Director of Transportation Planning

Career Guide

A Director of Transportation Planning leads long range and near term planning for how people and goods move through a region or city. The role sets strategy, guides major studies and corridor plans, manages teams and consultants, and partners with public agencies, communities, and elected leaders to deliver safer, more reliable, and more sustainable transportation.

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Key Responsibilities

Set transportation planning strategy and annual priorities
Lead development of regional plans, corridor studies, and project pipelines
Oversee travel demand forecasting and scenario planning
Guide public engagement and stakeholder collaboration
Align plans with land use, housing, climate, and economic goals
Secure funding through grants and capital programs
Manage budgets, contracts, and consultant teams
Brief executives and elected officials on recommendations and tradeoffs
Coordinate with operations, engineering, and maintenance teams
Track performance measures and report progress to the public
Ensure compliance with planning requirements and equity commitments
Build and mentor a multidisciplinary planning team

Top Skills for Success

Strategic Planning

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Public Speaking

Negotiation

Program Management

Budget Management

Policy Analysis

Transportation Planning

Travel Demand Modeling

Scenario Planning

Safety Planning

Transit Planning

Active Transportation Planning

Freight Planning

Land Use Coordination

Community Engagement

Environmental Review Oversight

Grant Writing

Geographic Information Systems

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Deputy Director of Planning

Director of Mobility

Director of Transportation

Chief Planning Officer

General Manager of Transit

City Manager

Executive Director of a regional agency

Transition Opportunities

Transportation Policy Director

Infrastructure Program Director

Real Estate Development Planning Lead

Management Consulting Lead for Public Sector

Innovation Director for Mobility Services

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Executive level storytellingPerformance measurement designCapital program delivery knowledgeGrant strategyContract negotiationChange management

Development SuggestionsBuild a portfolio of board ready presentations, own a small set of clear performance measures, partner closely with delivery teams to learn schedules and risks, and lead at least one grant application from start to finish to strengthen funding credibility.

Market Intelligence Report

Director of Transportation Planning is part of the Transportation Operations category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelNot typical for this title

Mid LevelUSD 130,000 to 180,000

Senior LevelUSD 180,000 to 250,000

Growth Trend

Stable to growing demand, driven by infrastructure funding, safety initiatives, climate resilience work, and faster project delivery expectations.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Metropolitan planning organizationsCity transportation departmentsState transportation departmentsTransit agenciesRegional transportation authoritiesAirport authoritiesPort authoritiesEngineering and planning consulting firms

Industry Sectors

GovernmentPublic transportationAviationMaritime logisticsEngineering servicesUrban planning consulting

Recommended Next Steps

Review job descriptions in your target region and list the most repeated requirements

Prepare a one page planning leadership portfolio with three major plans or programs and measurable outcomes

Strengthen board presentation skills by practicing short decision memos and briefings

Refresh technical fluency in forecasting, mapping, and performance measures so you can guide specialists

Network with regional agency leaders and consulting principals who staff major planning programs

Track upcoming grant cycles and align a project concept with clear benefits and readiness