Transport planners devise ways to manage and improve transportation for people and the transportation of goods. They have to take into account several factors, including the way in which transport may be impacted by things such as the environment, weather and the economy, as well as how transport affects things such as climate change, people, businesses, the economy and the environment. 

Transport Planners work with all modes of transport, including air, rail and road, and can work within the public or private sectors. If you decide to go into a career in transport planning, then you will likely be in an office-based role, working either for the public sector with local authorities and government departments or in the private sector within architectural companies, transport operators or private consultancies. 

Some of the day-to-day tasks of a transport planner include:

The average salary of a transport planner is £30,000 per year, according to the National Careers Service. The starting salary is around £20,000, and senior positions can see you earning up to £44,000. 

The majority of transport planning jobs require a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a related field. Areas related to transport planning include civil engineering, geography, economics, environmental science, mathematics and urban planning. If you have a degree, either in a related subject or in another area, then a postgraduate qualification, such as a master’s degree in Transport Systems, is a great way to get into this career path. 

It is also possible to advance into transport planning by working your way up in the industry without a degree, although this is more challenging. Good A Levels and GCSEs in areas such as maths, business studies and geography are also advantageous.

There are several online courses where you can study for professional qualifications in Transport Planning, and these can also give you an edge over the competition. For example, Geography, Economics and Logistics courses are directly applicable to a career as a transport planner and can help you advance in this career.

Transport planners need a range of key skills in order to be successful in this role. It is essential that you either have or develop the primary skills needed, especially as the strategies you will be devising can have a huge impact on others. 

Some of the primary skills you will need for transportation planner jobs include the following:

In order to develop these skills, you can explore a range of distance learning courses which can be taken online and fit flexibly around your schedule. Supply chain management courses, for example, are a great way to develop the organisational and strategic thinking skills you need. Several supply chain management courses also cover transport planning directly in the transportation of goods. 

Work experience is incredibly useful when it comes to becoming a transport planner. The best way to gain direct experience in this industry is by seeing whether any entry-level roles are available at local transport planning agencies or whether they offer apprenticeships or work placement schemes. Work placement schemes can be particularly useful for those who have no experience working in a transport planning environment. 

If you are unable to secure an entry-level role or work experience, then gaining work experience in other fields can also greatly improve your chances of gaining employment as a transport planner. For example, if you have worked in an office environment or in admin, make sure to highlight the transferable skills you learned during your employment and how these relate to the transport planning environment, such as IT skills, maths skills and communication. 

Working in public transport can also help you develop some of the knowledge you need in the structure of the transportation industry. Gaining a qualification online, alongside developing key transferable work skills, can ensure that you are a prime candidate for the role of a transport planner.

Transport is such a large area and part of our society that there are several roles within transport planning that you can explore, advance to and develop in. Some areas you might choose to explore include transport modelling, sustainable transport, town planning, environmental consultancy, project management or policy development. 

In terms of career progression, there are also plenty of opportunities for professional development, as you can become a senior transport planner, transport manager or traffic engineer. You can go on to lead teams and manage projects, and move from local or regional transport planning to national and international transport planning. You can also manoeuvre within the industry to work in the public or private sector.