Transport Planner

job Title: Transport Planner

Location: Matlock, Derbyshire (Curzon Lodge Transport Hub)

Salary: £35,000 – £40,000 per annum

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

About the Company & Role

Longcliffe Quarries Limited is a leading independent, family-owned mineral processing company that has supplied over one million tonnes of high-purity limestone products annually across the UK for nearly 100 years. We are seeking a proactive Transport Planner to join our busy office and manage the daily route scheduling for our specialized, 24/7 in-house fleet. This is a fast-paced desk where 95% of customer orders require next-day or same-day delivery.

Hours & Shift Pattern

• Standard Shift: Typically 08:00 to 17:00 daily.
• Working Week: Most likely Monday to Friday (5 days working, 2 days off).

Key Responsibilities

• Route Planning: Daily routing and scheduling for an in-house fleet of over 40 bulk powder tankers and heavy tippers.
• Backhaul Optimization: Actively secure third-party return loads to maximize vehicle use and minimize unprofitable empty miles.
• Driver Allocation: Coordinate daily shift rotas, start times, and activities for approximately 70 transport staff.
• Real-Time Tracking: Monitor live deliveries using our in-house tracking systems and maintain constant driver communication.
• Contamination Control: Follow strict loading matrices to eliminate product mixing risks across our high-purity powder fleet.
• Compliance Management: Ensure all scheduled routes comply with Drivers’ Hours rules, Working Time Directives, and FORS Gold standards.
• Problem Solving: Quickly resolve traffic delays and navigate heavy assets around local weight or height restrictions.

Experience & Skills Required

• Transport Office Background: Proven experience working as a planner in a fast-paced transport environment is essential.
• Sector Knowledge: Prior experience planning heavy tippers, bulk aggregates, or powder tankers is highly preferred.
• Tipper & Backhaul Skills: Ideally possesses tipper experience (routing trucks into construction sites/quarries) and backhaul experience (booking return loads).
• Compliance Literacy: Solid working knowledge of HGV compliance, driver regulations, and tachograph rules.
• Geographical Awareness: Strong UK geographical knowledge to safely plan routes for heavy vehicle assets.
• Communication & IT: Great communication skills for managing driver relations and confidence using transport planning software.