Freight forwarder: etc., job description, driver, responsibilities, professional standard

Along with the increase in freight transportation volumes in our country, the demand for specialists such as forwarding drivers is increasing. Their responsibilities include organizing the transportation of goods along pre-prepared and agreed upon routes.

In their work, forwarding drivers must take into account many factors and conditions that affect the safe and timely delivery of goods, know the rules for loading and unloading various types of goods to ensure their integrity and safety, and be able to work with transport documents.

In addition, forwarding drivers must have a good knowledge of the structure of trucks and be able to eliminate breakdowns that may occur along the way.

Thus, to work in this specialty, it is not enough to have a license of the appropriate driving category and a certain driving experience.

As for higher education, it is not always required. In this case, preference in employment may be given to candidates who have completed training in the specialties “Technology of Transport Processes” or “Organization of Transportation”.

The profession of a forwarding driver is in demand in manufacturing organizations, in companies operating in the trade sector and in transportation companies. The position of a delivery driver is suitable for those who like to be constantly on the move and communicate with new people.

The salary of forwarding drivers is quite high: depending on the field of activity of the company and the distances over which cargo transportation is carried out, it can vary between 30-120 thousand rubles.

What tasks does a delivery driver perform?

The responsibilities of a delivery driver go beyond simply delivering goods. It must perform various related functions. As a rule, the delivery driver is assigned certain tasks.

This:

transportation of goods along established routes;
participation in the acceptance of cargo at the place of dispatch, checking the compliance of the actual goods and consumable documents;
coordination of loading goods into a vehicle, taking into account compliance with safety standards and uniform load distribution;
monitoring the integrity of product packaging;
control of cargo safety during transportation;
preparation of documentation confirming acceptance and unloading of goods;
monitoring the technical condition of the car, compliance with the rules of its operation;
ensuring optimal conditions for transporting goods.

The forwarding driver must thoroughly know the vehicle he is working on: existing defects, inspection deadlines.

When transporting goods with a limited shelf life or requiring special temperature conditions, the forwarding driver must carefully monitor these parameters.

What does a freight forwarder do?

The word "forwarder" in Latin means "accompanying". A forwarder is a responsible person whose responsibilities include monitoring the movement of cargo along the established route, preparing accompanying documents, insurance, loading procedures, and storage.

The forwarder, as the central link, forms a logistics chain around itself, optimizes costs, and monitors the condition of the cargo, its safety and timely delivery throughout. Also, the responsibilities of the forwarder may include the selection of special transport for dangerous types of cargo or oversized cargo. Compliance with cargo labeling and sealing is also the responsibility of the forwarder.

Delivery driver

Freight forwarding is one of the most popular activities. When a manufacturer ships its products or a customer orders a product, everyone wants the delivery to occur without delays and the product to arrive intact.

Employees of the forwarding company should be well aware of:

how to accept and return goods;
rules for carrying out rigging work;
conditions for storage and transportation of various types of cargo;
standards for downtime of various types of transport during loading and unloading;
Safety regulations and basic principles of labor organization;
technical characteristics of freight transport transporting the objects of the contract;
main cargo transportation routes;
details and addresses of the most important suppliers and the location of their main warehouses;
forms of documents accompanying cargo transportation and other manipulations.

By carrying out forwarding activities in various directions and serving many clients, the forwarder earns wholesale discounts, which influence the reduction of retail prices. Clients prefer to work with large pan-regional firms.

By using their services, cargo owners receive cost reductions and high competitiveness in their segment. Integrated services attract many shippers to cooperate with forwarding firms. Customers appreciate the readiness to assist and willingly use cargo escort services.

The forwarding company is directly interested in ensuring that the order is completed on time and that the cargo is delivered safely.

It is not always possible to be sure that intermediaries will fulfill the agreement in full. It is better to deliver the goods yourself, as specified in the contract.

In his work, the forwarder uses:

Labor regulations of your own company.
Documents that regulate forwarding activities.
Charter of your own company.
Management instructions.
Requirements of the job description.

Features of work organization

When transporting goods, the forwarding driver must have with him:

driver's license (category B, C);
vehicle registration document;
valid insurance policy.

When transporting internationally, the specialist must have a license that allows him to travel internationally. The driver is also required to know the rules in force in the country to which he is traveling.

Each cargo must be accompanied by a certain batch of documentation, the completeness of which the forwarding driver must check before leaving for the route.

The basic package of documents includes:

waybill for the transported cargo;
contract for the carriage of goods;
waybill, invoice;
act of acceptance and transfer of cargo, power of attorney for transportation.

Additionally, various quality certificates and other documents may be needed. In addition to having documents, before leaving, the driver must check the condition of the vehicle and undergo a medical examination.

International transport forwarder

Freight forwarders provide great assistance in transportation between different countries.

Errors in documents may result in a delay in processing the goods. Unexpected costs may arise. Forwarding companies with experience in international transportation accompany the goods during clearance at the border and prepare a package of documents for customs clearance. Inaccuracies at the customs point can cause major troubles. However, competent escorts are able to fulfill the requirements of customs authorities.

To transport cargo across the border, it is necessary

select the appropriate mode of transport,
know the laws and characteristics of states,
create the optimal route for transportation.

In addition, cargo clearance at the border requires knowledge of the intricacies of the customs services of other states.

Only high-class professionals can draw up a logistics chain, taking into account all the clauses of the contract.

Moreover, having handed over his cargo to the forwarder, the cargo owner does not have to worry about anything.

Forwarders working on international lines undergo special training, where they become familiar with customs laws, cargo insurance, and the basics of transport logistics. Knowledge of a foreign language is also desirable.

What requirements must be met?

The delivery driver must meet the following requirements:

have a driver's license of categories B, C;
have an accident-free driving style;
be able to navigate the area in which you will work;
understand the technical condition of vehicles;
have a valid medical certificate;
know the features of transporting large cargo;
thoroughly know the rules of regulations and current legislation in the field of traffic management.

This is the minimum list of requirements that apply to candidates for the relevant positions. Other knowledge and skills are often acquired by specialists during work or in specialized courses.

In addition, many organizations require candidates to have at least one year of work experience in their specialty. So, for example, only those drivers who have sufficient experience and level of responsibility can be hired to work in organizations involved in the transportation of dangerous goods.

Companies engaged in international transportation may require delivery drivers to have knowledge of foreign languages. Also, in some cases, organizations hire specialists with personal cars.

Differences between a freight forwarder and a transport logistician

Forwarding is accompanying cargo along the entire route and minimizing the difficulties associated with this process.

Logistics is a section of the economy that optimizes the movement of goods and services from producers to consumers.

From the definition it becomes obvious that logistics is a broader concept than forwarding. Closer to goods forwarding will be the concept of transport logistics.

Transport logistics involves organizing the transportation of goods from one point to another, with minimal costs along the optimal route. In this case, two different concepts become very similar in essence.

The objectives of transport logistics are:

selection of vehicle type;
drawing up the optimal route;
selection and preparation of cargo storage places along the route;
accurate timing for each operation.

Forwarding tasks include:

search for equipment;
drawing up a route;
paperwork.

At first glance, there are differences in the tasks. But often the actions do not correspond to their qualifications. It follows that it is impossible to draw a clear boundary between these two professions.

Main sections of the job description

When hired, a delivery driver gets acquainted with his job description. It details the future duties, rights and responsibilities of the specialist. As for responsibility, this is one of the most important points in the job description. The forwarding driver is fully responsible for the performance of his duties, including financial responsibility for the transported goods; per vehicle.

The transported cargo must be accepted and delivered intact. That is why the driver must carefully monitor all stages of its acceptance, transportation and unloading.

Freight Forwarder's Responsibility

The degree of responsibility of the freight forwarder is established by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law “On Freight Forwarding Activities”.

Also, the scope of responsibility is determined by the company’s own Charter, Labor Code, safety regulations, sanitary standards, industrial safety rules and other regulations of various departments and laws of the Russian Federation.

The forwarder is responsible for:

non-fulfillment or improper fulfillment of duties defined in the instructions;
violations that occurred during the maintenance of the object;
violations of procedures and rules or improper compliance with them;
causing property and financial damage.

Why should you entrust your cargo to a forwarder?

If you need to transport household items within the city, you can contact a transport company.

You can do the same if you need to deliver a large purchase from another region. In this case, you will not need to solve many issues. All you need is safe delivery.

If needed:

delivery of a large batch
regular deliveries;
goods insurance;
route calculation;
choosing a suitable vehicle;
organization of multimodal transportation;
delivery of cargo across the border;
preparation of related documentation - the services of a freight forwarder will be required for the transportation of goods.

The forwarder will resolve delivery issues if there is no time to find a carrier.

Multimodal transportation is based on the docking of a large number of vehicles and on transshipment operations in the process. A freight forwarder without experience will not be able to create an economical system of actions. Every transport delay on the way will increase the delivery time significantly.

Failure in delivery can cause damage to products; careless actions will lead to equipment breakdown.
Cooperation with little-known companies is fraught with the disappearance of cargo.
Ignorance of the language when organizing deliveries from abroad threatens to conclude an unfavorable contract.
An error in completing documents at customs may result in the confiscation of goods.

By entrusting a multi-level business to a professional forwarding company, you can be sure that optimal solutions will be found. Companies striving for leadership constantly study their operating environment and try to anticipate customer wishes.

After analyzing options for reducing costs, the freight forwarding company will find a solution that will suit both parties to the contract. But only a high-class professional with experience can do this. Professional forwarders will organize delivery at the highest level, save time, and save the shipper’s money.

Transport logistics.

Qualification Requirements

As stated in the DI, a freight forwarder must have primary vocational/secondary education with special training in this profession, and there are no requirements for work experience. If you refer to the Directory of Professions (section of qualification characteristics), then a transport forwarder must have a basic (secondary vocational/incomplete higher) education in the specialty “logistics” or “transport management”. The profession presupposes knowledge of office work at a basic level and possession of the skills to process correspondence, regardless of the means of receiving it. The forwarder needs to know and remember the addresses of regular correspondents; his responsibilities include studying the structure of the forwarding enterprise.

However, in practice, employers are not guided by the presence of a diploma, but by the specific skills of the applicant regarding knowledge of a particular city, driving experience, the ability to plan optimal routes for transported goods, and skills in vehicle maintenance. To put it in more accessible terms, the forwarder can be called a navigator, who sits in the car to the right of the driver, performing purely navigator duties related to accompanying the goods and drawing up the optimal route of movement. However, having a solid driving experience has recently become a significant advantage - a forwarder who can act as a driver if necessary is valued much more.

As for international transportation, the qualification requirements here are much higher - you cannot do without education in the appropriate field and training at the bachelor’s level. An international forwarder is required to study the basics of customs law, know the basic provisions of insurance activities, have professional skills in working with documents, and know and be able to apply in practice the basics of transport logistics. However, having logistics skills will also be useful if you work on domestic routes, although large forwarding companies usually have logistics specialists on their staff. Relevant education can be obtained both at higher educational institutions specializing in transport, and through attending educational programs, trainings and seminars that address issues related to logistics.

https://youtu.be/0o5NQy2qoYo

While studying as inpatients, future freight forwarders study jurisprudence at a basic level, the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation (civil, transport, labor), but special attention is paid to the study of rules and regulations relating to freight transportation itself, state regulation of economic activities in motor transport, methods and methods of organizing freight transportation. Much attention is paid to familiarization with the transport system of large cities.

Attending seminars allows you to keep abreast of the latest innovations in the field of freight forwarding, make connections necessary for work, and gain practical skills in organizing work activities related to freight forwarding.

Rights

By the nature of his activity, the forwarder can:

Be aware of management's orders regarding his activities.
Inform managers about identified shortcomings and suggest ways to improve them.
Receive, with the assistance of the manager, data, documents, information necessary for work.
Involve specialists of other profiles with the permission of management
Request assistance from the company management in carrying out forwarding.
Take part in activities to improve occupational safety and health in the organization.