Private Fleet Route Planner (DC-Topton)

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East Penn is a stable, essential employer, and has been voted one of the Best Places to Work in PA for 20 years!

At East Penn, our employees are our culture; our employees will always be the heart of the company.  We are a private, family-owned enterprise committed to cultivating an atmosphere that honors the contributions of everyone.  We want our employees to have long-term careers, and many do.  More than 38% of our workforce has over a decade of service.  Our open-door management policy, comprehensive benefits package, employee appreciation and recognition events, and career advancement opportunities are just some of the ways we show our employees how incredibly valued they are.

EOE/VEVRAA

East Penn is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  You will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, genetics, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.  

Overview

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Private Fleet Route Planner to join our dynamic Transportation team. This role is critical to optimizing daily delivery routes, ensuring timely, efficient, and cost-effective service to our customers.

The ideal candidate will analyze logistical data, traffic patterns, and customer requirements to develop effective routing strategies that reduce travel time, lower operational costs, and maximize fleet utilization. This position requires strong analytical skills, collaboration with drivers and dispatch teams, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions while proactively resolving routing challenges.

As a key corporate-based role, the Private Fleet Route Planner is responsible for supporting a $70M/year private fleet network, ensuring routes are planned safely and efficiently while maintaining high service levels. Success in this role depends on the ability to achieve the lowest landed cost through the fewest miles driven and the optimal use of fleet assets and driver hours of service.

Responsibilities

• Plan Efficient and service-centric Private Fleet loads and routes within Descartes TMS for one or more shipping locations
• Maximize inbound and outbound trailer utilization during planning cycles
• Balance weekly drivers Hours of Service regulations with planned loads and routes
• Provide feedback and recommendations to management regarding planning constraints or route creation issues
• Actively participate and provide guidance in territory/network design reviews
• Manage flow, sorting, filtering, and processing of Customer Orders (Shipments) within Descartes Transportation Management system (TMS)
• Continuous maintenance of TMS configurations, parameters and data fields
• Actively participate in Plan vs. Actual gap analysis, root cause investigation and implementation of corrective actions and continuous improvement

• Identify potential Common Carrier Loads and LTL shipments within Descartes TMS and plan accordingly

• Provide upstream (plannable but unshipped) customer support and ETA calculations

• Create and maintain smelter schedules and manage appointments

• Maintain all customer, driver, location and equipment data within Descartes TMS database

• Weigh alternative Transportation options and make decisions based on priority/cost implications

• Manage Route/Load/Shipment handoff to DC Operations teams

• Backfill/support Fleet Dispatchers when needed
• Perform other duties as required by management

Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Analytical skills.

• Computer skills including experience with FGMS a plus.

• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strategic and/or critical thinking skills.
• Proficiency in Fleet/Route planning software

• Knowledge of the interactions of the finishing/shipping/transportation departments.

• Flexible working hours.

East Penn Benefits

East Penn offers excellent benefits:

• Competitive compensation
• Group insurance that includes medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage
• 401K savings plan
• Annual bonus
• 9 paid holidays and 10 paid vacation days
• Employee assistance programs
• Fitness Discounts
• Promotional opportunities
• Safety Glasses, Safety Shoes, and Uniform provided or reimbursed by the company.