What Does it Take to Be an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator?
Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator Definition Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator Responsibilities
- Weigh materials or products and record weight or other production data on tags or labels.
- Hook tow trucks to trailer hitches and fasten attachments, such as graders, plows, rollers, or winch cables to tractors, using hitchpins.
- Signal workers to discharge, dump, or level materials.
- Turn valves and open chutes to dump, spray, or release materials from dump cars or storage bins into hoppers.
- Operate or tend automatic stacking, loading, packaging, or cutting machines.
- Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
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Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator Required Skills
When polled, Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator Jobs
- Lumber Carrier Operator
- Larry Operator
- Tow Driver
- Cat Operator
- Unloader Operator
What Kind of Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 549,900 jobs for Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 36,000 new jobs for Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 65,900 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator are Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Delaware, or District of Columbia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators make between $24,910 and $51,620 a year.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators who work in Alaska, District of Columbia, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $33,520 |
Alaska | $53,580 |
Arizona | $35,910 |
Arkansas | $33,150 |
California | $37,940 |
Colorado | $36,670 |
Connecticut | $40,980 |
Delaware | $39,630 |
District of Columbia | $50,240 |
Florida | $36,460 |
Georgia | $36,700 |
Hawaii | $50,540 |
Idaho | $35,450 |
Illinois | $36,240 |
Indiana | $35,420 |
Iowa | $37,950 |
Kansas | $36,440 |
Kentucky | $33,980 |
Louisiana | $35,560 |
Maine | $35,920 |
Maryland | $40,490 |
Massachusetts | $39,370 |
Michigan | $37,830 |
Minnesota | $41,500 |
Mississippi | $31,500 |
Missouri | $35,750 |
Montana | $37,500 |
Nebraska | $34,880 |
Nevada | $38,400 |
New Hampshire | $41,340 |
New Jersey | $36,490 |
New Mexico | $37,650 |
New York | $42,340 |
North Carolina | $33,720 |
North Dakota | $39,920 |
Ohio | $35,490 |
Oklahoma | $36,140 |
Oregon | $37,410 |
Pennsylvania | $37,730 |
Rhode Island | $38,390 |
South Carolina | $34,820 |
South Dakota | $35,010 |
Tennessee | $33,810 |
Texas | $33,580 |
Utah | $35,850 |
Vermont | $39,690 |
Virginia | $37,900 |
Washington | $43,430 |
West Virginia | $39,200 |
Wisconsin | $37,890 |
Wyoming | $40,520 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- SAP
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Inventory management software
- RedPrairie DLx Warehouse
Becoming an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator
Learn what Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator education requirements there are.
What work experience do I need to become an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator?
Where Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Are Employed
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Similar Careers
Those interested in being an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator may also be interested in:
Those who work as an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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