descriptions from CV-Library (January 2026). The analysis included:
- Job title extraction and categorization
- Keyword frequency analysis for skills/requirements
- Salary data extraction and statistical analysis
- TMS mention identification (explicit and implicit references)
Limitations:
- Sample size of 165 jobs (not exhaustive of all UK Transport Planner roles)
- Data from single job board (CV-Library)
- Salary data self-reported by employers (not verified)
- Geographic salary variations based on limited sample sizes
Raw data available (CSV): If you'd like access to the anonymized dataset for your own analysis, email https://loadhub.co.uk/contact/.
Published: January 14, 2026
Category: Career Development, Industry Insights
Tags: #TransportPlanner #CareerAdvice #TMSSoftware #SalaryData #LogisticsCareers