A trucking career can involve much more than simply driving a truck. Trucking, or the transportation operations industry, can cover a wide range of career opportunities. Consider, for example, the definition given to transportation operations by Industry Canada: “The trucking sector consists of those companies that move goods by means of road transport (carriers). It includes firms that undertake the transport of goods for compensation (for-hire carriers), the trucking operations of firms that maintain their own fleets of vehicles (private carriers), and the business of owner-operators who haul trailers or other equipment using their own trucks (either leased or owned).”

This definition illustrates the sheer breadth and scope of the transport operations industry and hints at the numerous job titles and functions it encompasses, including:

• Operations Manager
• Local Dispatcher
• Highway Dispatcher
• Driver Manager/Trainer/Recruiter
• Load Planner
• Safety & Compliance Officer
• Representative
• Log Book Auditor
• Fleet Maintenance
• Loss Prevention Administrator
• Warehouse Supervisor
• Customer Service Rep
• Sales

These trucking careers all have very different earning potential, though generally speaking, starting salaries in the transportation operations industry are quite high. Graduates from the Dispatching and Transportation Operations Program are well positioned to take advantage of the high demand for trained graduates, and may be hired by major transportation companies.