Transportation: Schools and Careers

About Transportation

The field of transportation encompasses a broad range of specialized positions that are responsible for moving goods as well as people via surface roads and in the air. Airlines transport passengers and freight via regularly scheduled routes or on "charters" which are designed for a group of travelers or goods. Companies who transport cargo via trucks provide a link between manufacturers of goods and consumers who needs these items. Businesses and individuals contract with trucking and warehousing companies to transport and deliver items including food, household items, cars, and many other items. The trucking industry includes freight trucking and warehousing and storage. Buses and trains also transport passengers for commuting and traveling purposes. These buses and trains are operated by local, state, and federal governments as well as private businesses.

An individual who works in the transportation field can hold a variety of jobs during their career. The Occupations in the transportation industry vary for air, truck, and bus transportation however many of the main categories of Transportation include:

• Management of storage, distribution, human resources, training, and labor relations
• Operations including airline pilots (including commercial pilots), copilots, and flight engineers, truck drivers (heavy duty, tractor-trailer, and deliver truck drivers and bus drivers
• Service providers who work directly with passengers or cargo such as flight attendants, baggage and cargo/materials handlers, packers
• Office & Administrative Support including customer service representatives, reservations and ticket agents, cargo and freight agents, stock and office clerks, and dispatchers
• Installation, maintenance, and repair technicians ensure that the truck, tractor-trailer, bus, or airplane is in top operating condition

The principle tasks for individuals who work in the transportation field vary but all require these individuals to work together to produce the end result or successful outcome of moving cargo/freight or passengers from one destination or point to another. While each occupation in the transportation field has unique skill and education requirements they all share common traits or characteristics in order for someone to be successful in their chosen field:

• Strong customer service skills
• Attention to detail
• Aptitude for geography and ability to read maps/charts
• Specialized knowledge and abilities in:
• management, finance, and administration
• mechanics and engineering
• electronics and computers

Transportation Career Education

The education required for a career in transportation varies greatly. All positions require a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. There is a new emphasis on post high school training for non-skilled positions due to the increasing use of technology in this industry. Nearly all aspects of air and ground transportation involve the use of computers and information management systems.

As the need for busses, trucks and aircraft to be in proper working condition to maintain the operators and passengers safety is of paramount importance, most bus, truck and aircraft equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers complete programs in diesel mechanics offered by community/junior colleges or vocational/technical schools. Many aircraft mechanics will attend programs offered by schools that specialize in the airline industry. Those mechanics with no training can sometimes learn on the job and often start their careers as assistants to mechanics performing basic chores. As bus, truck and aircraft engines become increasingly more complex employers will require post-high school training in order for mechanics to successfully complete their daily work.

Office and other support workers perform the operations necessary to move passengers and cargo from one location to their correct destination in an efficient, safe, and cost-effective manner. Positions such as dispatcher, reservations, shipping and receiving, customer service, and administrative require people who are deadline and detail-oriented and have good customer service skills. Although these positions do not require formal training certificate programs from a technical school or community college will help an applicant get the job and also advance in their chosen career more rapidly. This post-high school training will also enable the worker to more effectively use the sophisticated computer software systems required of their positions.

Managerial positions in transportation, human resources, training, and other specialties traditionally require at least an associate degree or other more advanced degree. Management, finance, and business programs can be taken at community colleges or four-year universities. Managers working in the logistics functions of the transportation field can study at one of several universities that offer undergraduate and graduate programs in logistics. After successful completion of these programs managers have the tools necessary to oversee the distribution of goods and products and the transportation of people via airplane, bus, or train.

In order to become a train conductor or bus driver transporting goods or people applicants must meet all requirements for their state as well as the U.S. Department of Transportation. Minimum qualifications vary but may include age restrictions, vision and hearing standards, the ability to speak and read English, as well as the proper licenses. Training programs to be a commercial truck or bus driver (commercial or government run transportation) are important for the standardized instruction that is provided.

Airplane pilots (commercial, charter, and private), co-pilots, and flight engineers must complete rigorous training at a school or university that offers specialized programs in flight operations. These programs require a minimum number of flight hours, successful completion of classes and testing, and take a number of years to complete.

Schools for Transportation are listed in the column to the left.

The Subcategories tab lists career specialties for Transportation, each of which has a full page profile on the site.

The Find Schools tab lets you search for schools by field of study, degree level, and location.

The Videos tab lets you watch videos describing many of the career specialties for Transportation.