Transportation Operations Assistant Jobs in Illinois

Operations excellence depends on precision, speed, and proactive coordination. The Operations Support role exists to provide critical administrative and operational support that enables inbound and outbound freight to move efficiently, documentation to remain accurate, and drivers to stay on schedule.
This position serves as a central point of coordination between drivers, operations teams, customers, and internal stakeholders. By maintaining organized workflows, addressing operational exceptions, and ensuring timely communication, the
Operations Support team member helps minimize delays, improve service execution, and support overall terminal performance.
Success in this role means freight moves efficiently, operational teams have the information they need when they need it, customer commitments are met, and daily processes run smoothly with minimal disruption. What you'll do1. Support daily freight operations

• Assist with driver check-in processes and ensure manifests are distributed to dock personnel in a timely manner.
• Help coordinate administrative activities that support efficient inbound (IB) and outbound (OB) freight processing.
• Monitor workflow status and escalate issues that could impact service levels or delivery timelines.
• Provide operational support that enables drivers to depart on schedule and maintain customer commitments.

2. Maintain documentation accuracy and compliance

• Review Bills of Lading (BOLs), Delivery Receipts (DRs), manifests, and supporting documents for completeness and accuracy.
• Scan, file, and manage operational records in accordance with company procedures.
• Support document control processes that improve visibility, traceability, and operational accountability.
• Ensure data entry and administrative records are maintained accurately and consistently.

3. Coordinate customer and delivery communications

• Conduct evening pre-call activities for home delivery appointments and customer follow-up efforts.
• Communicate professionally with customers regarding appointment scheduling and delivery-related coordination.
• Serve as a reliable point of contact for operational and customer service inquiries.
• Escalate issues appropriately to ensure timely resolution and a positive customer experience.

4. Resolve operational exceptions

• Assist with Over, Short, and Damaged (OS&D) freight issues as they arise during unloading and delivery operations.
• Coordinate communication with shippers and internal teams regarding freight discrepancies.
• Document exceptions accurately and provide updates to daytime OS&D personnel when required.
• Support problem resolution efforts that protect service quality and reduce operational disruption.

5. Deliver administrative and cross-functional support

• Provide administrative assistance to operations leadership and site personnel as needed.
• Maintain organized records, reports, and operational files to support business continuity.
• Backfill office responsibilities during PTO and staffing coverage needs.
• Prioritize multiple assignments while maintaining accuracy and responsiveness.
• Support additional business initiatives and operational projects as assigned.

What you bring

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 1-3 years of administrative, logistics, transportation, operations support, customer service, or related experience.
• Strong knowledge of business English, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and professional written communication.
• Ability to read, interpret, and follow written and verbal instructions accurately.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities and effectively manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with internal teams, customers, vendors, and external partners.
• Proficient typing skills, including the ability to type approximately 35-40 words per minute.
• Basic mathematical skills including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and decimals.

Technical Skills

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Moderate proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including:
  • Pivot tables
  • Data filtering and sorting
  • Duplicate identification and cleanup
  • Working with large datasets
• Experience with electronic document management, data entry systems, and routine database activities.
• Ten-key data entry proficiency and office filing systems experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting transportation, logistics, distribution, warehousing, or freight operations.
• Familiarity with freight documentation, Bills of Lading, delivery records, and transportation workflows.
• Experience handling customer communications in a fast-paced operational environment.
• Exposure to terminal operations, dispatch, routing, or transportation support functions.

How you operate

• You think proactively and work to prevent issues before they disrupt operations.
• You stay organized and maintain accuracy even when priorities shift quickly.
• You take ownership of outcomes and follow tasks through to completion.
• You communicate clearly, professionally, and with a strong sense of urgency.
• You balance speed and attention to detail without compromising quality.
• You can manage multiple priorities while remaining focused and dependable.
• You collaborate effectively across departments to keep operations moving.
• You approach challenges with a solution-focused mindset.
• You remain calm and professional in a fast-paced environment.
• You understand that operational success is driven by consistency, accountability, and execution.

Compensation & Setup

• Pay: $20.00 - $22.00 per hour
• Location: Onsite, Chicago, IL
• Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package, including; Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Paid Time Off (PTO), Additional company-sponsored benefits where applicable

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

• Sedentary physical activity performing non-strenuous daily activities of an administrative nature. While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to sit, reach/handle items, work with the fingers, focus with close vision, and talk and hear others in conversations via the phone or in person.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and lifts objects up to 10 lbs.

Work Environment

• The noise level is moderate based on general conversation tones, ringing phones and laser printer operation.
• Work in well-lighted, heated and/or air-conditioned indoor office setting with adequate ventilation.

* The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principal functions of the position and are not intended to be all inclusive. The position and any of the requirements listed above are subject to change at any time according to the changing needs of the company.

* Roadrunner is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind.

* We will not accept unsolicited candidates from external recruiters or recruiting agencies. Thank you!

#LI-OnsiteChicago, IL

About Roadrunner

Roadrunner is for ambitious, smart people who excel at execution over talking about it, and who would rather invent the next standard in freight than accept the status quo.

We are looking for the Best of the Best. Action driven leaders who want to be part of real change and help design the future of LTL in the U.S. This is a place where high performers can grow, influence outcomes, and make an impact while working directly with executives and smart people from across industries.

We bring a winner mindset. We take ownership, raise the bar, and measure ourselves by results. We Run Safe. We Run Smart. We Run Together. These principles create an environment of high standards, clear ownership, and direct collaboration. We trust data over intuition, move with urgency, and hold each other accountable because winning requires it.

Roadrunner exists to prove that LTL can be better than the industry has settled for. To be the best means we need to think bigger, look outside the box, and question every assumption: too many handoffs, limited visibility, and the quiet belief that "this is just how it works." We rejected that story. We built a proprietary Smart Network for direct, long haul, metro to metro service that delivers fewer touches, faster transit, real time visibility, and genuine accountability. We are the most tech forward company in LTL, and we are not finished widening the gap.

The foundation is already strong. Recognized as one of Built In Chicago's Best Large Places to Work. Earning top marks for improvement, quality, and service. The real opportunity is still ahead: helping invent what comes next.

If you want to be evaluated among the Best of the Best and help set the new standard in LTL, we should talk.