Day in the Life of a Transport Planner with Kinect – Wednesday 15/01/25
Hi all,
I thought it would be interesting for the mobile teams and families to get a glimpse into what a typical day looks like for the transport planning team.
Matt and I arrive at the office bright and early, before 6:30 AM, to ensure everything is in place for the day ahead. We start by checking and responding to emails from the evening before, keeping the inbox up-to-date so we can focus on the day’s priorities.
Today, we had several routes that required planned cover due to leave or other arrangements. Here’s how we managed:
- Thurrock PA (4 PM run): A driver completing an earlier drop-off at 15:40 was able to cover this second route.
- Thurrock driver: A driver with shorter routes stepped in to handle this longer route, with a head office staff member covering their usual duties.
- Basildon PA: A PA whose passenger is on holiday this week temporarily supported this route.
- Southminster PA: A specially trained PA was reallocated from another route, and a standby PA stepped in to maintain service.
- Basildon PA: Routes were adjusted to pair specialist-trained PAs with passengers, utilising standby staff to ensure smooth operations.
- Brentwood PA: Similarly, a trained PA was moved to this route, and a standby PA filled the gap elsewhere.
- Southend and Leigh-on-Sea PAs: Both were covered by standby PAs.
- Chelmsford driver: A Southend driver was reassigned, with support from a partner operator to cover the Southend route.
Additionally, we coordinated transport for two passengers going to respite facilities instead of their usual destinations.
After the morning rush, Matt and I moved on to our individual tasks. Matt focused on the rota for the coming days and weeks, ensuring all planned absences are accounted for and our standby staff availability is up to date. Meanwhile, I worked on the fleet movements board, scheduling vehicle inspections, maintenance appointments, and inductions for new starters, with drivers completing these tasks between their runs.
We also reviewed our new passengers board, which we share with local authorities. This involves adding or removing passengers from transport, managing changes to routes, and planning for any special requirements. Once the best route is determined, we calculate mileage and costs to share with the council, making sure everything is ready for a smooth transition.
Over the past month, our number of routes has grown from approximately 195 to 203, including new routes to Columbus, Greenwell, and Compass.
Private hire requests are another part of the day – from summer journeys for Kinect staff to college trips and group bookings for February. We handle quotes, vehicle configurations, and driver assignments, ensuring everything is confirmed and ready for our customers.
Meetings today included:
- 09:30: Training on a new system for routing, tracking, and staff hours.
- 11:00: A recruitment meeting to discuss progress, future needs, and streamlining processes.
- 12:00: A transport operations meeting with planning, customer relations, employee relations, and fleet teams to review the week and address any updates.
The rest of the day is spent fine-tuning the rota, addressing any questions or feedback from families, crews, or centres, and ensuring everything is on track. By mid-afternoon, we’re ready for the afternoon journeys and continue working to ensure the day runs smoothly from start to finish.
Alex