BRYON W. DOWNING
Troy,IL
Summary
Transportation operations leader with extensive experience in optimizing fleet efficiency and managing complex intermodal environments. Demonstrates a track record of improving routing, reducing costs, and enhancing customer satisfaction through effective coordination and operational decision-making. Proven ability to maintain compliance while driving service excellence.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
Terminal Dispatcher
DEPOT CONNECT INTERNATIONAL
03.2022 - Current
- Coordinated daily transportation operations for 20+ company drivers and owner-operators in complex intermodal fleet environment, balancing freight demand, driver availability, equipment capacity, customer requirements, and service commitments to ensure timely deliveries.
- Direct daily dispatch and fleet coordination activities to align drivers, equipment, freight requirements, and customer delivery commitments.
- Made real-time operational decisions regarding equipment availability, driver capacity, routing, service priorities, and customer commitments to maintain service levels.
- Optimize freight routing and resource allocation to maximize fleet utilization, driver productivity, capacity, and service performance.
- Track and trace intermodal containers and ISO tanks through railroad systems and internal TMS platforms, proactively identifying potential service disruptions.
- Coordinate with drivers, customers, Customer Service, railroad personnel, maintenance, and management to resolve operational exceptions and maintain service levels.
- Monitored shipment activity to minimize railroad demurrage and steamship line per diem costs through proactive interventions and efficient coordination with stakeholders.
Local Fleet Manager
FW TRUCKING
10.2019 - 03.2022
- Managed daily operations for 15-driver local trucking fleet, overseeing routing, scheduling, customer requirements, equipment, maintenance, driver compliance, and ensuring operational continuity.
- Led day-to-day fleet operations, coordinating drivers, routes, equipment, pickups, deliveries, and customer commitments.
- Managed driver schedules and resource allocation to improve fleet utilization, productivity, and transportation efficiency.
- Optimized routes and dispatch plans based on driver availability, delivery requirements, equipment, and operational priorities.
- Coordinated operations between drivers, customers, equipment resources, and maintenance activities.
- Coordinated customer pickup and delivery requirements, resolving transportation issues to enhance service performance.
- Balanced driver availability, equipment capacity, maintenance needs, customer service, and safety to support operational priorities.
- Coordinated truck and trailer maintenance, inspections, preventive maintenance, repairs, and trailer pool availability.
- Monitored driver schedules and hours of service to maintain DOT compliance and support safe, uninterrupted operations.
Manager, Intermodal
SHEER LOGISTICS
01.2010 - 01.2016
- Progressed through increasingly responsible positions encompassing intermodal management, transportation dispatch, carrier procurement, capacity management, logistics coordination, customer service, and transportation operations.
- Managed intermodal transportation activities, aligning customer requirements with vendor relationships, driver and container capacity, transportation rates, and shipment execution.
- Secured transportation capacity and coordinated operational resources, ensuring alignment with customer commitments and service requirements.
- Negotiated customer and vendor transportation rates while balancing service requirements, capacity, and profitability.
- Monitored pickup and delivery performance and proactively resolved transportation exceptions with carriers and transportation partners.
- Coordinated transportation resources and capacity to adapt to changing freight requirements and optimize operational efficiency.
- Built and maintained strong relationships with customers, drivers, carriers, vendors, and transportation partners.
Dispatch Coordinator
SHEER LOGISTICS
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Maximized driver and equipment utilization in support of transportation productivity, revenue, service, and profitability objectives.
- Coordinated daily driver and equipment resources, assigning qualified drivers to optimize availability, meet customer requirements, and prioritize operations.
- Monitored transportation activity from pickup through delivery and proactively resolved transit and service exceptions.
- Balanced safety, customer service, driver availability, equipment requirements, and operational priorities in a high-volume environment.
- Cultivated effective relationships with drivers and customers to ensure efficient execution of transportation requirements.
Logistics Coordinator
SHEER LOGISTICS
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Sourced and secured qualified carriers, negotiating competitive transportation rates to enhance service quality and profitability.
- Collaborated with Sales and Account Management to coordinate appointments and transportation requirements, optimizing carrier performance.
- Developed long-term relationships with carriers to ensure reliable capacity and consistent transportation service.
- Monitored market conditions and provided internal teams with intelligence regarding carrier capacity, transportation rates, and seasonal trends.
Progressive Transportation & Brokerage Roles
HUB GROUP
03.1997 - 01.2010
- Managed transportation operations, fostering strong carrier relationships and meeting customer requirements through effective dispatch, brokerage, and logistics coordination.
- Coordinated time-sensitive freight requirements, balancing capacity, customer service, and carrier performance to ensure timely delivery and operational efficiency.
- Developed extensive transportation industry expertise across trucking, brokerage, carrier management, dispatch, customer service, and logistics operations.
- Progressed into positions of increasing responsibility across transportation operations, brokerage, customer service, logistics coordination, and team leadership.
- Advanced through four progressively responsible positions in highway brokerage customer service, management, logistics coordination, and team leadership, demonstrating adaptability and growth in the transportation sector.
Highway Brokerage Dispatcher
MRS ENTERPRISES
02.1996 - 03.1997
- Coordinated highway brokerage dispatch activities, ensuring timely load scheduling, effective driver assignments, clear customer communication, and efficient issue resolution.
- Balanced driver availability with customer requirements and load schedules to ensure reliable transportation execution.
- Coordinated transportation schedules for timely deliveries and pickups.
- Communicated with drivers to relay important route information and changes.
- Managed customer inquiries regarding shipment status and logistics updates.
Education
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - MANAGEMENT
Quincy University
Quincy, ILSkills
- Freight coordination
- Driver resource management
- Intermodal coordination
- Fleet management
- Operational resource management
- Real-time decision making
Personal Information
Title: FLEET & TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS LEADER
Timeline
Terminal Dispatcher
DEPOT CONNECT INTERNATIONAL
03.2022 - Current
Local Fleet Manager
FW TRUCKING
10.2019 - 03.2022
Logistics Coordinator
SHEER LOGISTICS
01.2018 - 01.2019
Dispatch Coordinator
SHEER LOGISTICS
01.2016 - 01.2018
Manager, Intermodal
SHEER LOGISTICS
01.2010 - 01.2016
Progressive Transportation & Brokerage Roles
HUB GROUP
03.1997 - 01.2010
Highway Brokerage Dispatcher
MRS ENTERPRISES
02.1996 - 03.1997
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - MANAGEMENT
Quincy University