This occupation is found in the transport sector, across a range of different types of organisations such as airlines, train operators (overground and underground), bus and coach companies, tram operators and the military. These travel networks span the UK and beyond. Many travel networks cover multiple routes and services that connect to provide integrated travel solutions.
This occupation is found in diverse settings. It includes operators that provide public transport, commercial and military operators. Those working in this occupation help meet a wide range of different transport needs and objectives.
Transport schedulers provide support to key teams such as flight crews or bus drivers. They may be required to work on site, which could include commercial airports, bus/train/tram stations or military bases. They are also found off site in remote offices, a small control location, or a major operations control room.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to help ensure that transport services operate safely, efficiently and effectively by having all the necessary requirements at the right time and place.
Transport schedulers typically plan, review and develop timetables to help network operations meet service delivery requirements. They also plan the rostering of the onboard crew and any support staff that will be needed. They provide support during the live service, which may mean monitoring vehicle/aircraft progress or providing guidance. Finally, they may need to arrange for the resources needed, which could include the vehicle or any parts that are required.
Ultimately, transport schedulers help passengers and customers get to their destinations safely and on time. Transport schedulers therefore play a key role in delivering successful transport operations.
People in this occupation sometimes work normal office hours, but shift work may be expected, particularly where the travel network operates during unsociable hours.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with members of their immediate team and other stakeholders critical to its safe operation such as the onboard crew, crew management, ground staff, engineers and suppliers. Transport schedulers may work independently or as part of a team.
Transport schedulers are responsible for delivering solutions to service stakeholders such as commercial managers and engineering managers and will collaborate with front-line staff and others involved in the scheduling process.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for assessing and arranging the individual needs of travel service. To do this, they may consider (for instance) the vehicle/aircraft type, objective, the systems to be used, parts and repairs, the crew complement, and timing requirements. They may need to source these requirements, which may involve negotiation with stakeholders.
They are responsible for the creation, maintenance, allocation and delivery of timetables, schedules, rosters and diagrams. As well as being compliant, timetables, schedules, rosters and diagrams will be optimised to help meet the organisations objectives.
Transport schedulers typically risk assess and monitor several travel services at the same time. They must maintain safe and compliant operations while also prioritising their work to meet targets. They typically must allocate resources within a financial limit. They are responsible for ensuring all schedules/timetables and any bespoke requirements meet quality standards in line with legislative and organisational operating procedures.
Transport schedulers may be required to capture and analyse a wide range of performance data and information. They use this when reviewing and validating their solutions against existing services, business requirements and contracts, and customer standards. They may make recommendations to senior management on improvements. The kinds of improvements they look at might impact, for instance, customer service, compliance, the environment and sustainability, performance, industrial relations, or safety and financial efficiencies.
Transport schedulers sometimes encounter degraded travel conditions, or unexpected incidents on the route. They may also be required to handle responses in serious emergency situations that can be highly challenging and require rapid analysis and problem-solving to provide alternative travel solutions. They are also expected to provide short-term solutions for planned work, for example providing adjustments while repair work is undertaken.
Transport schedulers are accountable for their own area of work. Effective handovers to team members in the production timeline as well as at the end of a shift are a key feature, that ensures that transport services receive the required support. They typically work to a line manager, who is often a technical expert. They will be required to escalate issues that are beyond their own jurisdiction to their line manager or relevant technical expert.
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Duty 1 Receive and provide other stakeholders with handover data to ensure continuity of planned travel operations. |
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Duty 2 Create the timetable, schedule, roster or diagram to meet objectives in relation to the transport service, contractual requirements, passenger experience and commercial requirements as appropriate. |
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Duty 3 Revise the timetable, schedule, roster or diagram to meet objectives in relation to the transport service, contractual requirements, passenger experience and commercial requirements as appropriate. |
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Duty 4 Operate organisational digital platforms to support the creating, revising and presenting of the timetable, schedule, roster or diagram. |
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Duty 5 Consider the needs of the planned transport service when creating a timetable, schedule, roster or diagram. |
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Duty 6 Arrange access to travel routes and register timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams as required. |
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Duty 7 Allocate resources or slots to travel operations in line with organisational objectives. |
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Duty 8 Ensure timetable, schedule, roster or diagram complies with legislative and sector specific requirements. |
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Duty 9 Monitor and assess transport services performance, providing timely interventions and advice as needed. |
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Duty 10 Respond to prolonged or persistent disruption to transport services. |
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Duty 11 Contribute to supporting situations that occur due to unforeseen circumstances and liaising with key stakeholders. |
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Duty 12 Carry out compliance monitoring, report non-compliance and escalate to the appropriate person or authority. |
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Duty 13 Balance and prioritise own workload, contributing to organisational objectives. |
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Duty 14 Provide evidence-based recommendations that improve operational performance of an individual transport service or the wider travel network. |
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Duty 15 Complete compulsory training. |
K1: Sector and organisational specific handover information, from internal and external stakeholders, for example, crew numbers, crew replacement plans, train plans, planned maintenance activities
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K2: Sector regulations that need to be considered when creating timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams.
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K3: Organisational procedures to create timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams: transport services, contractual, passenger expectation, commercial.
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K4: Sector regulations that need to be considered when revising timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams in the case of special events, or unforeseen circumstances.
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K5: Organisational procedures to revise timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams including sporting events, national and local agreements, weather.
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K6: Organisational digital platforms that are used to create and revise timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams. General data protection regulation (GDPR). Cyber security requirements.
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K7: Methods of presenting timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams, for example, using software platforms, the actual communication to wider external stakeholders.
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K8: Access requirements that are required for travel routes, including access plans, visa and qualification requirements, power types, registration of timetable, schedule, roster or diagram.
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K9: Sector specific legislation and other requirements that must be complied with when creating or revising timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams, for example, union agreements, commercial contracts
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K10: Organisational procedures for monitoring and assessing the performance of transport services.
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K11: Organisational procedures for escalating transport services performance issues identified from monitoring and assessment activities within their limits of authority.
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K12: Organisational procedures and industry specific practices for responding to, and dealing with prolonged or persistent disruption, for example, weather conditions, mechanical issues, public events.
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K13: Organisational procedures and industry specific practices for supporting situations caused by unforeseen circumstances.
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K14: Compliance requirements of the organisation and wider industry in relation to transport services.
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K15: Workload planning tools and techniques.
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K16: Organisational and industry specific objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs).
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K17: Verbal communication techniques. Giving and receiving data and information. Matching style to audience. Industry terminology.
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K18: Techniques for written communication, plain English principles.
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K19: Impact of the sector on the environment. Efficient use of resources. Recycling, reuse, and safe disposal of waste.
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K20: Principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
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K21: Documentation: methods and requirements - electronic and paper.
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K22: CPD (planned and unplanned) and recording methods.
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S1: Respond to sector and organisational specific handover data.
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S2: Carry out and record CPD.
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S3: Create timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams.
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S4: Revise timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams.
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S5: Use organisational digital platforms, for example, ATTUne, AIMs, Omnibus. Comply with GDPR and cybersecurity requirements.
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S6: Undertake pre-planning activities to identify considerations to be made in relation to transport services, for example, research country specific medical and visa requirements, review local, national and international events calendars, consider transport service capacity
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S7: Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to ensure access to travel routes and where required, register timetables, schedules, rosters or diagrams.
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S8: Comply with sector legislation for example union agreements, commercial contracts.
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S9: Monitor and assess the performance of transport services, intervening and providing support when required.
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S10: Respond to prolonged or persistent disruption to transport services, ensuring solutions take into consideration the requirements of internal and external stakeholders.
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S11: Support situations that occur due unforeseen circumstances, contributing where required in line with organisational procedures and industry specific practices, for example, emergency situations, extreme weather conditions, industrial action.
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S12: Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to ensure full support is offered during situations that occur due to unforeseen circumstances, for example, emergency situations, extreme weather conditions, industrial action.
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S13: Identify non-compliance in transport services through monitoring activities.
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S14: Escalate situations to the appropriate person or authority.
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S15: Manage own workload to ensure that contributions to organisational objectives meet all requirements.
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S16: Make operational performance improvements.
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S17: Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
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S18: Communicate in writing with others for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, and managers.
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S19: Comply with regulations, standards, and guidance, including environmental and sustainability regulations.
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S20: Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion principles.
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S21: Record or enter information - paper based or electronic. For example, risk assessments, handover documents, work sheets, checklists, and any legal reporting requirements
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B1: Committed to maintaining and enhancing competence of self through Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
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B2: Respond and adapt to work demands and situations.
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B3: Collaborate within teams, across disciplines and with internal and external stakeholders.
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B4: Act ethically.
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English and maths qualifications must be completed in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
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| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 21/12/2023 | Not set |
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